Madagascar Lodge & Spa, Ambatomilo lagoon
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Energy
We reduce our energy with solar panels : you get light and power all the day long, and will always have a cold beer at hand! Water comes from a natural well close to the lodge. Water is rare in this very dry region, that's why we encourage our guests to take great care of it: it's too precious to waste it. We try to reduce our waste the best we can.
Wildlife
We take great care of the local dry forest, which hosts many endemic species (birds, plants and trees, included baobabs). We are definitively committed to conserving it and encourage our guests to know it better: that's why we open a botanical trail. Someone of our staff (native of a surrounding village) will always accompany you to explain all the secrets of the bush.
In general, vegetation of southern and south-western Madagascar is mostly prickly with small-leaved species. This kind of vegetation appears when annual average rainfall is less than 600 mm and dry season lasts at least 7 months. Rate of endemism is extremely high and there are even families like the didieracees that can only be found in this part of the world.
Many plants are still unknown because of the difficulty to penetrate this kind of vegetation. The most original and well-known tree is the baobab (seven species in Madagascar, just one in the African continent).
Community
A fair deal
We offer local people good working conditions, a fair wage, and empower them with training opportunities. All of our staff (18 persons, including families with children) comes from neighboring villages. They built like a new little village behind the lodge and are always pleased to share with our guests playing music, going with them to collect oysters... They will give personal and knowledgeable insight of their region. So that we all learn to travel with respect.
Every year, we give pens, exercice books and other things to all children in the surroundings, so that they can to school. We also give free medicine to many local villagers.
Local population is called Vezo. They are not a true ethnic group as they are Sakalava, Mahafaly and Masikoro. They are mostly fishermen and sailors semi-nomadic. They go to sea in outrigger canoes and utilize the same kind of sailing as the one used by the Indo-Malay ancestors of Malagasy people. They are quite good sailors, as the sea is the basis for their activities.
In the fishing villages, everyone recognizes the authority of patriarchs: descendants of the first inhabitants are invested with sacred power. They supervise the various rituals related to economy, health and security of the population. They are assisted by a council of elders consisting of all the patriarchs of all lineages or lineage segments that form the community.
Today, this informal power according to the administration - still weighs heavily on the socio-cultural relations between villages. The state officials can not find their legitimacy without the consent of the local "power".
We have been working with the local community to develop projects that help conserve resources and generate a sustainable source of income.
Local crafts and culture
We sustain jobs and cultural diversity by supporting local craft makers and artisans, and promoting cultural attractions. We do offer local crafts at our little reception and just do the link between local artisans and our guests (of course, we don't take any commission). We are always pleased to go with our hosts to nearby villages to show them their everyday life.
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