Discover Anakao: Coast, Nature and Culture

Anakao combines beaches and diving opportunities with birdwatching, mangrove excursions and a nearby island with its own distinctive natural character. Graves on the outskirts of town are another specific feature of the place. This mix makes choosing Anakao primarily a matter of your travel interests: should your stay focus on activities in town, excursions into the mangroves, nature on Nosy Ve, or the cultural significance of the graves? When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to sort out these priorities first.

Getting to Anakao and finding a holiday rental

The easiest way to reach Anakao is by boat from Toliara: the journey covers 35 kilometres and takes one hour. Schedules and frequency may vary, so it is advisable to check the timetable before travelling. The distance and duration give you a concrete framework for planning your time.

When looking for a holiday rental, you can decide whether to focus mainly on activities in town or on nature and excursions in the surrounding area. The boat transfer is a specific part of planning your journey; your interests at the destination will determine the focus of your stay.

Diving, birdwatching and mangroves

Anakao’s beaches and diving opportunities are compared with those of Ifaty; birdwatching and mangrove excursions are also part of this comparison. Anakao offers opportunities for diving and birdwatching. Excursions into the mangroves can also be made from there. This means that activities in Anakao are complemented by an excursion that can be planned from the town.

This distinction gives you a practical guide to your travel interests: diving and birdwatching are activities available in Anakao, while the mangroves offer an additional excursion destination. Which of these themes matters most for your stay can help shape your choice of destination and accommodation.

Nosy Ve: island, fringing reef and tropicbirds

Nosy Ve lies four kilometres west of Anakao. The small, flat island is covered in scrub and is considered a sacred site and a protected area. You can snorkel on its fringing reef. The island is home to a breeding colony of red-tailed tropicbirds, considered the southernmost in the world.

Nosy Ve has a different natural character from the options available in Anakao itself: the island’s landscape, fringing reef and tropicbirds are all distinctive features. If you are planning your trip with a particular interest in snorkelling or birdwatching, you can choose between two locations: Anakao and the island four kilometres to the west.

Graves on the outskirts of town

The graves also give Anakao a cultural dimension. Some are on the outskirts of town; others are on a small peninsula beyond it. For travellers who want to include cultural sites in their selection alongside beaches, diving and nature, this adds another point of interest to help shape a stay in Anakao. It complements the nature and activity themes with a different aspect of the place.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Toliara, Andavadoaka, Ankilibe, Tolagnaro, Saint Augustin, Morombe, Belo Tsiribihina, Morondava.

For the main travel overview: Toliara.