Morondava & Avenue of the Baobabs

A small west-coast town, where a dirt road lined with giant baobabs at sunset is Madagascar's most iconic image, with dry-forest lemurs and Vezo fishing villages nearby.

Morondava is the capital of the Menabe region on Madagascar's west coast, facing the Mozambique Channel, and is known worldwide for the Avenue of the Baobabs, about 20 km north of town. The climate is hot and dry. The dry season from May to November is the best time to go, with passable roads, clear skies and the loveliest sunsets; in the rainy season from December to March, dirt roads turn to mud, some routes are cut off, and there is a risk of cyclones. Sights fall into three areas. First, the baobab area north of town: the Avenue of the Baobabs, the Baobab Amoureux (Lovers' Baobab) and the Sacred Baobab, as well as the Kivalo mangrove fishing village. Second, to the northeast: Kirindy Forest, the Andranomena reserve and the woodcarving village of Marofandilia, where night walks reveal mouse lemurs and the fossa. Third, the coast south of town: the fishing village of Belo-sur-Mer and Kirindy-Mitea National Park. In town, Nosy Kely beach has most of the hotels and seafood restaurants, and across the water lies the fishing village of Betania. Getting there: about 1 hour by domestic flight from Antananarivo, or 12–15 hours by road on RN34/RN35 (via Antsirabe). Getting around relies on chartered cars (4WD is advisable on dirt roads in the dry season), tuk-tuks and dugout canoes. Plan 2–3 days; a trip to Tsingy de Bemaraha adds another 3–4 days. Use sunscreen and mosquito repellent (malaria zone), and carry plenty of cash (ariary), as ATMs are few and often out of order.

Top sights

• Avenue of the Baobabs – About 25 Grandidier's baobabs, each around 30 m tall, stand in rows along both sides of a dirt road. At sunset their silhouettes are postca…
• Kirindy Forest – A dry deciduous forest reserve in western Madagascar and the most reliable place to see the fossa, where night walks can reveal the mouse l…
• Baobabs Amoureux (Lovers' Baobabs) – Two Grandidier's baobabs whose trunks are twined together like an embrace. Seen as a symbol of love, they are a must-see stop just north of…
• Baobab Sacré – A giant baobab with a massive trunk, revered as a sacred tree by the local Sakalava people, with offerings often left at its base.
• Morondava Beach (Nosy Kely) – A long, narrow sand spit west of Morondava town, home to most of its hotels and seafood restaurants, with sunsets over the Mozambique Chann…
• Betania Fishing Village – A Vezo fishing village on the sandbank across the Morondava River mouth, reached by dugout canoe in minutes, offering a glimpse of unspoile…
• Kivalo Village & Mangroves – A mangrove fishing village northwest of Morondava where you can paddle a dugout canoe through mangrove channels, often combined with the Av…
• Belo-sur-Mer – A coastal village famous for its traditional boutre wooden sailing boats, surrounded by lagoons and white sand, far from the crowds.
• Kirindy Mitea National Park – A protected area on the southwest coast of dry deciduous forest, mangroves, dunes and lakes, with baobabs, lemurs and very few visitors.
• Andranomena Special Reserve – A dry forest reserve between the Avenue of the Baobabs and Kirindy Forest, where you can see lemurs, three baobab species and endemic birds.
• Marofandilia Village – A Sakalava village at the turnoff to Kirindy Forest, where a villagers' cooperative sells wood carvings of lemurs and baobabs.

Where to eat

• Bleu Soleil – A seaside terrace restaurant on Nosy Kely beach, ranked first in Morondava on Tripadvisor and known for prawns, crab an…
• Le Corail (Ex Chez Alain) – A budget-friendly seafood institution on Independence Road, formerly Chez Alain, known for large lobsters, crab and zeb…
• La Capannina – An Italian-run wood-fired pizzeria facing the mangroves, serving swordfish and crab in sauce alongside its pizzas.

Itineraries

• Fly-in Morondava: Tsingy & Baobabs – Fly to the west coast, head north by 4WD to the Bemaraha stone forest, and return via Kirindy and the Avenue of the Bao…
• Grand Madagascar: River, Tsingy & RN7 Loop – Descend the Tsiribihina River to the Tsingy, cross the highlands along the RN7, and end in the eastern rainforests to h…