Ifaty Beach lies to the north of Tulear. This section of road is usually in very poor condition. In this area the original vegetation is the bizarre sub-arid thorn thicket – a tangled mass of thorny and drought resistant plants, which includes many impressive species such as octopus tres, bottle baobabs, large Pachypodiums and Moringas. Marooned in the south-western spiny desert is a select band of endemics, which are generally found during a good morning’s excursion, these are the Sub-desert Mesite, Long-tailed Ground Roller, Running and Olive-capped couas, Lafresnaye’s Vanga and Archbold’s Newtonia.

Reniala protects a piece of spiny forest with trails and labelled plants. It is a botanists' delight, relatively easy terrain, quite sandy but suitable for everybody. The forty five hectares of spiny forest includes two species of baobab (Adansonia rubrostipa & A. za). The flora is a chaotic ensemble of drought resistant plants, many of which are bloated, Pachypodiums, Moringas, Hildergardia and Delonix spp. There are many orchids as well as species of Aloe, Commiphora, intermixed with the spiny octopus trees (Didieracea). It is also good for the special birds of the area - Long-tailed Ground-roller, Lafresnaye's Vanga, Sub-desert Mesite, Running Coua and Archbold's Newtonia.

Boat transfers from Tulear to Anakao should be in the early morning. The sea is turquoise green to cobalt blue in a palette of colours that rarely fails to excite. Clearly visible on the horizon are the breakers that smash against one of the stretches of the longest coral reefs in the world and the splendid island of Nosy Satrana.