Geography of the West Coast

Nothing beats an escape on the west coast of Madagascar to enjoy moments of happiness by visiting the various tourist sites in the area. The west coast begins in the northwestern part of the province of Majunga and goes down to Morondava in the Tulear province. The west is more marked by the province of Majunga with an area of 150,023 km2 and 2,224,570 inhabitants in 2011. The western coastal fringe of Sakalava is a very interesting tourist destination due to its geographical profile.
Discovering the west coast of Madagascar
You will find clayey and sandy soils on the west coast of Madagascar. There are quite a few calcareous soils in the region. It is characterised by a dry tropical climate as the Trade Winds have lost most of their moisture from the south-east to the west. The west coast then offers a landscape adorned with meadows, steppes and savannahs. The climate and the type of soil make the vegetation this way. You will often meet jujube trees, baobabs and especially mango trees in this part of the island. These baobabs represent tourist attractions on the west coast since among the eight (8) species of these giant trees existing in the world, six (6) are found in Madagascar. Emblematic of the city of Majunga, the baobabs line an alleyway on the road between Morondava and Belo sur Tsiribihina, a must in this western area.
Regions or “faritra” of western Madagascar
Majunga province contains four (4) regions. You will find in the Boeny Majunga I and Majunga II region where the second port of Madagascar and the airport in Amborovy are located. Luxury hotels await you: some are located near the beaches, others near the seaside, others in the middle of the city. You will be spoilt for choice. Alternatively, you can visit outlying areas such as Marovoay or Ambato-Boeny. The Melaky region with the districts of Besalampy, Maintirano, etc. as well as the Sofia region with Port-Bergé, Mampikony, Mandritsara, etc. offer varied landscapes in the country style, but in the Majungaise version. The Betsiboka region has three (3) districts, namely Kandreho, Maevatanàna and Tsaratanàna. For Morondava, it belongs to the province of Tulear and is known as the capital of Menabe in terms of economy and administration.
The west coast offers a wide coastline for seaside activities. Its vegetation offers exceptional and varied landscapes with its baobabs of different sizes and containing fascinating stories: “baobabs in love”, “l’Allée des baobabs”, baobab at the crossroads giving access to the seafront in Majunga. Come and discover the tourist attractions of Madagascar’s west coast.