Princess Bora Lodge Madagascar

Island tourism in the Indian Ocean region

An idyllic island off the east coast of Madagascar is becoming one of the most sought after tourist destination in the Indian Ocean region. Surrounded by the sea and a lagoon, a white sandy beach is in front of the resort. So are several small islands, creeks, and mangroves worth exploring. Princess Bora lodge offers a past charged with history and poetry amidst calm water of a lagoon in the Indian ocean.

Owned by a Frenchman, whose family lived there for generations, the exclusive Princess Bora lodge consists of 15 villas in harmony with nature. Situated directly on the Indian Ocean, the Lodge is a luxury retreat and one of the tropical islands Sainte – Marie few miles off the east coast of Madagascar. Offering unique atmosphere, the luxury villas are charming, elegant and simple. Constructed with local materials, all Madagascan products, they are situated in a vast garden. Each villa has its own private veranda offering Creole, Madagascan and French cuisine. The island offers rich and beautiful history, a past kingdom, a preserved nature and culture of Royal dynasties.

WHAT TO DO:
Whales watching, scuba diving, swimming, snorkeling, sporting fishing..
Discovering the island and the neighboring islands by boat, car and plane owned by the Bora Lodge. Write poetry, taking photographs.

ABOUT MADAGASCAR
Madagscar is the worlds fourth biggest island after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. Because of its isolation most of its mammals, half its birds and most if plants exist nowhere else on earth. It is particular famous for its lemurs. Located 250 miles off the south-east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, the island extends 1,000 miles in length and 360 miles at its largest width.

The island can be divided into three main parts: the East Coast, a narrow coastal strip abutting the steep slopes of the North-South mountain range, home of the rain forest; the Central Highlands, averaging 2500 to 4500 feet in altitude and culminating at 9430 feet, decorated with immense rice fields; and the West Coast, home of the baobabs and thorny forest. Coral reefs fringe a portion of the coast.

Seventeen million Malagasy inhabit Madagascar. Exactly how and when the early Malagasy discovered and settled the island is not known. They have a dual Indonesian and African origin, attested by their physical features, language, agricultural practices, and customs. In spite of their diversity, they are united by a common language, rooted in the ancient Malayo-Polynesian, ancestor of the tongues spoken in the vast area bounded by Hawaii, the Tuamotu and Madagascar. The modern language has been enriched by words imported from Bantu tongues, Swahili, Arabic, English and French.

The most ancient road there is not yet 100 years old and tourism in Madagscar is a very young industry. But if you are looking for the unexpected, if you want to meet an extraordinary people, then go and discover this fascinating island! You will become attached to the country, verifying once more the Malagasy proverb: "They who drink the water from the Manangareza, will always return.

MADAGSCAR IN BRIEF
Population: 17.4 Million (UN in 2003)
Capital: Antananarivo
Major languages: Malagasy (official), French
Monetary unit: Xriary
Main exports: coffee, seafood, cloves, vanilla, petroleum products, chromium, textiles
Useful web site: www.Tsara.com is an excellent web link for travel information about Madgascar