Sacred Lake of Anivorano

Lake Antanavo, usually called the Sacred Lake, sits in dry scrub near the village of Anivorano Nord, and its crocodiles are the reason people stop. Local tradition holds that a stranger refused water by the villagers cursed the place, that the village was flooded and its people turned into crocodiles, and that the animals in the lake are therefore ancestors rather than wildlife. They are consequently not hunted, and are called to the shore by guides with zebu meat, which is the standard visitor experience. Whether this feels like living tradition or a staged show varies with the day and the group. Offerings and prohibitions apply at the water and visitors are expected to follow them. The setting is unremarkable; the interest is entirely in the belief attached to it.

What you actually see

• The crocodiles - called to the shore by guides with meat.
• The sacred lake - a small still crater lake in dry scrub.
• Offerings at the shore - the customary practices of visiting villagers.
• The legend told on site - the story of the cursed village.

When to go

April to November when the road and the site are dry. The lake is a short stop on the RN6 between Diego Suarez and Ankarana rather than a destination in itself.

Honest expectations

The crocodile feeding is arranged for visitors and can feel like a performance. Crocodiles are dangerous and the shore has no barriers. Payment expectations at the site are informal and negotiated. Local prohibitions on behaviour must be respected and your guide should explain them before you arrive.

Nearby

Ankarana lies south; Diego Suarez is north.