Cut off from mainland Africa millions of years ago, the island of Madagascar has a variety of endemic animal species that far outnumbers those of any other place on earth, and many of them are found nowhere else on earth.

For me,the main attraction was the lemurs, tree-hopping, furry creatures that are living remnants of an ancient sub-level class of primates halfway between insectivores and monkeys that evolved some 10 million years before the first monkeys or apes.

Using their moist noses, lemurs rely on their sense of smell to determine what is safe to eat as well as to distinguish between individuals in their social groups.

Off the beaten track, scarcely ever included in tour offerings, this island country remains refreshingly unspoiled, a remarkable wonderland awaiting more adventurous travelers.