Nosy Mangabe

An hour’s boat ride off the coast of northeastern Madagascar, Nosy Mangabe is a lush islet swathed in tropical rainforest and fringed with golden sand coves. It is home Nosy Mangabe Special Reserve, one of the few places in the world that you can still see lemurs - a rare primate species - in the wild. Among the the most elusive of lemurs is the Aye Aye, which was nearly extinct before being reintroduced here. After dark is the best time to catch a glimpse of this bizarre-looking nocturnal creature - with its enormous round eyes, bat-like ears and extended fingers - and it is possible to organise guided night hikes led by experienced tour guides. Other trails lead through the verdant jungle to ancient graves and along the coast to a shipwreck.