One of the world's largest barrier reefs runs all the way around the south-west Malagasy coastline, so spend your time snorkelling and diving the coral reef of Ifaty or walking in the bush behind Ifaty, known as the 'spiny forest'. At both Ifaty and St Augustin Bay, this 'spiny forest' offers excellent birding.

Tulear is also home to an incredible mix of tribes: the Antandroy, Veso, Masikoro and Mahafaly, with their ornamental tombs. For a fascinating insight into the lives of these people, visit the cultural museum run by the University of Tulear. You will see rare artefacts such as masks with real human teeth and hair, black magic fetishes used by the Mikea and erotic carvings of the Menabe Sakalava.

For nightlife near Tulear, travellers can visit Madagascar's most well-known nightclub, the 'Zaza Club'. Be aware that taxis do not operate after 10pm in Tulear, but the club only opens after 11pm so you have to use the local pousse-pousse (rickshaws). The rickshaw drivers know this, so they hang around outside the hotels, hawking business.

Tulear Points of Interest:

 - Art museum and southern traditional crafts, funeral art of the Mahafaly tribe
 - Bay of St Augustin for blue lobsters, sea tortoises, ancestor relics
 - Ifaty for its renowned beaches, diving and fishing
 - Nature reserve of lake Tsimanampetsotsa with its flamingos, lemurs and tortoises
 - Nosy Ve Island (not to be confused with Nosy Be) for its exotic birds and diving
 - Rabesandratana museum (oceanographic museum)