AFRICAN TRAVEL TIPS WHEN VISITING MADAGASCAR
Madagascar is ‘Unique’: the best way to describe Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world. Here you can find almost everything, from the fauna and flora to the Afro-Asian peoples. In addition to beautiful beaches and magnificent coral reefs, the mysterious and strange fill the atmosphere surrounding the strange landscapes, places of interest and customs such as the ‘whirlwind’. travel tips
Home to the world’s largest open-air market and some of the best diving and snorkeling sites available worldwide, Madagascar will captivate relaxed visitors with a taste for adventure … travel tips
CAPITAL:
Antananarivo
WEATHER:
Madagascar’s climate is diverse, but generally tropical, pleasantly sunny and warm throughout the year. Summer is from September to April, winter from May to August and the dry season (May to September). Cyclones occur from January to mid-February.
CURRENCY:
1 Malagasy franc = 100 cents. Some hotels and restaurants accept Amex, Master and Visa credit cards, but a charge of up to 7 percent of the transaction value applies. Only exchange money in authorized exchange houses. Traveler’s checks in hard currencies can be exchanged at banks and major hotels.
ATMs accept Visa cards.
The machines have a withdrawal limit of 900,000 Malagasy francs, but it is possible to make several withdrawals at once. Note that the Malagasy franc is not convertible. USD travel checks are recommended.
ELECTRICITY:
Mainly 127/220 volts, 50Hz, other times 110 or 380 volts. The plugs are 2-pin round.
HEALTH:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travelers who come or have been in transit in areas considered infected. Visitors are advised to take precautions prior to arrival against malaria (there is a risk throughout the year throughout the country with the highest risk in coastal areas), typhoid fever, polio and hepatitis A. Other health problems include cholera (especially the rainy season), water (only drink bottled water), influenza (the risk extends throughout the year), plague (considered officially infected), minimal medical facilities and unavailable medications.
LANGUAGE:
Malagasy and French. English is almost never spoken.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
New Year’s Day (January 1); Celebration of the 1947 uprising (March 29); Good Friday (April 9); Easter Monday (April 12); Labor Day (May 1); Independence Day (June 26); Asunción (August 15); All day of San (November 1); Christmas Day (December 25); Boxing Day (December 26); Anniversary of the Republic (December 30) travel tips
PURCHASES:
Lamba cloths; chess boards and boxes made in Zafimaniny marquetry style; silver jewelry, shell and precious stones; rushes, raffia and woven straw items; embroidery. Andravoahangy’s Wednesday market offers better quality products. NB: All products that include local fauna and flora (including dried flowers) require export permits that must be obtained at the time of purchase. Many items are manufactured illegally and cannot be taken out of the country.
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS:
51% of people practice animism (belief that inanimate and natural phenomena have a soul), approximately 43% are Christians and the rest Muslim. People have a relaxed attitude towards time, which can be frustrating. Seek advice before approaching tombs or tombs and discover what are the taboos of the region (“fady”) and respect these.
TIME DIFFERENCE:
GMT +3
TIPS
It is not usual, although waiters expect 10 percent, especially in European, Chinese and Vietnamese establishments. It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers. travel tips
DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST ATTRACTIONS:
Antananarivo and surroundings:
The colorful capital is home to most of the friendly inhabitants of the island; buy exquisite embroidery and other crafts at the Zoma market and see the fascinating architecture and rice paddies; Tsimbazaza is a botanical and zoological garden; Nearby is Ambohimanga, an ancient sacred village that contains a historical museum; To the south are the cities of Antsirabe with its healing springs, crater lakes and highlands dotted with huge granite heads; and Ambalavao, an almost medieval European-style city that produces wine and papyrus.
Ankarana Reserve:
A hollow mountain surrounded by a practically impenetrable tip plateau; inside there are spectacular caves joined by possibly hundreds of kilometers of tunnels; isolated pockets of sunken forests grow where the caves have collapsed and deep pools house giant eels and crocodiles; Abundant wildlife appears in wooded canyons.
Nosy Be Archipelago:
Commercial holiday destination with beaches lined with palm trees and coral reefs in a national protected area ideal for diving, diving and exploring forests; nature reserve of lemurs; and great fishing; visit numerous nearby islands, p. Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely; Yacht charter live on board are available.
Isalo National Park and the dry south:
Desert sandstone canyons; soaring baobabs; giant cactus; colorful ancestral tombs; delicate coral reef; Fort Dauphin; Berenty Nature Reserve with its thorny forest, succulent and lemurs; and Libanona, where there are beautiful beaches for swimming and some of the best tidal pools.
Masoala and Nosy Peninsula:
Mangabe In the northeast, one of the largest areas of the rainforest that meets tropical coral reefs in a biologically rich desert; Nosy Mangabe is a reserve island of lemurs and home to the leaf-tailed gecko, the bright orange frog and the aye-aye night lemur; Masoala has the largest Malagasy lowland rainforest, ideal for hikers and naturalists; visit from the end of August to the end of December. travel tips
Perinet Reserve and surroundings:
The eastern rainforest reserve is one of the last bastions of the mythical indri, the largest of all surviving lemurs; scenic trails and baffling plant diversity; visit the neighboring Maromizaha rainforest for rare species.
Ranomafana National Park:
Wild mountainous tropical rainforest that houses 12 species of lemur, numerous endemic birds and dominated by the Namorona river of white waters; The best time to visit is August-January; Near the park there are thermal baths to relax after a walk.
Ampijoroa Forest Station:
One of the best wildlife places on the island; easy trails in the tropical, dry and deciduous forest; accessible all year; abundant lemurs and birds. travel tips
Morondava and the ‘Swiss forest’:
Vibrant west coast city with wide beaches, safe swimming and Kirindy Forest, the best place for nightlife; Rare mammals, birds and three species of baobab.
Ifaty Beach, Anakao, Tulear and Sainte Marie:
Coral reefs; coastal hotels; diving and snorkeling in Ifaty with boat trips to Nosy Ve, Anakao, St Augustin Bay and excursions to the ‘prickly desert’; Ile Ste Marie has isolated coves, historical vestiges of pirate occupation and whale watching from July to September; Tulear has diving and snorkeling on a coral reef that is said to be the second after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia; It is also a good starting point to see baobabs, giant cacti and thorny trees.
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