Morondava is a coastal town on Madagascar's west coast, 700 km south of Antananarivo. It is the main base for visiting the Avenue of the Baobabs — the famous dirt road flanked by giant baobab trees (Adansonia grandidieri) that have become Madagascar's most photographed landscape. The trees, some over 30 metres tall and up to 800 years old, glow gold in the late afternoon light before sunset. Most visitors plan their arrival around dusk.
The town sits where the Morondava river meets the sea, and while it has a pleasant seafront with the characteristic laid-back atmosphere of the Malagasy coast, its main purpose for travellers is as a gateway. The beach is long and sandy; pirogue fishermen push out from it each morning. The Indian Ocean here is calm and warm. Seafood is good: fresh crab, prawns, and fish prepared in coconut-based sauces are the local staples.
Getting to Morondava takes effort. The road from Antananarivo is unpaved and frequently washed out; flying is the more reliable option, with Air Madagascar serving the town from the capital. From Morondava, the Avenue of the Baobabs is about 20 km north, and the Kirindy Forest Reserve — where fossas (Madagascar's largest predator) can be spotted — lies another 40 km beyond that.
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