Madagascar - Lisa Burke Simon

A country of contrasts.

The fourth largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world (ranked as the fifth poorest country per FocusEconomics). Over 80% of the population lives on $2.15 per day (WorldBank). Independent from France since 1960, Madagascar is mired in corruption and political instability, confronts subpar infrastructure, withstands cyclones and other natural disasters, and combats high fertility rates and low education levels (WorldBank).

Along with several hundred fellow passengers, we signed up for the Amber Mountain excursion out of Antsiranana. Thinking we’d load into several buses or vans, I was surprised to see over a hundred small SUVs lined up ready to take us on our tour. With room for one driver, four passengers, and a guide (tucked in the back jump-seat), we headed through town up to the national park, seeing urban poverty while bouncing on rutted roads. With narrow unpaved roads and so many SUVs, often cars could barely pass each other with the possibility – and at times actuality – of a car ending up in the ditch alongside the road.

Madagascar, however, harbors amazing fauna and flora. The Malagasy people love their animals! Our driver stopped for snakes crossing the road so as not to harm them. And the chameleons! Our driver and guide could spot a little chameleon nestled on a far off tree. We’d stop, often with several other vehicles, hop out of the car, and share our guide’s delight in the colorful creatures. Although we, the tourists, happily saw two families of Sanford’s brown lemurs, high up in the trees (I wish I had my big zoom lens…), our guide was even more excited by the chameleons!