Madagascar Travel Tips & Advice

I used taxi brousse where possible although i flew in and out of Fort Dauphin as the road journey is quite long and is arduous and can be dangerous. Taxi brousse or bush taxi is the way to go on a budget and to meet locals. It may break down but you will be rescued although that may take hours.

You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. During the day and, especially in smaller villages, walking around is perfectly fine.

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Most visitors are granted a 30-day visa on arrival when landing in the country. It is, however, one of the most biodiverse places in the world due to the fact that the island split off from the Indian subcontinent around 88 million years ago. Most of the plants and animals evolved in isolation and today over 90% of Madagascar’s wildlife can’t be found anywhere else on Earth!

• After traveling through Madagascar and witnessing a variety of travel options and styles, we’re happy with our decision to take the G Adventures tour.
• In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit.
• To conclude, we would recommend that you head online and talk to expats, get involved with NGOs, dig deep and talk to as many people as possible about how it is to live in Madagascar.
• Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Be prepared for what life throws at you.
• However, it’s still wise to steer clear of them all the same.
• Public affection, no matter what kind of relationship, is a no-go.

If it were up to our have stayed there all day. Sure, the generator ran out of diesel fuel before the end of the game. That just added to the experience and built suspense to know the result the following day. Services include mending a broken heart, whether it be from unrequited love or a relationship forced to split because of parents. Finally, they’re also places where you can enjoy a shot of local home-brewed rum with a side of crayfish to chase it down.

Best Time To Visit Madagascar

But, an October 15 press release issued by the Madagascar National Tourism Board revealed that the country’s restrictions have changed. Book with us by May 31st, 2022 and we’ll give you the flexibility to change your plans for free up to 30 days before you depart. Fantastic trip to fascinating but very poor country.Quite hilly cycling but well supported with… National Park; witness the island’s intense, captivating beauty; and see rare orchids, steamy mangrove swamps, lush forests and volcanic peaks. Also, if you go to a remote village or hamlet it is fomba or tradition that you first meet with the head of the village if you have business in the village.

Carjacking though is an issue, so you’d need to be particularly careful, especially when driving at night. To travel from the US to Madagascar you’ll most likely fly Air France/Delta to get to Paris and then onwards to Antananarivo. If flights are too expensive, you could look at flying any budget airline to Paris and then booking a separate ticket on Air France from Paris to Antananarivo.

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Basically, we wouldn’t say that Madagascar is especially safe for families to visit. For those who are really interested in nature and wildlife, it can be done, but it just takes a bit of planning. A good time to visit Madagascar with children would be May or June; the island experiences generally cooler temperatures at this time of year. It may not be the most ideal destination for a solo traveller – let alone a woman by herself – but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t doable.

The domestic airlines, Air Madagascar, known as “Air Maybe” by the locals, and Tsradia, its new spin-off, have notorious reputations. My Tsaradia flight time was changed to depart two hours later than scheduled, then took off two hours later than that! Avoid a lot of internal flying if you want to avoid losing travel days to flight delays. If you’re travelling to Madagascar for underwater adventures, the easiest diving and snorkelling is around Nosy Be. The best options are less from the main island itself, and more from some of its smaller neighbours – Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Mitsio and Nosy Radames are particularly good.

Madagascar Travel: Fantasy Island

Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to. If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries. Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Steer clear of any protests, demonstrations or political gatherings which can turn violent quickly. In addition, the Ambohijatovo, Lac Anosy, Antaninarenina and Analakely areas and military barracks should be avoided, as they have been subject to political gatherings resulting in outbreaks of violence. Everything you need to know about crime before you go to Madagascar, from political tension and no-go zones to bush taxis and petty crime. In 2017, well-known Nomad Matt reported that although “getting to the country is expensive, once you are there everything is incredibly cheap”. Indri Lodge, Andasibe – In Andasibe we stayed at the Indri Lodge, which is about 15 minutes drive from the National Park.

Is Madagascar Safe To Visit Right Now?

Politically, the country is looking much more stable nowadays. There are still a few demonstrations every once in a while, but as long as you stay out of it, they won’t affect you at all. There is no such thing as a perfect safety guide, and this article is no different. ” will ALWAYS have a different answer depending on the parties involved. But this article is written for savvy travellers from the perspective of savvy travellers. It is one of Madagascar’s most rewarding destinations for hiking.

In the 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 children shouting ‘Vazaha’ in every village. Taxi-brousse is by far the cheapest way to travel, but do not expect to leave or arrive on time. Indeed, the drivers wait for their 15 seats small buses to get full before leaving, therefore a few hours delay is never excluded. However, during the trip it allows you to admire the breathtaking landscapes Madagascar holds.

Recommended Travel Vaccinations For Madagascar

Starting with nature, there are several places offering exotic scenery and animal and birdlife. Close to Antananarivo is Lemur’s Park, a private reserve of lemurs, the animal only found naturally in Madagascar. Here you can observe 9 species of lemurs in total freedom. It is one of the most spectacular national parks in Madagascar.

Reduce your risk by sticking to safe food and water habits. Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Madagascar, so your behaviors are important.

Tuck Into Zebu, Ravitoto And Traditional Malagasy Madagascar Cuisine

The most expensive part of visiting Madagascar is usually the flights. Part of Andasibe National Park, Analamazaotra is a rainforest of mid altitude where you can observe specific fauna such as the Indri-Indri and flora such as orchids and ferns. We took a guided walk through the rainforest, where our guide told us all about the Indri-Indri that live here. You can recognize these lemurs by their distinctive wail, which echoes for miles through the forest.

This is helpful for wherever you travel in the world really, but in Madagascar, it’s going to help you stick out less as a tourist – and therefore, potentially, as a target. Finding the right guide is important – especially if you’re by yourself and you’re a woman. There are a lot of guides to choose from in Madagascar, many of them friendly people who really know their stuff. Get online, ask questions, and get recommendations; this will really help you. Even the National Tourism Office of the country advises foreign tourists that they should use a professional tour operator. There is crime, cultural differences, a challenging political climate and a bunch of other potentially dangerous things makes the island actually fairly difficult to travel around.

Madagascars Wildlife: A Quirk Of Evolution

Today, Wego is used by millions of people every month — people who travel for adventure, for work, for family and for many other reasons. That’s why we work tirelessly to make your experience of planning & booking flights, hotels and trips as seamless as possible. Tsaradia Airlines and Madagasikara Airways serve many destinations throughout the country, and provide a much faster option than driving given the poor state of many roads.