La Pirogue - Mahambo, June 2017 - finally completed 17 October, 2017.

La Pirogue is a charming resort right on the white sandy beach of the Indian Ocean; only beware, your feet take quite a pounding as you hastily enter the water. You will find yourself in all sorts of peculiar positions if your feet are not "rock hardy!" And then as you pick yourself up you will be embarrassed to discover the water only comes up to your knees and you will have to wade real far out to eventually enjoy a swim in the calm ocean with gentle swells. But if you did take a moment before lunging into the water, you will notice a little cove near the restaurant that says: "No swimming" because the current can be a bit strong. If you are a reasonably competent swimmer, this is where you go swimming. I guarantee you water deeper than your knees!

The La Pirogue bay is ideal for snorkelling, but alas, as you will discover from the photographs, there is not much ocean life to behold due to the fishing, so just practise your snorkelling skill!

You will find La Pirogue as you travel north from Toamasina/Tamatave up the east coast. It is advertised as a one hour drive from Toamasina, but the condition of the road and your bravery will determine how long that hour is!

Little girl filling in potholes

You won't find yourself becoming bored as you encounter interesting scenes along the road.

An eel, in case you want to cook a quick snack!

He hangs out here in summer!

Rivers are full at the end of the rainy season

Turn off from Mahambo to La Pirogue

La Pirogue is situated on the coastal side of Mahambo, which is a town and commune (Malagasy: Kaominina). It belongs to the district of Fenerive Est, which is part of Analanjirofo region.
The estimated population in 2001 was twenty-six thousand.
Primary and junior level secondary education is available in the town.
80% of the population of the commune are farmers.
The most important crops are rice and bananas, while the other important products are cloves and lychees.
Services provide employment for 17% of the population and fishing employs 3% of the population.

Mahambo

Entry road into the resort

This little restaurant is so inviting with its colourful curtains, la boheme style! All along the little streets leading to the seaside, one can find interesting little eateries and curios endemic to the area.

Because it was Hilton's birthday treat, we of course booked the largest villa, right on the beach front. 

So let me take you upstairs first. The most important room next to the bathroom!

I love the idea of original art on an easel in the bedroom, la boheme for sure. Of course the view overlooking the ocean, through the balcony door creates that mad magical island moment!

The staircase creates quite the challenge when it has to be navigated in the dead of night for a trip to the WC! But there is always a statue of a lady and her baby to keep you company and awake while on your nightly trip......

The wood carvings are quite exquisite in their own way and the doors tell a story.......

The balcony door

The front door

Bathrooms in Madagascar always lend an air of intrigue. This one was quite pretty, but alas! the water pressure is quite a challenge and that is what the plastic bowl is for, not for rinsing our feet off at the front door, but catching the water to have a kind of bath/shower!

There is an alcove with a beautiful wooden ship, that produced night sweats of the nightmare variety!

Laying in bed at night we were woken up with a crunching noise like sweet papers being scrunched and something munching away on the wood! Could it be beetles? Downstairs there was another ship on top of another beautifully carved cupboard......

Prince Charming himself relaxing on the couch. After exploring some of the smaller villas, we came to this conclusion: It was a treat in the big villa that had "room service" but it was far too cluttered and overpowering with all the wooden decor items. Should we consider a return visit a smaller villa will suffice.

The sunsets and sunrises were magnificent in their simple glory..........

A new day dawning....

in all its magnificence.....

An early morning stroll along the beach brings peace to the soul as one revels in the silence of the world and takes solace in the gentle lapping of the waves.......

And others bring back little treasures gathered in folded corners of a scarf.......

just like a sea gypsy.......

Some have been up for hours.........

bringing in their catch.........

Even the sails tell a story.......

The early morning ignites the imagination......

One day when we are big, like our fathers, we too shall bring home the fish.......

The fishing nets get dragged everyday, the bellies are empty, the ocean is tired, where are the fish?

Before the fishing nets are packed away another human is found dreaming and wondering how long it will take for the water to fill the paddle canoe before he has to return to reality!

I dreamed.....

a dream.......

And then one morning the rain came for a visit and on went the plastic bags!

Dad brings in the catch.......

and despite the rain......

we all help and fold up the net.

One morning as we took a wander down some paths and around a corner, we discovered that literally just round the corner of the beach was a "boat stop market!" In other words a collection point for people waiting to catch the two and a half hour El Condor catamaran ferry from Mahambo to St. Marie. 

This is a 27m catamaran with twin 500hp engines seating 104 passengers. But first the passengers had to endure a short ferry from shore to catamaran. The luggage and other paraphernalia followed. Once the catamaran sets out, it is suggested you keep your motion sickness tablets handy should you suffer from sea or motion sickness, because a rough sea is bound to be encountered.

Could be fun!

Shortly after the catamaran set off we wandered back along the beach and found these delightful young ladies sorting our their fish purchases.

The resort gardens are pretty much the same as our villa. Very busy! But interesting.

It's a case of "spot our Hilton, not our Willie!"

Happy and relaxed in the garden!

Always ready for some fun...

And then there is always......

a dog..

a cat

and a bird

We enjoyed some interesting moments in the restaurant being entertained by an unusual guest.

The name of our guest: Liz-Zard the curious.

After enjoying a cool sip and a tasty lick Liz-zard scuttled away to a secret place in the tree tops.......

The food was delicious and the presentation added to the enjoyment of being on a mad magical island.

The swimming cove is hiding to Hilton's left.......

And so our last night arrives and because it's raining we order our supper via the room service. We don't finish up the rolls and leave them covered over for the staff to fetch in the morning. We are leaving very early.

Remember the crunching paper and the mention of beetles? An early morning visit to the WC reveals a partially eaten bread roll laying on the floor and the lid that was covering the plate, lies all askew on the table! MICE! (and probably beetles). Oh no! So much for the magic.........

It is still raining as we head out. Remember the road?

Soon though a beautiful rainbow smiles on us......

We travel via Toamasina, sighing at the beautiful gift of nature.

The lush, green palm groves.

One of the many bridges one travels over on any given road on this mad magical island.

As we cross this bridge, I'm reminded to quickly swallow my motion sickness tablets, this is a very long and winding road, all five hours plus of it, till we reach our overnight destination, Feony 'ny Ala, situated in Andasibe.

Yes, one never knows much about anything on this island and sometimes a handy man has to make his own magic, especially when he enjoys a vigorous shower......