Shaded from the Indian Ocean sun under the boughs of Madagascan coconut palms and swaying tropical treetops, Toamasina enjoys a reputation as one of the country’s popular holiday destinations. At the height of the nation’s colonial era, the town’s wealth of sun-kissed sand stretches and wild surroundings drew in the French jet setters and investors who gave the centre its curious colonial feel; those lichen-spotted mansion houses and ageing bamboo beach huts still seen around town.

Today, and Toamasina tour guides continue to highlight the region’s wealth of nature reserves and parks, which range from the lemur-peppered canopies of the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and the wild maritime jungles of Masoala, to the charming island of Île Saint Marie with its acclaimed humpback whale lookouts. In the city, travellers can join in the authentic Malagasy fray, weaving between clouds of creaking pousse pousses and earthy Indian eateries around the promenade area, as well as hit the trailhead of the Canal des Pangalanes, to explore the winding web of the island’s iconic inland waterways.