Taken from internet Ilakaka is a boomtown that just 3 years ago boasted less than 40 inhabitants...that number's now more like 3000, after the discovery of world class alluvial sapphire deposits in the valley. It's a string of hastily erected shoddy buildings along the main highway (if that's a fair description of the track) from Tananarive to Toliara, where Sri Lankan and Thai gem traders make a not so modest fortune legally relieving Madagascar of its beautiful twinkling stones. The mines are both open pits and shafts up to 30m deep that stretch continuously E along the valley for several kilometres...they say a good gravel layer can return about US$2000 per cubic metre in raw gemstone value.
Favourite spots: Ilakaka is the spot. If you ever wanted to feel unsafe, exhilarated by the lawlessness of a place, and so close to what mad mining rush towns of 100 years ago, say in Ballarat (Australia) or Klondike (Alaska, US)must have felt like. This is it. Welcome. Bring your 12-guage.
What's really great: that no-one could believe we actually wanted to stay there. I'm an amateur gemstone/jewellery designer and couldn't think of a better place to be...but they were astonished. I met some fascinating miners and dealers, politely asked one guy if he's prefer to conduct our discussion in Malagasy or in French to which he replied in fluent English, I don't speak either...he was Thai. But if advise is called for, don't buy stones here unless you absolutely know what you're doing. I have a gemology qualification, and even I was had, caught off guard by the place, the rurmoil of the place, the ease with which you lend trust to the first person who isn't immediately suspect in appearance or manner.
Imponente toma panorámica con una prepectiva alucinante. Me imagino que todo el comercio estará en la calle, los cochazoa que se ven deben ser propiedad de los corruptos potentados. Un abrazo de Josep
Great documentary style photo, great viewpoint and it's always nice to have some description, especially such a personal one, of what is being shown. Regards, Gary
I like the perspective the photo and the "about" give of this place....it's very interesting. Real nice street shot and photojournalism, txules. Cheers, -kes
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