Madagascar Diaries: 12 Days Of Lemurs, Rainforests, Humpback Whales & Raw Beauty

I’ve always believed that travel is about chasing what makes your heart skip a beat. For me, that’s wildlife...untamed, unique, and deeply connected to the land it belongs to. So, when I had the chance to plan an 11-night, 12-day escape, I wanted it to be a mix of wildlife and best beaches. Somewhere that feels like another planet. And I wanted depth, not breadth. To stay longer in fewer places. I put my finger on Madagascar.. To hear the Indri sing instead of ticking off a list. Because endemic is my magic word, and Madagascar is basically a shrine to endemism. Lemurs, baobabs, chameleons, birds ; 90%+ of its wildlife evolved here and nowhere else. You feel it in your bones: this island is old, isolated, and completely itself.

And that’s how I found myself boarding an early morning Ethiopian Airlines flight to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, a country where 90% of the wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth.

We had a quick stopover in Addis Ababa (yes, I was already practicing pronouncing it correctly with a side of coffee!). Everything was seamless, before we knew it, we had landed in Tana (as locals call the capital), checked into our hotel for the night, and set out for a short walk to soak in the city's vibe. Little did I know, the next few days would be a wild mix of misty rainforests, playful lemurs, and quiet beaches that feel like they’re waiting just for you.

East Madagascar – The Wild Heart of the Island

Our journey focused on the east : Andasibe and Île Sainte-Marie ; because I wanted to dive into the country’s wild soul. No distractions, no trying to “see it all,” just an immersive experience of its forests and coasts.

MadagascarGrishma Shah

Andasibe: Where the Lemurs Sing

The drive from Tana to Andasibe was a lush 4-hour escape, winding roads, rice paddies, and villages where children waved like you were the day’s highlight. Andasibe is everything you imagine when you think “wild Madagascar” green canopies, earthy trails, and a soundtrack of the Indri’s haunting calls echoing through the forest.

The first time I spotted a lemur, I think I just stood there grinning and excited like a kid. There’s something about these creatures, wide eyes, graceful leaps..that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an ancient world. At the Analamazaotra Reserve, we spotted the Indri, the largest living lemur, and a few curious bamboo lemurs that came ridiculously close (clearly, they’ve mastered the art of photobombing).

A night walk around the forest was pure magic, tiny chameleons changing colours, frogs singing in chorus, and the elusive Aye-Aye with its eerie, tap-tapping fingers. It’s moments like these when you feel small in the best way possible

Deeper into the Mantadia National Park , wilder, denser, older. We searched (and scored) sightings of black-and-white ruffed lemurs, diademed sifakas, common brown lemurs, eastern grey bamboo lemurs, and red-bellied lemurs, plus a birds-only-if-you’re-patient list of endemics. Forest therapy at its finest.

Overnight: Feon’ny Ala Hotel

MadagascarGrishma Shah

Île Sainte-Marie & Ile aux Nattes : Pirates, Whales & Paradise

From Andasibe, we moved east, eventually arriving at the pristine Île Sainte-Marie. This island is like a slow, happy sigh, calm beaches, swaying palms, and warm, turquoise waters. It’s the kind of place that tricks you into losing track of days

We walked along coastal paths, snorkeled above coral gardens, and even visited the Pirate Cemetery, where old legends of shipwrecks whisper with the wind. After soaking in the slow rhythm of Sainte-Marie, decided to drift even further off the map to Île aux Nattes, a tiny, postcard-perfect island just south of Sainte-Marie. It’s the kind of place where time forgets to tick, where barefoot walks along the shore feel like therapy, and where life is distilled to sunsets, sand, and sea.

The best part? Our resort (Sambatra Beach Lodge) sat right on the water, and if you’re lucky (which we were!), you can actually watch humpback whales from your room. Imagine sitting with your morning coffee when suddenly a plume of spray erupts just offshore, followed by the magnificent arc of a whale’s back cutting through the surface.

Whales at Arm’s Length (And a Heartburst of Gratitude)

The moment I’ll replay forever: we’d cut the engine, the ocean gone still except for the soft slap of water against the hull, when a mother humpback and her calf surfaced barely 30–40 meters from us. First the spout, a sudden, steaming exhale that smelled like the deepest sea- and then that vast, rippling back arcing out of the water. I didn’t even realize I was crying until my sunglasses fogged up.

There’s something almost ceremonial about watching a creature that big move with such gentleness. The calf practiced tiny breaches, all awkward enthusiasm, while the mother rose slow and deliberate, as if reminding us that grace can come in colossal forms. When her tail fluke lifted and hung in the air before slipping under, time stalled. I felt tiny, emotional, and wildly grateful. For being there, for being allowed to witness something so ancient and unedited.

Our guide whispered that we were lucky (the boat stayed respectfully distant, engine off, just drifting). Lucky doesn’t begin to cover it. It felt like the universe cracked open for a minute and let me peek at something sacred.

Watching humpback whales breach absurdly close off Île aux Nattes... so close you can hear them breathe, feel your chest tighten, and realize how small (and lucky) you are.

MadagascarGrishma Shah

Why Madagascar?

Because it’s unlike anywhere else. The landscapes feel untouched, the wildlife is otherworldly, and there’s this raw, unpolished beauty that makes it unforgettable. Lemurs, baobabs, chameleons... everything here is endemic. It’s not just about seeing new places, it’s about seeing life that exists only here, on this island that broke away from India millions of years ago.

A Fun Fact Before I Sign Off

Did you know Madagascar was once attached to what is now Mumbai? Around 88 million years ago, this magical island drifted away, carrying with it all the unique plants and animals we now travel halfway across the world to see.

Lemur Love (forever and always)

· Indri: the opera singers of the forest.

· Diademed sifaka: elegant, almost unreal in their golden coats.

· Black-and-white ruffed lemur: bold, loud, theatrical.

· Aye-aye (if you’re lucky at night): the island’s strangest, most misunderstood enigma.

The writer in Madagascar

If you’re going, a few real-talk tips:

· Sound matters: Wake up early for the Indri’s calls—it’s the emotional high of Andasibe.

· Pack light rain gear: East = rainforest = rain. Embrace it.

· Cash is king: ATMs can be unpredictable outside Tana.

· Slow down: Madagascar rewards patience. Rushing here is like skimming a great novel.