Toliara
A city in the charming country of Madagascar, Tolaria, also known as Tulear, is probably known best for the white luminosity of the sky. Considered fairly modern when compared with other cities, Tolaria was established in 1895. There was no way for the French architect who gave life to the town to know that the city would now be home to 60,000 people.
Besides its strangely captivating sky, Tolaria is notable for the trees throughout the area, which was an important focus area for the French architect in question. The trees provide plenty of shade for the lively inhabitants who walk the streets in their daily lives.
There is plenty to see on a tour to Tolaria, such as the Arboretum d’Antsokay, which is an arboretum that was created in 1980. This lovely botanical garden boasts beautiful displays of flora and fauna from Southwest Madagascar. Nature lovers will delight in this 40 hectare plant paradise as they walk amongst 900 different species of plants. Visitors can enjoy a two-hour tour through the garden which will allow them to see birds, reptiles as well as over 100 species of Euphornia and 60 species of Kalanchoe. This beautiful corner of Tolaria is definitely the pride of this city.
Visitors can witness the city’s people at one of the many markets available, where traditional fare is sold and an eclectic energy is filtered throughout the lively atmosphere. Their main market is also a great place to purchase the traditional garment of the people of Madagascar, Lambas.
There are also two museums that line the somewhat lively streets, namely the sea museum and municipal museum. The latter offers beautiful Sakalava erotic tomb sculptures as well as traditional masks of the Mikea tribe. The sea museum is home to a preserved coelacanth as well as other sea-creature exhibitions.
The tombs of Tolaria capture the imaginations of all its visitors and inhabitants. The tombs of the Masikoro are the most notable as well as the large rectangle tombs of Andranovory whose tombs are painted with scenes depicting the heroic lives of the military men inside them. A more peculiar tomb is that of King Baba, which is set in a grove of Didierea trees and filled with strange but significant objects.