Madagascar 2020, part 20 (Anakao)
When we came by speedboat from Tulear to village Anakao on the coast of the Indian Ocean or, more precisely, on the coast of the Mozambique Channel, we disembarked directly onto the beach by the hotel at which we were to stay over the next three days. This was practically one more mini-vacation which I had planned for the period close to the end of our journey around Madagascar.
During our brief time here we stayed at one of the bungalows that extended parallel to the shore, but while we were waiting for the keys to the bungalow drinking our welcome tea on the terrace of one of the central buildings in our hotel, the mental vacation and relaxation had already started. This was very simple and easy, since the conditions for a good rest were practically ideal. The sights were wonderful and the peace was perfect.
As it can be seen in the photo above, there were lots of dark clouds in the sky and yet it did not rain during our stay here. On the other hand, I don’t know if the colour of the water changes during the year depending on the season, but this time around it had more of a greenish hue.
Soon we got the keys to our bungalow which was quite spacious and comfortable, and upon entering I did something I usually don’t do – I took photos of the interior.
I have already mentioned that we chose a bungalow that had running water, as well as hot water for the shower. We both had our own part of the bungalow, almost a room, but what was specific was that we had electricity only from 7 pm to 10 pm. During that time we also had internet, but only in the restaurant section and the connection was not very fast. But still, this was both to Sneža, my friend, and me – fabulous accommodation.
Not only were the bungalow, as well as the whole property belonging to the hotel arranged and developed utterly beautifully, creatively and with a lot of attention to details, a very important element was also the fact that our accommodation was at less than a dozen metres from the beach. Quite logically, as soon as we got into the bungalow and our luggage brought there, we immediately changed and went for a swim in the ocean. It felt great.
When I say that the peace was perfect, I’m thinking of the fact that apart from the two of us there was nobody else on the hotel’s beach. During those days we were the only guests at the hotel.
Anakao is a village located on the territory inhabited by members of the Vezo ethnic group who mostly do fishing. Close to the village there is also a marine protected area established in order to preserve fish species and corals that live in comparative harmony there. In addition, the village is also known because between July and September humpback whales pass nearby on their annual migratory route so it is possible for visitors to go on excursions during which they can spot these magnificent animals.
Therefore, to start with, we were certain we would not see any whales (since the timing was “wrong”), but we did swim a lot that first day, then we dried and changed, and finally went for a walk. Right in the continuation of our hotel so to speak starts village Anakao, so we entered there and walked a little between houses, but as we were already rather hungry, we also realised we should look for a place where to have lunch.
That is why we went back to the shore again and since we saw a restaurant with a terrace very near our hotel, we decided to walk for a little while yet first and then return there and have our meal.
As it can be seen in the photo above, the beach was practically completely empty in the early afternoon of this day. Not only there were no tourists, but there was only one single local person there.
As far as visitors are concerned – January is a totally low season throughout Madagascar, Anakao included. As for the local population, at this time of the day they were probably at home having their lunch. In addition, it was exceptionally hot, despite the fact that the sky was covered in clouds. Moreover, those clouds suggested that the air humidity was also very high, so even with all the curiosity and the desire to get to know our surroundings even the two of us did not find it easy to walk around.
Still, we did go a little here and there in the vicinity of the restaurant, because the village met the beach there. As I’ve said, members of the Vezo people do fishing intensively and for this they use locally made pirogues. At this time of the day, the pirogues were pulled out onto the dry land and there in a large number they covered a good section of the beach that goes parallel to the village.
And then we finally went to eat. Although this restaurant proved to be a good place to have lunch at, since at the hotel we had only half board, it was a rather modest place, after all like everything else in the village, but we did not mind it at all. It was important that they had food and that they had a canopied terrace, so that we were sitting in the shade. On this occasion, the usual quantities of refreshing soft drinks were not enough and the two of us ordered a litre of it right away which we emptied soon after. It was that hot.
The menu served only as a very rough indication of available dishes, because as it was not the high season there was no need to prepare everything listed in the menu in the kitchen. However, what was good was the fact that everything sea-related was freshest possible, i.e., the restaurant offered the catch of the day.
While we were sitting on the terrace of the restaurant mostly looking towards the ocean, I occasionally also gazed around and so I saw some local men who were using the afternoon break in order to mend their fishing nets.
But, in the vicinity, with fishing nets in the background, I also saw two girls who were diligently writing something at a somewhat unusual place and in a slightly unusual position. I presume this was about their homework. But whatever this was about, it was wonderful to see how immersed the two of them were in what they were doing.
By the time we had finished with our lunch, some children started to gather up on the beach.
And then the two of us decided to go back to our bungalow in order to change and go again for a swim.
As I’ve mentioned, our hotel extended right after the village, so we got there quite fast. Also, I have already said that the entire area belonging to our hotel was very well arranged, with keen attention to details.
And then, some dozen metres of so away from our bungalow there was the beach.
As soon as I got to the beach beds and left my towel and things there, I ran into the water. Admittedly, at that time, a little later in the afternoon, the water had already started to recede on account of the low tide and I had to walk over hot sand a little longer. However, after first such experience, every other time I went into water I walked across the beach in my slippers.
As the day went by, the wind started to pick up, not too much, but enough to make the ocean’s surface quite rippled. Then I saw two guys who were doing kitesurfing and it was clear that the wind was significantly stronger above the ocean than above the land.
For a while I enjoyed watching these two guys who dashed across the surface of the ocean at great speed and then the wind slowly died down, the clouds had mostly dispersed by then and the Sun was ready to go behind the horizon. Additional beauty when you are in a place like this lies in the fact that everything is close by and you do not need to hurry about anything. Besides, neither Sneža nor I have a habit of dressing up when going for dinner, so I simply enjoyed in the leisurely ending of the day on the beach.
Only a dozen minutes or so later after taking the photo above, I made another one and it is incredible that already there one can see clouds above the horizon. Somewhere there above the open ocean there was still very strong wind blowing that kept piling up those clouds.
The plan for the second day stipulated just lying down, i.e., not doing anything. However, on the basis of the experience from some other beautiful tropical beaches, I got up rather early here too and then went for a walk along the beach. It was so easy – from my bed to the beach there were only a dozen metres or so.
I love those walks along sandy beaches and here I headed in the direction opposite the village, i.e., I walked towards other hotels. There are not too many hotels in Anakao and all those that I saw were just like ours – in the shape of bungalows. Even the central buildings with the reception, restaurant(s) or bar(s) were low and thus they fitted quite well into the surroundings without anything seeming out of place. Still, this morning the only thing that mattered to me was to walk on the sand following the line created by the waves that wetted the sand before disappearing.
I truly enjoyed and just that walk and light wetting of my feet this early in the morning felt beautiful. But...
I was quite shocked when I kept seeing along the entire beach an incredible quantity of garbage washed ashore by the ocean’s waves – small metal pots, sweatpants and other pieces of clothes, a couple of backpacks, several empty toothpaste tubes, pieces of fishing nets and, of course, several plastic bottles or their pieces ... To put it mildly – rather ugly, but I would dare say that I believe the waste did not come from the residents of Anakao. I suppose the ocean brought it all from who knows where. It was so sad, nauseating and tragic to look at this fantastic natural beauty I was surrounded with and at the same time products of human behaviour. But, ... that is the human kind and the human “civilisation.”
During my time in Anakao, I noticed that the employees of the hotel at which we were staying each morning went with large woven baskets along the section of the beach that followed the size of the hotel’s property and collected that waste in order to make at least that part of the beach presentable. But, this certainly does not solve the problem in its essence and I’m afraid there is no realistic solution to the essential problem or rather it does exist, but nothing will ever change. Because people, at least the vast majority, pollute, discard and throw away, absolutely not caring about anything, because to do so would require the awareness of oneself, of one’s own behaviour and the sincere and deep desire not to destroy and pollute the world around us. But this is just far too rare as a phenomenon among the human kind.
Be as it may, at some point I turned around and continued with my walk but in the opposite direction. As the Sun was slowly rising, other walkers also started to appear along the beach.
But, I must emphasise that, in addition to the garbage, there were other things that could also be seen along the beach. Animate and inanimate. As for the animate things, I came across a sea cucumber. Practically, I don’t know anything about sea cucumbers, but must say that I found the specimen below quite interesting.
As for the inanimate things, I saw many seashells there washed up on beach. I would even say that there was an unusually large multitude of different shapes and sizes. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that I have seen that many beautiful and interesting seashells anywhere else. During those days we were there, Sneža and I would occasionally collect some of those pieces as they seemed like nice souvenirs, especially since those shells were left there after their residents had died and we could now pick them up at the very source.
After this nice early morning walk, I returned to the bungalow and soon the two of us went for breakfast.
So, we spent the day lazing around – mostly by lying on the beach beds near our bungalow. The breaks in this “activity” of ours were in the shape of going for coffee at the hotel’s bar, or going for lunch to the beach restaurant where we had eaten the day before, and I also withdrew from time to time back to our bungalow when even under the parasol it seemed just too hot on the beach and I worried I could get sunburned.
In the afternoon the ocean became somewhat wavy again, but in a slightly different manner than the day before and this time around local children enjoyed the waves which they could surf using some boards they had.
The wooden pirogues used by local residents for fishing are also used for the transportation of goods. The photo below shows one that transported some big bags along the shallows and it was moved by two guys using long poles.
Although I found all of this very beautiful and although I enjoyed every minute, I still also enjoyed when the Sun started to go down and the temperature started to move towards more bearable levels.
Like the previous day, this time I also gave myself up to the gradual passage from the day into the night all the time lying on my beach bed.
In addition to the fact that Sneža and I were very content with our accommodation and the comfort of the hotel, I also must praise their chef. The breakfast was excellent, but the dinners were fantastic! I did not take photos of the food, since the light was just far too weak and I don’t like using flash for the purpose. Still, I can report that I enjoyed thoroughly supplementing the food with excellent and big cold local beer!
However, what was spectacular each evening was the – sky. During those days, there was no Moon which could impair the impression, plus there was no light pollution to speak of anywhere in the vicinity and we were located rather far from any human activities that would pollute the air. Because of all of this, the firmament was covered in an incredible multitude of stars and I enjoyed beyond words, thrilled to have the opportunity to take in this beauty. I could hardly contain the broad smile on my face and each evening it was with deep regret that I eventually decided to go into the bungalow in order to go to sleep.