“Chez Arol - yards from the beach, at the edge of the forest - where small cabins provide an idyllic and impossibly serene location. Night closes in early and this, together with rationed electricity and frighteningly early starts for the forest treks, means that you submit to the forces of nature - bedding down early, rising at dawn, trekking, reading, sleeping. Even drinking seems almost impure in these surroundings. There is little better than retiring to the cabin's porch after supper and reading before darkness falls, surrounded for miles by rainforest and the distant rumble of the Indian Ocean.” So wrote John Mulholland in The Observer (UK) 27/08/06
Cocktails on the beach and camping with lemurs. We intend to develop ecotourism to respect the human and natural environment and to raise awareness of the necessity to safeguard nature.
Around us a wonderful biodiversity and many preserved ecosystems allow visitors to alternate trail trekking in the forest with snorkelling in coral reefs among reef fishes. Many small and easy trails start from the lodge. During the day we can find Red Ruffed Lemur, and at night Weasel Sportive Lemur, Eastern Woolly Lemur, Brown Mouse Lemur. Birdwatchers come every year to look for Helmet Vanga, Bernier’s Vanga, Ground Rollers, Brown Mesite, Dusky Greenbull and the very rare Serpent Eagle.
The Malagasy-French complete meals are prepared with local foods: shrimp, fish, pineapple, pepper, vanilla, ginger and, during high season, the baker cooks bread and cake every morning. A gas fridge keeps drinks fresh. When the sun is shining we use a solar oven to cook a part of meals.
At present we have eight bungalows. Twin size bunk beds with mosquito nets. Three of them with facilities en suite, communal showers for the others. Water comes from a non-polluted mountain river without using a water pump. Electricity is produced by a generator running from 6pm to 9pm everyday (camera batteries can be recharged!).
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR ACCOMMODATION DETAILS AND PRICES. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING AVAILABILITY, PLEASE ENQUIRE, USING THE FORM BELOW.
