Africa : East Africa : Madagascar

Madagascar

Madagascar is a country that occupies a large island of the same name, located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. It is famous for pepper, vanilla, and of course the Lemurs.

Regions

Cities

The Malagasy people do not pronounce the first and last syllable of many place names. When the French took control of the island, they changed the spelling of many places to match the pronunciation. After Independence, the Malagasy changed it back; but you will still find the "shortened" names in literature et cetera. For example, Antananarivo is often called "Tananarive" or "Tana" for short.

Morondava is a nice little town on the west coast of Madagascar situated at the Mozambique Channel. Some small and comfortable hotels and great food.

Other destinations

Culture and History

While Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa, it was originally settled by people from Indonesia. Only later did African and Arab immigrants mix into the population of the island. As a result, Madagascar is a little bit of an oddity when compared to other African nations.

Madagascar was an independent kingdom before it was taken over and made a colony of France.

Travel to Madagascar, visa requirements

As Madagascar is an island, you can only arrive via plane or boat.

Flights to Madagascar, airtickets

From Europe, the best connections are with Air France, Corsair or Air Madagascar ("AirMad") from Paris to Antananarivo. AirMad also flies from Milan to Nosy Be (a small island off the North of Madagascar).

Travellers from the east typically fly using links from Air Mauritius. However, since 2003 Air Madagascar has a twice weekly service from Bangkok to Antananarivo.

Air Madagascar also operates a weekly service between Nairobi and Antananarivo.

By boat

The only regular link is from Toamasina on the east coast and Mauritius.

Get around

Flights to Madagascar, airtickets

Air Madagascar serves numerous destinations throughout the country, which is a good thing considering the bad state of the roads. Besides the big cities, lots of little hamlets are also served.

After the events of 2002, many airports were closed, so it is preferable to inform yourself from the company before reserving a flight.

Passengers who arrive in Madagascar on a long-haul flight from Air Madagascar can benefit from reductions on the order of 25% on the company's internal flights.

By train

There are three rail lines in Madagascar :

The Malagasy railway network dating from the colonial period, breakdowns are frequent. It can also happen that a line is closed for several weeks.

There is also a private micheline which assures the link between Antananarivo and Toamasina. This historic train runs only on previous reservation (at least one month in advance) and the price is interesting only if all 18 seats are full.

The train is not the fastest and most comfortable means of travel, but it lets you admire the magnificent landscapes (especially on the line connecting Fianarantsoa to Manakara) and discover the Malagasy fruits and dishes offered at every stop. You can taste what is in season at little cost : crayfish, bananas, cinnamon apples, sambos, zebu sausages, oranges... Unfortunately, the train that runs between Manakara and Fianarantsoa has become less reliable lately (early 2007) due to poor conditions of the tracks.

By Taxi-Brousse

This is the way most natives travel around the country. There is only one major modern road in the country and that runs from Tana, the capital, to Tulear, a south-western coastal town. Trip between the two towns takes about a day whereas traveling between Tana and Fort-Dauphin, a south-eastern coastal town, would take about 3 or 4 days due to the condition of the road. Travel is cramped and don't expect air conditioning.

By Taxi-Be

In Tana, the cheapest way to get around is by taxi-be, or big taxi, which is a bit larger than a mini-van. There is one aisle with seats to fold down so they can cram in even more people. During peak hours, buses run frequently.

By Boat

If you are looking for an unusual holiday, a yacht charter to Madagascar will not disappoint. You can be sure that your neighbors have not been there and done that… For those who would like to bareboat, a “guide” is usually included in the price of the yacht charter. Although not obligatory, he comes with the price and is essential for the multitude of services he will provide. He will prepare the food, recommend anchorages, know where to fish and refill the water tanks. He will speak the local language and have an established relationship with the local people. He will protect the boat from theft when you leave it to explore on land. The guide lives completely on the exterior of the boat and does not require a cabin. A yacht charter to Madagascar is a bit of a “Robinson Crusoe” adventure. Once you embark, you will not be able to provision again and must live off the fish and seafood you will catch for yourself (or with your guide). So take great care with your provisioning list.

By Bicycle

Madagascar is a great place to tour by bike and staying in small towns and villages along the way gives a real sense of what the country is all about. A mountain bike or heavy duty tourer at least is required as the roads can be in poor to terrible condition. In rainy season on the East coast the main North-south road can become impassable, possibly leading to a two day walk - over soft sand in one section - this is not an easily rideable route. Generally there is little to no traffic which makes cruising around a great pleasure. The people are amazingly friendly and you'll be greeted with crowds of kids shouting 'Vazaha' in every village. There are little or no facilities for cyclists, so be prepared to camp rough (ask if it is somebody's land and never too near a family grave) or sleep in very basic guesthouses. Likely you will be invited to stay in people's houses. Bring a spare tyre, puncture kit, chain, brake/gear cable, derailleur and all the tools you need.

Talk

The remarkable thing about Madagascar is that the entire island speaks one language: Malagasy, an Austronesian language. Because the island is so large there are many different dialects. The Merina dialect is the "Official Malagasy" of the island and is spoken around highlands of Antananarivo. Most Malagasies, however, speak Merina across the island. The writing is phonetic so once you learn, it is very easy to do dictation, whether or not you understand what they are saying.

French is the second official language of Madagascar. The government and large corporations use French in everyday business, but 75-85% of Malagasies only have limited proficiency in this language. Malagasies assume that all foreigners are French speakers and therefore can speak several different phrases. Attempts by foreigners to learn and speak Malagasy are liked and even encouraged by the Malagasy people.

Shopping, Madagascar souvenirs

The unit of money is the ariary. This unit preceded the French rule, and Malagasy franc notes had the value in ariary printed on them too (50000 francs = iray alina ariary = one myriad ariary). The ariary is worth about half a U.S. cent.

Vanilla (3 euros for 2 pods France ; about 2 euros for 10 pods in Mada)

Good restaurants and cheap meals

The cheapest way to get a meal is to eat at a "hotely". For about 1300 ariary (or a little less than $1) you can buy a plate of rice, laoka (malagasy for side dish accompanying rice) like chicken, beans or pork, and rice water. For 200 ariary extra you can get a small glass of homemade yogurt.

Bananas (hundreds of varieties) and rice cakes {Malagasy 'bread') are staple 'street food' and available everywhere. Coffee is very good, usually hand-made by the cup and served very sweet with condensed milk. Steak-frites is available in restaurants in the larger towns.

Madagascar nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

There is no safe tap water so be prepared with bottled water. The only other option is rice water (water used to cook rice, which will therefore have been boiled). Particularly important to plan ahead if visiting rural areas.

In towns, roadside drink stands, stores, and bars are plentiful. Most sell a range of drinks including bottled water, Coca Cola and Madagascar's beer, Three Horses Beer ("THB"). You can also try the bubblegum flavored soda 'Bonbon Anglais'.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

  • Bushhouse Lodge[1] in Pangalanes lake district on the east coast of Madagascar
  • Tsanga Banga [2] hotel / bed & breakfast in Nosy Komba, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar
  • Tsara Camp [3] tented accommodation in the central highlands by Andringitra National Park
  • Radama Hotel [4] A charming hotel in the heart of Antananarivo.
  • Chez Maggie [5] Situated directly on the beach in Morondava (West coast), very nice and excellent food
  • Vovo Telo Situated steps from the Mozambique Channel in the town of Mangily, North of Tulear

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Madagascar is a fairly safe country. You must, however, respect some simple principles:

  • Don't walk around at night in big cities.
  • Don't show signs of riches (cameras, jewels, ...).
  • Don't resist in case of aggression.
  • Keep your eyes on your stuff when you take public transportation or go to markets where numerous pickpockets swarm.

It should also be noted that, like any other third world country, the presence of beggars never goes unnoticed. This is sometimes uncomfortable for tourists, but these people should be respected none-the-less. They are, predictably, attracted to foreigners and will not hesitate to ask for a hand out. It is recommended that you not give money, but other useful items, such as a banana, a piece of bread, etc. It is usually accepted with gratitude, and if the beggar is a child, he will run away with a smile on his face.

Stay healthy

While the AIDS epidemic has not reached the devastating level found in many southern African countries, it is widely assumed that the incidence of AIDS is underestimated and rising. You should take no risks and avoid unprotected sex in all cases.

Research malaria prophylaxis options, and follow through.

Respect

Everyday life in Madagascar is regulated by numerous fady (taboos) which vary from one region to another. They can forbid foods (pork, lemur, turtle... ), wearing clothes of a particular color, bathing in a river or a lake. Observance of "Fady" is mostly limited to rural areas, as tourists will most likely not run into this problem if they stay in Antananarivo, Toamasina, Fianarantsoa, or other urban areas.

Fady are attributed to ancestors, to whom Malagasy owe a respectful worship whatever their religion. It is preferable to respect these forbiddings so as not to offend them, even if their well-foundedness is sometimes debatable. Inform yourself about local fady when you arrive in a new place.

Contact

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