Anakao

Anakao is a Vezo village strung along a white beach south of the Onilahy river mouth, reached by boat across the bay from Toliara because the overland track is long and bad. The Vezo are a fishing people who live by the sea rather than by farming, and the village runs on it: pirogues under triangular sails go out at dawn and come back through the surf in the afternoon, and octopus, fish and sea cucumber are traded on the sand. A reef lies offshore with snorkelling and diving, and Nosy Ve islet is a short sail away. Half a dozen small lodges sit at the ends of the beach. There is no road, no bank and limited power, and the appeal is the combination of an unspoiled working village with a serviceable place to stay.

What you actually see

• Sailing pirogues - outriggers leaving at dawn and landing at dusk.
• The village beach - fish and octopus traded on the sand.
• The offshore reef - snorkelling and diving from the boats.
• Vezo daily life - a community living entirely from the sea.

When to go

April to November for calm crossings; the boat from Toliara is exposed and cancels in wind. Humpback whales pass offshore between July and September. Cyclone season closes access.

Honest expectations

Access is by open boat and the crossing is wet and rough in swell. There is no road, no ATM and intermittent electricity, so bring cash. The village is poor and the contrast with the lodges is stark. Vendors and children approach visitors on the beach persistently.

Nearby

Nosy Ve is offshore; Toliara lies north across the bay.