"Destination Madagascar"
The enchanting Baobabs continue to captivate tourists!

["These Chinese tourists never seem to get tired of baobabs. We keep taking them back to see them again and again," says a Malagasy tour guide, recalling one particularly enthusiastic group of visitors.]

If the ravinala, or traveller's palm, is one of the plants that characterize the landscapes of eastern Madagascar, the baobab is undoubtedly one of the great symbols of the island's western regions. In the Menabe area, and particularly around Morondava, these extraordinary trees continue to fascinate visitors from all over the world.

For many travellers, a visit to Morondava would hardly feel complete without stopping at the famous Avenue of the Baobabs. Missing it can almost seem like travelling to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Over the years, the baobab has consequently become an emblematic image used to represent Morondava, Menabe and, more broadly, Madagascar itself.

The popularity of the Avenue of the Baobabs is easy to observe on the ground. "Every evening, there are always vehicles carrying foreign tourists passing through here," says an elderly woman living in a village along the road leading to the famous site.

Among the guides encountered in the area was Fenitra, a Malagasy tour escort accompanying a group of foreign visitors travelling in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The men and women in the group stopped, got out of their vehicle and took the time to explore the baobab-lined avenue. Their journey, however, was far from over. "From here, we will continue to Kirindy Forest," Fenitra explained when asked about the next stage of their itinerary. The visit to the Avenue of the Baobabs was therefore one part of a much broader journey through the landscapes and attractions of Menabe.

Different species

Madagascar is home to several species of baobab, and they are not all identical. The trees found in the northern parts of the island can differ from those growing around Morondava and elsewhere in Menabe, both in appearance and form.

Their striking shapes have also inspired names given to some of the most remarkable specimens. Among them is the famous "Lovers' Baobab", located roughly ten kilometers from the entrance to the Avenue of the Baobabs. Its two intertwined trunks have made it one of the region's distinctive natural attractions. Further along the same route is another unusual specimen popularly known as the "Elephant Baobab", whose upper structure evokes the shape of an elephant.

These remarkable forms add another dimension to the baobab experience: visitors are not simply looking at trees, but discovering living landmarks whose silhouettes and stories have become part of the identity of the region.

Among the international visitors who have developed a particular fascination with Madagascar's baobabs, Chinese tourists are frequently mentioned by local guides.

A Malagasy tour escort working with Tandroka Tours in Antsirabe recalled an experience with a group of Chinese visitors travelling through the Menabe region. Like many international tourists arriving in the area, the group was first taken to the Avenue of the Baobabs. The following day, they continued their excursion to the Tsingy. Yet after visiting the Tsingy, they returned to the Avenue of the Baobabs. After visiting another attraction the next day, they once again wanted to return to the baobabs. "These Chinese tourists never get tired of them. We keep taking them to see baobabs," the guide recalled. For some visitors, therefore, the baobab is not merely one attraction among many. It can become one of the central reasons for exploring this part of Madagascar.

Impossible to avoid

The importance of the Avenue of the Baobabs is also linked to its geographical position. Travellers heading towards many of the major attractions around Morondava and Menabe pass through the area. The access road begins at a junction leading towards Belo-Tsiribihina, locally known as the Beloha junction. The junction lies several kilometers north of Morondava town, along the road towards Mahabo. From there, the Avenue of the Baobabs is reached by a local road rather than a national highway.

During the dry season, the road can become dusty and difficult, while the rainy season can transform it into a muddy route. Travellers therefore generally rely on vehicles, motorcycles or, for shorter journeys, cycle rickshaws. For local residents, however, the road is much more than a simple access route. "This road is what makes Menabe," one resident says.