Protected Harmonious Landscape · South Region · Protected Areas of Madagascar
Tsinjoriake
Protected Landscape
A subarid coastal landscape south of Toliara where spiny thickets, tall mangroves, and sacred royal burial grounds meet the community-managed shores of south-western Madagascar.
About the protected area
Saint Augustin coast, open to visitors
The Tsinjoriake Protected Harmonious Landscape — also known as the New Protected Area (NAP) of Tsinjoriake — is part of the Protected Areas of Madagascar in the South Region. Key sites within the reserve include the Sarodrano Cave and Maroamalo.
The management office is located in Saint Augustin, 35 km south of Toliara, where visit arrangements — access, circuits, and guided tours — can be discussed. A welcome centre operates at Ankoronga, and three guest chalets are available at Andatabo. Hotels and a community tourism site are also found in Saint Augustin.
Five developed tourist circuits are available: Andatabo (2 hrs), Moringa (1 hr), Barn Hill (2 hrs), Andoharano (3 hrs), and Sarodrano (3 hrs) — all with rest areas and viewpoints. Four additional community circuits run through local villages: Saint Augustin (1 hr 30), Ankilibe (1 hr), Ankaraonga (1 hr), and Lavenombato (1 hr).
More protected areas in Madagascar can be found at maison-de-madagascar.ch.
Fauna and Flora
Spiny thicket and mangrove, endemic at every turn
The climate is characterised by the subarid conditions of the South-West: a cool season from June to August with temperatures as low as 12 °C, a hot season from September to November peaking above 35 °C (with December and February being the hottest months), and a rainy season from November to April.
Vegetation is of the spiny thicket type. Trees of 10 m or more are rare. Between Ankilibe and Sarodrano, the mangrove stands 10 to 12 m tall, forming impressive stands of mangrove trees. The flora is characteristic of the spiny thicket, including Rhigozum madagascariensis and Kalanchoe viguieri, with four plant species endemic specifically to this site.
The fauna includes 71 bird species — among them the red-shouldered vanga, a locally endemic bird — as well as 16 bat species, 23 reptile species, and 2 rodent species.
Culture and Socio-economic Practices
Royal tombs and sacred sites, where relics are bathed
The reserve contains several cultural sites, including Andatabo and the Sarodrano Cave. Multiple royal tombs are found in the area, and Saint Augustin is a site for the ritual bathing of relics known as Fitampoha.
The local population earns a livelihood from the sale of potted ornamental plants, and the rocky outcrops of the site are also quarried for construction materials. The cultivation of sea cucumbers and seaweed is being actively developed as an alternative economic activity.
Immigration into the area is significant, and the collection of charcoal and firewood is also on the rise, adding pressure to the natural resources of the reserve.
Identified threats
Location
South-western Madagascar, near Toliara
The Tsinjoriake Protected Harmonious Landscape lies 35 km south of Toliara along the south-western coast of Madagascar, centred on the Saint Augustin bay area and extending across spiny thicket, mangrove, and coastal rock formations.