Lokaro Peninsula

Lokaro is a series of headlands and sheltered coves about ten kilometres northeast of Fort Dauphin, and the way to reach it is part of the point: a pirogue crosses the Lanirano and Evatra lagoons through reed channels and past fishing hamlets, then a walk over a low ridge brings you out on the coast. Behind the beaches are freshwater lakes separated from the sea by dunes, so swimming can be salt or fresh within a few hundred metres. Vegetation is green and coastal rather than spiny, since the southeast gets rain. There are no roads, one or two very simple camps, and the villages along the lagoon live by fishing. Most people come for the day; staying overnight means camping or a basic bungalow.

What you actually see

• The lagoon crossing - pirogue channels through reeds and hamlets.
• Coves and headlands - sheltered beaches along a green coast.
• Freshwater lakes - water bodies held behind the dunes.
• Fishing villages - the settlements along the inland waterway.

When to go

April to November, though the southeast is wet in any month. Sea conditions matter for the coastal walk and the lagoon crossing needs calm weather. Cyclones are a risk from January to March.

Honest expectations

The trip takes most of a day and involves a pirogue, a walk and often a vehicle transfer, all of which need arranging. Facilities on the peninsula are minimal to none. Sea currents in the coves can be strong. Guides and boatmen are informal and prices negotiated.

Nearby

Fort Dauphin lies southwest; Andohahela is inland.