Nosy Be, an island five miles off the northwest coast, is Madagascar's chief beach resort. Beautiful white beaches and seas of vivid blues surround Nosy Be and its smaller neighbours. Once here, put your feet up, tuck into some fantastic local seafood and watch the gorgeous sunsets that blanket the island in a pink glow at the end of each day - a luxury holiday break at its best.

But Nosy Be is more than just a beach resort and has no less than five nature reserves. These include the Lokobe Reserve, which is home to a small population of black lemur. You'll likely catch a glimpse of the particularly vibrant blue Nosy Be Panther chameleon and if you're lucky, the world's smallest frog and smallest chameleon.

Diving in Nosy Be is also excellent and if you take the plunge you'll discover large schools of tropical fish, glowing coral reefs and, at the right time of year, mighty whale sharks.