The Pangalanes Canal is the best reason to linger in Manakara. This chain of lagoons, rivers, and cut channels runs behind the east coast, separating villages and coconut groves from the rougher Indian Ocean.
Short pirogue trips from Manakara give you a good feel for the waterway: fish traps, children waving from banks, freight moving slowly, and houses squeezed between fresh water and salt air. It is quiet travel, and much more interesting than another hurried taxi-brousse connection.