Prime-Magazine-July-2023

DESTINATIONS
Manambato
THE LADY
OF THE LAKE
Located in the east of Madagascar, Manambato is a village offering
culture and adventure, with a beach and a sacred lake.
Lake Rasoabe, has water so clear that you can see the
bed of the lake, links up to the Pangalanes canal and
separates the village and the Indian Ocean. Thanks to
to the warm climate, the lake is ideal for swimming. To
the inhabitants of the surrounding region, it is a sacred
lake. It was named after the first wife of the mythical
giant Darafify, who placed Rasoabe on the lake and
ordered her to set up paddy fields, but in his absence,
she was unfaithful to him. Furious with his wife, the giant
drowned her in the lake. She is said to have constructed
a village on the lake bed and certain villagers claim to
have seen huts there made of falafa (woven ravenala
leaves).
You can go on boat trips around the lake to explore the
small islands and villages in the surroundings: Vavony,
Ambila Lemaitso and Andevoranto. On the other side
of the lake, there is the site of the Palmarium Akanin’ny
nofy or ‘nest of dreams’, which shelters several species of
lemur: the Indri Indri, the mouse lemur and the Aye-aye.
With its tropical flowers, orchids, ravenala (traveller’s
palm) and carnivorous plants, Manambato is an
absolutely enchanting spot. From the top of the hill, the
view over the beach, the lake and the Indian Ocean is
superb. Finally, the minor road linking Brickaville and
Manambato is an ideal track for hiking and adventure.
As in other sacred locations in Madagascar, pork
(considered as impure) is not allowed in Manambato
to avoid offending the ancestors. Similarly for gold
jewellery and onion, they are forbidden according to the
last wishes of the ancestors.
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