Southern Madagascar
Auberge De La Table
The main attraction of a stay at Auberge De La Table is the onsite Arboretum D’Antsokay which contains a wonderful selection of plants from the arid spiny forest ecosystem of Southern Madagascar. Wide flat paths make exploring the Arboretum easy and a very enjoyable experience for those interested in botany and learning about the medicinal uses of the plants.
Fauna includes birdlife such as the Madagascar buttonquail, green-capped coua, banded kestrel and sickle-billed vanga. Night walks with the resident guide are a great way to spot the locally endemic grey-brown mouse lemur and a variety of reptiles such as the large warty chameleon; (Furcifer verrucosus), the ocelot gecko (Paroedura picta), the tiny Lygodactylus tuberosus and the impressive Dumeril’s boa. During the day the huge Madagascar giant swallowtail butterfly sometimes appears near flowering bushes.
There is also an educational interpretation centre on site, focused on information and threats to the spiny forest.
The hotels accept Euros, US Dollars and Visa and MasterCard’s with a 3.7% surcharge.
Facilities
The Auberge de la Table has 9 comfortable bungalows designed for one to three people, all with a large double bed and a single bed available on request, a small but modern bathroom, mosquito nets, free standing fans, and tea and coffee making facilities upon request. Electricity is available 24 hours a day with solar panels. The water comes from a natural well. Hot water is obtained through solar water heaters.
The Dry Forest restaurant, named in honour of the dry spiny forest of southwestern Madagascar, serves meals on the terrace of the restaurant. The lounge bar offers a great place to have a drink before or after a meal. There is a library located next to the bar with a wide selection of books and games as well as free Wi-Fi being available in the public areas. Bikes are also available to rent and there is a swimming pool.
Local Wildlife
The Antsokay Arboretum is the main attraction, where nearly 1,000 species of plants are found on a labelled botanical trail. Grey-brown mouse lemurs are easily spotted here on night walks and a there is a good range of spiny forest specialty reptiles and birds found in the Arboretum including the Dumeril’s ground boa, warty chameleon, thick-tailed gecko, sickle-billed vanga, crested and running couas and banded kestrel. The rare red-shouldered vanga and Verreaux's coua can found in the spiny bush habitat at Tsinjoriake. Humpback whale watching, more spiny forest birdwatching and coral reefs can be found at Ifaty and Anakao.
Optional Activities
Explore the Antsokay Arboretum onsite or venture further afield to walk the Table Mountain Trail, part of the New Protected Area of Tsinjoriake. There is a fantastic view from the top showcasing the wild spiny forest habitat of the region. Visits to the local fishing villages, Honko Mangrove Project or birdwatching or whale watching in Ifaty or Anakao are also available.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
The hotel is far enough away from the town of Tulear to do a little stargazing.
If you have any questions regarding our Madagascar tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
[Our escort guide] was excellent – he had amazing vocabulary and was always good natured, patient and attentive. He provided us with a great commentary to the country and proved to be a brilliant wildlife spotter. Wildlife highlights: seeing a streaked tenrec, snorkelling with green turtles, the pygmy chameleons, the biggest giant millipede I’ve ever seen, a group of indris without the crowds and hearing their calls, seeing new families of birds – vangas and couas…Everything was a complete treat – my binoculars got a complete workout.
