Antsiranana (Diego Suarez)

Antsiranana, or Diego Suarez as it was known until 1975, has a deep water harbour considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

Along with as sugarloaf mountain in the backdrop, this is a gorgeous photogenic town, creating a picturesque romantic setting.

With a diverse population of about 80,000, this town is filled with a vibrant market and a wealth of crafting workshops. If you have time on your hands, the decaying colonial architecture is well worth a closer look as well as the old military quarters, which overlooks the port.

With a ring of mountains surrounding the town, visitors take great pleasure in walking around and taking in the stunning landscape and spectacular views over the bay.

Nearby is the Montagne des Français, which when ascended, provides good birding opportunities and sightings of the sandord’s brown lemur. Rock climbers often head to the cliffs and caves of the area.

For our flora fans, at the rock formation known to the locals as Windsor Castle, there are some excellent tsingy and a rich variety of drought resistant plants.

If you can make it to the top, you will be rewarded with panoramic views stretching from the southern national park, Montagne d'Ambre to the northern tip of Madagascar, Cap d'Ambre.