Day 4-5

The City of Maronestra

Megan, Elizabeth, and I have to get up early today and eat breakfast quickly in the hotel before our morning visit to Parc Ivoloina. The Parc Ivoloina is a 30 minute drive from Tamatave. Parc Ivoloina offers you an inside look into Madagascar's natural heritage and is 697 acres. Parc Ivoloina is a unique animal rehabilitation center and zoo. It’s a good place to say our lay over before going on our flight to Maroantsetra. Maroantsetra is a market town and domestic seaport in Toamasina Province, Madagascar. Maroantsetra is the main point of access to Masoala National Park and the Nosy Mangabe special reserve, which we will be going to. After we arrive in the city of Maroantsetra we make our way to Masoala National Park, in northeast Madagascar. Masola National Park is the largest of the island's protected areas. The park was created in 1997 and it protects 2,300 square kilometres of rainforest and 100 square kilometres of marine parks. The Masoala peninsula is exceptionally diverse due to its huge size, and variety of habitats. Altogether, the park protects rainforest, coastal forest, flooded forest, marsh, and mangrove. In the afternoon we take a river trip through the private reserve of Androfita. The water was crystal clear and we were able to enjoy very beautiful scenery while cruising on the water. We then spent a full day on the tiny island of Mangabe. Nosy Mangabe is a natural reserve and sanctuary for the world’s rarest lemur, the aye aye. We spend two nights at the Relais du Masoala. Our room had a great view overlooking the Bay of Antongil.