©
Flickr cc MontonRebelle
Madagascar Travel Guide
©
Flickr cc MontonRebelle
Which one of us has never felt the calming effect of water? Sources of life, the rivers, lakes and mangroves offer more than one opportunity for a complete change of scene and a beguiling of the senses most certainly conducive to relaxation…
Living at the slow pace of navigation, listening to and watching the surrounding countryside, here is a way to unwind that invites discovery as much as idleness. Contemplative people who can appreciate the inherent benefits of luxuriant green surroundings, will allow themselves to be lulled and surprised in turns by the wind whispering in a branch or a flight of wild, colourful birds.
Welcome to the Canal des Pangalanes, or Madagascan “Kerala”, for the space of a very lovely river adventure that alternates navigation, observation and meeting the villagers.
A right tangle of natural rivers and man-made lakes coursing over 400 miles, the “Canal des Pangalanes”, which is mostly used for pleasure cruising today, was built in the 19th century to facilitate the transportation of export goods (vanilla, coffee, litchis, wood, minerals and cloves) to the port of Tamatave.
As maritime navigation along Madagascar’s east coast proved too risky, as it is exposed to extremely violent and dangerous winds, the construction of the canal ensured a navigable passage for barges and scows. Today, you still see craft chock-a-block full with merchandise and passengers in the midst of canoes and fishermen.
Although you no longer have access to a part of the canal, as the area between Vatomandry and Mahanoro has been overrun by water hyacinths, there are still many itineraries open to you depending on your tastes and budget… You can either opt for a step by step adventure and start out from Manangareza (Tamatave canal basin) on a scow that will never exceed 6 mph in exchange for a trifling fare, or join a more classic cruise that favours discovery, with some of your nights spent in a lodge or camp.
Behind the narrow strip of land that separates it from the ocean inhabited by whales and sharks and from where the waves crash upon the coast, the midnight blue edge of the canal is lined with luxuriant vegetation in various hues of vivid green. Palms, water hyacinths, water lilies or Madagascar pitcher plants, the variety of the flora confirms the botanical beauty of an as yet unspoilt natural environment.
On the banks of the canal, the rainforest is not only home to four species of lemur, but also frogs, freshwater turtles, Nile crocodiles, and, on the Vohibola site alone, to 38 species of amphibians and reptiles, 36 of which are endemic.
A destination of choice for the naturalist with its enchanting scenery, the canal remains above all an ornithologist’s paradise with grey herons, ibises, swifts, Mascarene swallows, parrots, geese or owls and woodcocks… with 50% of these species being endemic!
Drifting along with the current, the scenery passes by while time seems to be standing still… As you go by, the locals greet you in their usual unhurried fashion… The slow pace of navigation will give you a chance to observe the rice paddies and spice crops (cloves, cinnamon, pepper and coffee) of the Betsimsaraka, as well as their traditional housing, the “falafa” which, built on stilts and made out of wood and thatch, serves to protect them from the damp and floods.
Steeped in ancestral beliefs, this lakeside people of fishermen and farmers are particularly afraid of the mysterious shadow that covers the water made dark by night fall, seeing in this, as they do, a mirror reflection that calls them into question. However, in spite of the taboos that govern their daily life, it is with wide-open arms that they will welcome you on solid ground in order to show you round a school, a health centre or the local arts and crafts.
Out of reach of mass tourism, Andranokoditra and Andovoranto, two village co-operatives founded in 2006 in a bid to develop the villages’ economies through sustainable actions and to stimulate the Canal des Pangalanes, will host you in two eco-lodges. From here you can enjoy the quiet, deserted beaches or pay a visit to the protected reserves of Palmarium or Vohibola, managed by "L'Homme et l'Environnement" NGO, whilst soaking up a rich cultural heritage that is still intact.
Authenticity and peace are the bywords that will echo in your memories of this excursion on the Canal des Pangalanes, when at sunset, facing the ocean from beneath the pandanus tree all around you is sluggish contentment… The archetypal picture of the country of “mora mora” that will not leave you indifferent!
