CITY WALK

Let's take a stroll through Morondava's neighborhoods. Let's start with Anstakoameloky, where we find the airport. The name comes from an amusing anecdote: a European manoeuvred his light aircraft badly on landing, and the wings caught on a tree (sakoa). The disgruntled tree (in the land of spirits, imagination is king) rebelled against the cursed aircraft: hence the name, which means "angry tree"! Further on, we enter the Tsimavao Be and Tsimavao Kely districts. They are located at the entrance to the town itself. Namahora Nord, the next suburb, is an important economic center, home to the town's second-largest market. Next, we reach Namahora Sud, Ankisirasira and Tanambao, right in the middle of the mangrove swamp (which turns into an island at high tide). From here, the trail heads south towards Belo-sur-Mer.

Here we are at the entrance to the town center. To the north is Labatoara (the slaughterhouse has been moved to Ambalanomby, west of the dike linking the town center to Grande Terre), and to the south is Andakabe. From here, we reach Sanfily. In the center, Bazary Be is the liveliest district: the main thoroughfare runs through it, where you'll find the main market and most of the shops. The market is well worth a visit: soubiques, hats, red and gold lambaony, fruit galore... You'll breathe in the atmosphere of Mada's big markets, with the diverse scents of spices, fruit and dried fish! Nearby, in front of the mosque, there's an atmosphere of expectation. Here you'll find the former Air Madagascar agency, the courthouse and the post office, all buildings whose architecture, peeling painted woods and faded ochres evoke the world of Conrad's Lord Jim.

To get to Nosy Kely, you have to continue further south. This is where tourism has made its home. By all appearances, the sea is eroding the coastline, retreating several hundred meters per decade! That's why breakwaters were built here, but have now fallen into disrepair. Alas, no restoration project is now planned to stem the inexorable rise in water levels. The dhow port is located in the Hellot canal, an arm of the sea through which the village of Betania can also be reached by taxi-pirogue. This little village on the other side of the mouth of the river makes a lovely stroll at dawn, when the colors and lights spread their softness over the landscape and the atmosphere of early morning.