Madagascar: heard of it but not sure what's there? That's what most people think. It may be a mysterious part of the world - a bit like a pot of gold at the end of an Indian Ocean rainbow - but you've just got to get there. Not surprising really as we're talking about a country often referred to as 'nature's design laboratory'.
Teeming with wild animals and extraordinary plants, Madagascar is like nowhere else on earth. A must-visit destination for 2008, the island has some new top-quality accommodation in stunning locations. And while you can't 'do' a country of this size in one visit, our trip affords a real sense of the place and leaves you wanting more.
Begin with a flight to Diego in the north of the country where you will spend a day trekking in the beautiful Red Tsingy Sandstone Park. Unique and compelling, these rock formations will make you believe you've been transported to another planet. Following this, spend two days spotting lemurs, monkeys bats, butterflies and lizards around the waterfalls of Amber Mountain National Park. The best bit? Getting up close to these amazing creatures on an exclusive tour, with not a single other tourist around. You'll feel like part of the flock.
The next step is a quick flight to the stunning Anjajavy Hotel on the northwest coast where you'll spend the next 6 days. Set in the Mozambique Channel the hotel is a collection of 25 sea-facing rosewood villas surrounded by over 1800 floral species and a rich variety of wildlife including birds of paradise and the sifaka lemur. If you're wilting from wildlife watching, try water-skiing, kayaking and mountain biking through the lush rainforest.
Alternatively just lie back, relax and soak up the atmosphere of the 'eighth continent'. Like that elusive pot of gold, this destination will deliver unheard of delights - the kind of thing your friends back home will have trouble believing.
