A drum pattern drifts from a courtyard, a radio plays dance tunes from a passing minibus, and someone hums along while stirring a pot. Music here is how neighbours talk to each other, and it travels from the Indian Ocean coast to the inland plateaus, changing its beat and its words with every region and every language you hear.
The climate is tropical, with a warm wet season and a drier stretch that is easier for travel, and the coast gets more rain than the interior. Leave room for an evening that turns into a dance, and let a Local Friend pick the next stop when your plans run out.
