80 kilometres south of Diego-Suarez lies one of the real highlights of the northern part of Madagascar - Ankarana National Park. Ankarana is 5km by 20km in size - a large and hugely impressive area of limestone pinnacles, outlying dry deciduous forest, littered with huge underground caves, and canyons full of stalactites and stalagmites.

These caves make up one of the largest underground habitats in Africa. Many of the caves are home to bats (some of the smallest and largest in the world) and a small population of underground crocodiles. Above ground the park is not only hugely scenically impressive, but is also host to 11 types of lemur including the crowned lemur and Sandford's brown lemur. There is also a plethora of frogs and reptiles, and nearly 100 species of birds.

The park itself has three entrances which are all fairly far apart. Most visitors will take in both the Eastern and larger Western part of the park, but this will depend on the time of year and the weather.