MADAGASCAR
Welcome
Motto: Fitiavana, Tanindrazana, Fandrosoana (Malagasy)
"Love, Fatherland, Progress"
Anthem: Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô! (Malagasy)
"Oh, beloved land of our ancestors!"
Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, sits in the Indian Ocean several hundred kilometers off Africa’s southeastern coast and provides a home to a remarkable variety of plant and animal species, including the aye aye, fossa, chameleon, and baobab tree.
Capital: Antananarivo 18°55′S 47°31′E.
Population: 36,767,655 million inhabitants.
Gross Domestic Product - GDP (PPP): $12.734 billion.
Official languages: Malagasy & French.
Area: 587,041 km2.
Water (%): 0.9.
Currency: Ariary (MGA).
Safety rating: Ranked 84 on the Global Peace Index with a score of 1.99.
Food
Lasopy
This vegetable soup is generally served as a starter and forms part of the dishes you must eat in Madagascar. The stock of this soup is the one that is almost always used to boil the recurring rice that is the base of nearly all of its cuisine.
Fish in coconut sauce
If you like fish, something you must try in Madagascar is the famous dish of fish in coconut sauce which is served in coastal areas. Fish, generally grilled, is served accompanied by vegetables and pasta, with the country’s typical spicy sauce.
Akoho
This typical dish of Madagascar consists of chicken and rice. The lean meat of the chicken is used to make it, which is roasted with different spices, especially chilli and onion. It is served on a lettuce leaf accompanied by boiled rice. It is a simple but tasty dish.
Ravitoto
One of the typical dishes to eat in Madagascar is ravitoto, which consists of mashed cassava leaves accompanied by pork or zebu meat. Of course, it is served with rice and a spicy ginger and chilli sauce.
Romazava
Perhaps the star of the typical dishes of Madagascar, or at least the best known. It consists of a stew of diced zebu meat, which is cooked with tomatoes, onion, ginger and bredes, a type of spicy cress. The stew is served with white rice, of course.
Hena Kisoa Sauce
Another of the stews to eat in Madagascar if you like meat is this dish made with pork. To make it, the same method is used as for making Romazava, but pork is used instead of zebu meat.
Masikita
Also known as Mosakiky, this dish from Madagascan gastronomy consist of skewers of zebu meat, accompanied by rice. The meat is barbecued and the traditional spicy sauces is added to give it flavour.
Sesika
Those who love meat will enjoy trying this dish, it is a type of black pudding which is served with white beans and boiled rice. Quite a hearty dish, both in flavour and because of the mix of ingredients.
Eel with pork
Eels from part of Madagascan gastronomy, especially in some specific areas. To make this dish, pork is used, which is cooked with tomatoes, chives, collard greens and peppers. It is obviously served with boiled rice.
Desserts
To finish, we have to mention the desserts, which, as well as including fresh tropical fruits (tamarind, mango, pineapple, lemon, guava, avocado and coconut), also includes all types of French pastries, as well as chocolate.
Drinks
To accompany the food, the national Madagascan drinks that you can try are Toaka Gasy, or Betsabetsa, both are alcoholic drinks obtained from the fermentation of rice or sugar canes. There is also a large production of local rum and a deep rooted tradition of drinking palm wine or Trembo.
Transportation
Car Rental
Renting a four-wheel drive vehicle to get around Madagascar is the most sensible option as well as the most comfortable with reliable, international companies based at the airport. It’s normal for car rental companies to insist you get a local driver as well, considering the chronic state of the roads, the language barriers and poor signage. A driver can also act as a local guide and translator. Getting around by car is a lengthy process, but is often the only way to reach the more isolated regions of Madagascar. If you’re traveling with a group of friends or family, car hire is an economical way to share costs.
Bush taxis
The bush taxis of Madagascar are essential on the roads, whatever the destination you want to reach. These inter-urban collective taxis can carry between 6 to 15 passengers depending on the model (Sprinter or Trafic). You will find them in the dedicated stations in each town of the island. Most people use bush-taxi (taxi-brousse) as their main form of transportation for short and long trips in Madagascar (old minivans seating up to 15 people), with a journey between the capital Antananarivo (locally known as Tana) and Toliara taking a full day. Taxi-brousse travel is cramped, not air-conditioned, and dust in the dry season can be a problem, but getting aroudn this way is the perfect opportunity to interact with local people and find out more about their country and culture. In the cities, taxi-bes (larger minibuses) can be hailed, while licensed cabs are recognized by their beige color. Fares must be agreed in advance as there are no meters, but both ways are very cheap. Madasmiles (+261-34-135-1553) taxis can be booked by phone, and Antananarivo Taxis (+261-226-5163) are also reliable.
Water Taxis
Coastal ferries operate between various port towns in Madagascar, although schedules seem virtually non-existent. While water travel can be scenic and relaxing, the condition of many of the boats is poor and often overcrowded.
Trains and Buses
Antananarivo is the main rail hub offering limited service between towns in the vicinity of the capital, but the rest of the large island has no train access. The cars are old, slow and uncomfortable, and frequent delays are caused by breakdowns or track conditions. Other public transportation is by conventional large buses operated by a number of different companies or the taxi-brousse (bush taxi) minivans. Tana has four bus stations, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western, served by both reliable and sketchy operators, but Kofimanga or Kofifi are recommended. Bus tickets are inexpensive, but you get what you pay for in regards to comfort.
Urban transports in Antananarivo
Antananarivo and its periphery have a very dense network of public transport, but are not always very accessible to tourists. For your city trips, we recommend you to use taxis which are recognizable by their cream color and lantern.
Best things to do
Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar was built to protect the unique biodiversity of the local ecosystem. It is a great place to see the unique wildlife of Madagascar and is one of the country’s most popular places to visit. The Ranomafana park is in the country’s southeast and is 161 square miles big. It has a tropical rainforest.
The golden bamboo lemur is the most important of the rarest plants and animals. Scientists are looking at the species in this park as part of their research. People can satisfy their desire to see wildlife when they come to this place. It is part of the World Heritage Site and is one of the best tourist attractions in Madagascar.
Masoala National Park
Masoala National Park will blow your mind with how many things it offers and how unique it is. It is one of Madagascar’s most popular places to visit and the largest protected area on the island. Not only does the park have interesting animals, but it also has a beautiful area with coastal forest, flooded forest, marsh, and mangrove.
Ten species of lemurs, the red owl, the tomato frog, Chrysiridia Rhipheus, and other rare Masoala National Park animals are very important. Here you can find the Madagascar serpent eagle, which was thought to have died out. You can do more than watch animals here. It is also a great place to go kayaking and snorkeling. One of the best things to do in Madagascar is to go to Masoala National Park.
Andasibe-Mantadia
Andasibe-Mantadia is a national park in the eastern part of Madagascar. It covers about 100 miles of land. It is close to Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, and is home to eleven species of lemurs, including the Indri, the largest lemur in the country. Not only that, but it is one of the most popular places to visit in Madagascar and one of the easiest parks to get to. It has a lot of different kinds of life, just like other parts of Madagascar.
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
Malagasy people have considered the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga the holiest place for the past 500 years. It was once the home of the royal family of Madagascar. There is a wall around the area. In 1847, a mortar created of lime and egg whites was used to build the wall. It is one of the 12 sacred hills of Imerina, and a strong sense of national identity is linked to it. UNESCO’s World Heritage Site is the hill and its fortified royal city. It is among the best places in Madagascar to visit.
Ifaty
Ifaty is a small coastal town north of Toliara with a lot of charm. If you want complete peace and freedom, one of the greatest things to do in Madagascar is to go to Ifaty. It has a coral reef that is 60 miles long and keeps rough sea waves out. It is a great place to fish, scuba dive, and snorkel. Ifaty has a country feel that is interesting all the way through. Sixty hectares of spiny forest are kept safe by the Reniala Forest Private Reserve of Ifaty. There is also a reserve for tortoises that keeps them from being stolen and helps them breed. It’s one of the best places in Madagascar to visit.
Avenue of the Baobabs
places to visit in Madagascar
The Avenue of the Baobabs might be one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see. A group of beautiful baobab trees lines a dirt road in western Madagascar between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina. The beautiful scenery brings in a lot of tourists from all over the world, making it one of the most popular places to visit in Madagascar.
Baobab trees are now almost 800 years old and are thought to be a remnant of the dense tropical forests that used to grow in Madagascar. It’s a shame that the area isn’t protected and that more trees are being cut down.
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is Madagascar’s biggest and most popular tourist destination. It is a small island off the coast of Madagascar’s northwest. It is also known as Nosy Mantra, which means “the island with the smell.” This island is home to Stumpffia Pygmaea, one of the smallest frogs in the world. It is also known for a certain panther chameleon color.
It might not be as pretty as other tropical beaches, but the peace will make you fall in love with it. The water is crystal clear, and there are great seafood restaurants where you can eat seafood for dinner. It is one of the best places for tourists in Madagascar.
Tsingy de Bemaraha
The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is one of the best places to visit in Madagascar. It is a beautiful park. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has a beautiful view. The Great Tsingy and the Small Tsingy are the most interesting parts of the park from a geological point of view. The Tsingy de Bemaraha is one of the best places to visit in Madagascar because of its appearance. This park is home to seven types of lemurs. Deckens Sifakas stand out because their fur is creamy white, and their faces are black. On the west side of the park, there is a lovely mangrove forest. It is also home to many plants and animals that can only be found there.
Isalo National Park, Madagascar
The Isalo National Park is known for its varied terrain. It is in the Chrome Region of Madagascar. This park was created in 1962 and has many types of land, such as sandstone formations, canyons, palm-lined oases, and grassland. It is one of the best places in Madagascar to visit. Isalo National Park, like many other parks in Madagascar, has a lot of plants and animals.
Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar
Ile Sainte Marie was once a popular place for pirates to live. Now, it is one of the most popular places to visit in Madagascar. On vacation, one of the best things to do in Madagascar is to swim in the clear water of the bays. During the 17th and 18th centuries, pirates liked the island because it had many safe bays and inlets. A lot of well-known pirates have been to this island. There is a story that this place was once the utopian pirate republic of Libertalia. The animals and plants of Sainte Marie have a lot of unique traits and are kept as natural features. It is also a great place to see whales. It is a great place for humpback whales to have their babies.
Best time to visit
With many unique things to do in Madagascar, it is a place that looks like a dream. It is in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa. Madagascar is one of the few places where people haven’t destroyed nature. Most of its animals are unique and have developed on their own. So, what will you see here that is exciting? It is called “the eighth continent” because it has many plants and animals.
Here, people honor their ancestors and traditions just as much as they do nature. It makes its national culture stand out in a big way since not many countries treat their cultural heritage with as much respect as this. Your place of wonder will be Madagascar. Every place in this country will amaze you.
As the fourth largest island in the world and a biodiversity hotspot, Madagascar is an unforgettable holiday destination, featuring warm temperatures and sunny skies. It’s best visited between April and December, when the weather is drier, and there’s something different to see in every month.
January to March experiences heavy rainfall and possible cyclones, and we advise against travelling to Madagascar during this period. Shorter showers last from April to June, however the rains have illuminated the island in a lush rainforest paradise for the endemic wildlife.
From July until December, the 5,000 kilometres of beautiful coastline are blessed with cool sea breezes and blue skies; perfect for snorkelling and watching humpback whales arriving to breed in warmer waters from July to September.
The best time to explore the biodiversity is from September until the end of the year, as many flowers are in bloom, the rainforests are cooler and the dramatic peaks of the north are waiting to be explored. Madagascar's famous lemurs will have their babies in tow from September and they are quite active and easy to spot from October to December. As a near year-round destination (with the exception of the monsoon season), Madagascar’s diverse landscapes offer unique treasures throughout the year.
When You Shouldn’t Visit Madagascar
February is the most humid month in Madagascar. It is the peak of the hot and rainy season. If you want to book your trip full of outdoor activities, this will be the least comfortable month for exploring. Visitors can also expect more rainy days between November and March.
Quick tips
Do not stay overnight in the countryside. Seek local advice and guidance before visiting beaches. You should remain vigilant when visiting beaches to the South and North of Toliara (Tuléar) as there have been attacks and robberies. Avoid visiting isolated and remote beaches, especially alone.
Fresh food is plentiful in Madagascar with fish caught daily, fruit ripe off the trees and coconut water straight out of the shell. Eating establishments vary from simple beach BBQs to five star restaurants and hotels. If in doubt about hygiene in the kitchen only eat food that is piping hot and do avoid salads that may have been washed with tap water and cold meat, cheese or unpeeled fruit possibly contaminated by flies. If in doubt and in need of a snack you can't go wrong with naturally hygienically-sealed foods as in bananas and coconuts.
In contrast, fresh water is not readily available in Madagascar so it's never safe to drink from a tap - and this includes cleaning your teeth. Most top hotels and restaurants will use bottle water for cooking, washing salads, freezing ice and for making tea or coffee, but check if you are unsure. Avoid ice cream or sorbets from street sellers.
The Malagasy are gentle, happy people. You rarely see any aggression. But as a general safety rule take a taxi at night if going any distance from your hotel to a restaurant especially in main cities or towns.
