Manafiafy Trips & Tours

Enjoy some R&R Madagascar-style (with a dose of adventure too!) in this stunning rainforest and beach location.

Manafiafy, a gorgeous, sleepy-headed fishing village on the south coast of Madagascar, was one of the first spots on the island visited by a westerner. It was the safe anchorage provided by the tranquil turquoise waters and tiny, blissful islands that turned Manafiafy into a quintessential beachside haven. It’s probably changed very little since then: the same heady smell of cloves, vanilla and coffee still welcome you in and the sight of fishermen paddling their traditional dugout canoes is common. The true attractions today are, however, the lush rainforests and glittering sands on either side of the town. Spot geckos and lemurs in the trees, then plunge into the waters to explore the marine life that darts around the coral. And, if you get your timing right, watch the whales dancing in the waves, straight from the pristine beach.

Things to do

What to do in Manafiafy

Tucked away on Madagascar's southeastern shores, Manafiafy (or Sainte Luce to some) might just be the island's best-kept secret. This sleepy fishing village strikes that perfect balance between pristine golden beaches and fragrant rainforest that travelers dream about but rarely find. What makes this spot truly special is that it harbors some of Madagascar's last remaining littoral forests – a botanical treasure trove that's vanishing faster than you can say "lemur." Speaking of which, wildlife enthusiasts will find themselves in heaven here, with nighttime forest walks revealing nocturnal lemurs performing aerial acrobatics overhead. Between June and November, the offshore waters become a highway for migrating humpback whales, whose spectacular breaching displays might have you forgetting to breathe, let alone snap photos. When you're not scanning the horizon for cetaceans, grab a paddle and weave through the mystical mangrove networks by canoe, where the silence is broken only by the calls of exotic birds and the gentle splash of your oar. The nearby Sainte Luce Reserve offers one final ecological gem – a patch of coastal rainforest that has somehow escaped Madagascar's environmental challenges. Here, the Filana Association works tirelessly to protect what remains of this biological wonderland, giving visitors rare glimpses into an ecosystem that exists nowhere else on Earth.

Open Map