7 Things You'll Only Discover In Madagascar

Madagascar is a truly unique place – along with lemurs, orchids and another endemic species, its people also have many a special secret to share with anyone visiting the island nation. Read on for the most unique experiences you can have on the world’s biggest island nation.

Boundless generosity

Many ancient philosophies dictate how visitors should be treated by locals. The deeply entrenched philosophy of “vahiny” is practised by the Malagasy people to show generosity. Madagascar’s people are welcoming and genuine. Deeply sincere, they trust easily and are ready to do anything to make your stay with them as pleasant as possible. Kindness and generosity are a part of Malagasy life, especially for those who live in rural areas.

The “moramora” way of life

Local Malagasy enjoying a swim in Madagascar

Eating organic food everywhere you go

Wherever you go in Madagascar, most vegetables and fruits are grown locally and the concept of preservatives and additives is still relatively unknown – as an added bonus food is comparatively cheaper and good quality. The Malagasy believe that some of their home-grown fruits have curative quality such as the soursop, a relative of jackfruit, and durian.

The soursop fruit, belonging to the custard apple family and a relative of the durian and jackfruit

Madagascar’s “voluntary simplicity”

For those tired of living resource-intensive lifestyles and wanting to reconnect with a simpler way of living, Madagascar is the best place to learn how to do it. Spending a few days in Madagascar and observing how people live beyond a consumer-focused way of life helps people to reconnect with what’s really important. Referred to locally as “voluntary simplicity”, Malagasy people practise this form of sustainable consumption and demonstrate what is sufficient to live well in low-impact ways, while maintaining a high quality of life. Many make a conscious decision to use fewer natural resources and live in harmony with nature.

Unlimited holiday activities

Enjoy vacation with benefits. Madagascar is undoubtedly the best destination for active holidays and adventure activities. Here you can hike, trek, trail-run, rock-climb, bike, or go canyoning. Some places like Mahambo (which is located in the southeast of the island) are choice locations for surfing, diving, kitesurfing, and windsurfing.

Outstanding nature

Lovers of nature instantly fall in love with this country and its fauna and flora. Biologists and scientists have continually been coming to the island to find paradise, since Madagascar is home to 80% of the world endemic animals and plants. Bear witness to the gentle transformation of its landscape from sandy beaches to lush greenery. Discover a large variety of desert plants like the cacti in the south and rare spice plants like vanilla in the north.

The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is a stone forest in Madagascar

Creative opportunities

Madagascar offers a vast range of film- and photo-friendly locations. From the turquoise water of the Indian ocean, the palm trees which fringe the east coast, and the mangroves and coral reefs in the western shores, to the great expanses of desert in the south and the sandy beaches surrounding the island, there is so much unique diversity to be found here. The country also provides an exciting and rare chance for filmmakers and photographers to document exotic biodiversity, cultural traditions, and amazing nature.

The Avenue of Baobabs near Morondava, Madagascar

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.