Fort Dauphin

Fort Dauphin, officially Taolagnaro, occupies a peninsula on the southeastern corner of the island with beaches on three sides and the Anosy mountains rising directly behind, which gives it one of the better settings of any Malagasy town. The French built a fort here in 1643, making it their earliest settlement on the island, and its remains sit on the headland. Libanona beach is the swimming beach in town and Ankoba and Lokaro lie beyond; surfing is possible and the wind is strong. A large ilmenite mining operation opened nearby in 2009 and has reshaped the local economy and the debate around it. The town is a base for Berenty, Andohahela and the Lokaro peninsula rather than a destination, and flights are the practical way in and out.

History

A Portuguese captain found the bay in 1500, and in 1643 the French East India Company founded Fort Dauphin on the Antanosy village of Taolankarana, naming the fort after the Dauphin, the future Louis XIV. One of its governors, Étienne de Flacourt, wrote the History of the Great Isle of Madagascar, Europe's main source on the island until the late 19th century (Wikipedia, Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar)).

What you'll find

• Three bays - beaches on each side of the peninsula.
• The old fort - remains of the 1643 French position on the headland.
• Mountain backdrop - the Anosy chain rising behind the town.
• Libanona beach - the town swimming and surfing beach.

When to go

April to November is drier, though the southeast catches rain year round and is greener than the rest of the south. Wind is constant. Cyclones are a risk between January and March.

What to expect

Roads into Fort Dauphin are among the worst in the country, so flying is effectively necessary and flights are limited and often changed. The town is scrappy and services are limited. Currents on the beaches are dangerous in places and there are no lifeguards.

Nearby

Lokaro peninsula lies northeast; Berenty and Andohahela are west.

Key facts