An excellent option if looking for a combination of natural history and up market secluded beach. Situated 120km of Mahajanga, the "flower city" facing the Mozambique Channel, is the luxury Anjajavy Hotel. Regarded as a four star hotel, it is built on a peninsula in a large bay, behind which lies a large natural reserve of 450 acres - perfect for nature lovers!

Anjajavy Hotel has twenty-five air-conditioned villas; each with a large living room, breakfast nook and a bedroom, which opens onto a large terrace that overlooks the sea. The en-suite bathroom has a bath, a shower and a separate toilet. A small stairway leads to a small sitting room with 2 sleeper-couches for children.

The main complex at Anjajavy Hotel comprises a bar/restaurant with an exterior and an interior dining room, a swimming pool, two beaches and a 450-hectare nature reserve. Wildlife viewing here is effortless. Lemurs include the Coquerel's Sifaka, common brown lemurs and mouse lemurs. There are wonderful birds - flocks of bright green grey-headed lovebirds, sickle-billed vangas, crested couas and vasa parrots, to name just a few. Reptiles are common including ground boas and hog-nosed snakes and plenty of chameleons.

There is a cave, tsingy-like limestone outcrops, extensive mangrove forests as well as beaches and coral reefs. There is a marina for water sports, including water skiing, snorkelling, sailing in a catamaran, wind surfing and scuba diving. There are also boat excursions to the surrounding grottoes, a trip up the estuary to see mangroves, a visit to the "tsingy", guided excursions in 4-wheel drive vehicles through the nature reserve, mountain bikes and the ability to explore the reserve on foot to discover the flora and fauna of the area.