Mahajanga, also known as Majunga, shows strong Arab and Indian influences, reflecting its importance as a center of maritime trade in Madagascar since the mid-18th century. There are more than a dozen mosques in town and countless Indian- and Pakistani-owned shops. There's also an enormous baobab tree by the sea. The coastline of the city is very pleasant, and the beaches become more beautiful as you move away from the center.
Every year in July the Fanompoa Be is celebrated, washing the royal relics of the Sakalava people, which begins a week of festivities.
Plan two days in the area, which is located 240 mi/385 km northwest of Antananarivo, to visit nearby beaches, the grottoes of Androhibe (about 53 mi/85 km from town) and the Ankarafantsika National Park and Ampijoroa Forestry Reserve (both about 60 mi/95 km from town), which offer opportunities to see lemurs, waterbirds and a breeding center for two threatened species of tortoise.
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