When you’re told the island of Madagascar, off the eastern coast of Africa, is something special, believe it. Cut off from mainland Africa, evolution has powered along at its own pace and, like The Galapagos and Australia, isolation has created unique species of animals and plants that you won’t see anywhere else. Five per cent of the world’s animals and plants are endemic to the island including the oh-so-adorable lemurs and the oh-so-impressive ancient baobabs trees.
Sometimes referred to as “the red island” due to the rich colour of the soil, the world’s fourth biggest island boasts 5,000km of coastline and the fifth largest coral reef.