Madagascar is a beautiful island, ringed by golden beaches and palm trees, and with an interior that is resplendent in its variety, from grassy plateaus to volcanoes and opaque forests and natural reserves.

According to local legend, the island was first inhabited by the Vazimba, a race of white pygmies. These people, if they existed, were displaced by successive waves of Polynesian migrants from the Malayo-Indonesian archipelago, from as early as the sixth century. In the ninth century, Madagascar was a major trading power in the western Indian Ocean. Moreover, ancient ruins indicate an extensive Arab presence on the island around that time. Bantu tribes from mainland Africa later settled on the west coast. The first Europeans arrived in the mid-17th century.

Recent years have been marred by political, economic and meteorological crises. Indeed, some may be deterred by the levels of poverty on this island and the enormous gap between rich and poor. Nevertheless, Madagascar dazzles with its rich wildlife, with a large majority of its species unique to the island, and found nowhere else on Earth. Of the popular creature, the lemur, there are over 10 different species alone. The island is a mass of unusual and colourful flowers and other flora. In terms of biodiversity alone, Madagascar really is one of a kind.