Adventure World

Madagascar

The worlds 4th largest island may be just a stone throw away from Africa, but it is as different from its continental neighbour as nowhere on earth. Where else but on the unique island of Madagascar can you see flora and fauna of such amazing variety and diversity and know that it is found nowhere else on earth, or meet a people who are both African and Asian at the same time and are proud to be from such a racially diverse and culturally rich country.

The mixed topography of Madagascar is what gives rise to its astonishing biological diversity and dramatic scenery. With over 5,000km of coastline ranging from biologically important mangrove and estuarine reserve to stunning white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, uninhabited islands and coral reefs, Madagascar has indeed been geographically blessed.

Top Highlights

Antananarivo: 'Tana' is like many other African capitals: crowded, polluted and noisy, but it does have some parts worth exploring. Southwest of Analakely is where the post office, banks, restaurants and nightclubs are. Uphill from there you can find the ruins of Rova, the former Queen's palace. The hub of the lower town is Araben ny Fahaleovantena, bookended by the railway station and the Hôtel Le Glacier. This district is known as Analakely and is packed with permanent street markets with swarms of off-white umbrellas, perched precariously on old tyre rims shading the vendors.

Nosy Be: Nosy Be is Madagascar's premier resort island, with several smaller islands including Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Mitsio nearby. Nosy Be is popular with people looking for a resort-style holiday, as it has plenty of restaurants and nightlife and some excellent dive spots.

Fauna & Flora: 97% of mammals and 98% of amphibians of Madagascar are found nowhere else in the world. Madagascar is perhaps most famous for its Baobab trees and holds seven of the world’s eight species and so far nearly a 1,000 species of orchids have been found in the country. The cactus like Didierea family, found in the arid southwest are a botanist’s delight and a family unique to Madagascar.

National Parks: Madagascar’s National Parks are rightly famous among wildlife aficionados worldwide. Lemurs are their best-known draw, but don’t forget the weird and wonderful reptiles and birds - not to mention the unforgettable scenery.

• Parc National de Ranomafana - consists of 40,000 hectares of cloud forest, spread out over rolling hills and punctuated by small streams that plummet down through the dense vegetation to the rushing Namorona river. The Park was set up in 1986 to protect two species of rare lemur - the golden bamboo lemur and the greater bamboo lemur.
• Parc National D’Andasibe-Mantadia - This 12,810 hectare park encompass two distinct areas: the smaller Reserve Speciale d’Analamazaotra in the south and by Andasibe; and much larger Parc National d’Andasibe-Mantadia to the north. The park, which consists of beautiful primary forest studded with lakes, is the home of the rare indri, Madagascar’s largest lemur.

Fact Sheet

• Country Dialling Code: + 261
• When to Go: Any time of the year is fine for a visit to Madagascar except from January to March, when heavy rainfall in many areas of the country makes many roads muddy and impassable. In general, the best time to travel in most areas is April and October/November.
• Food & Water: The melting pot of Arabic, Chinese, French, African and Indian cultures in Madagascar has produced an exciting and often mouth watering cuisine. Regional variations are common, with the very different fruits, vegetables and fish on offer in each area of the country dictating local tastes and recipes.
• Currency: There are two units of currency in Madagascar, the FMG (Franc Malagasy) and the Ariary, this can be a little confusing as prices are often given in FMG, however tourists will almost certainly only use Ariary notes. Euro or USD is the recommended currency to take with you for exchanging.
• Most credit cards are accepted at tourist hotels and restaurants in the main cities only. There are a few ATM machines in Antananarivo and other centres however; we recommend not relying on being able to use these as your main source of funds.
• Tipping: Not customary, although waiters expect 10 per cent of the bill.
• Language: All people speak Malagasy; the educated and most people who live in towns and cities also speak French. You may find in rural communities some people do not speak French, however, consistent with the friendliness of the Malagasy, someone in the village who does will quickly be on hand to help out! The Malagasy are always delighted when someone speaks their language, so even learning a couple of words will light up faces everywhere you go.
• Government & Economy: Madagascar is a peaceful country. After 27 years in power, Madagascar’s veteran president Didier Ratsiraka was finally ousted in 2002 by yogurt baron Marc Ravalomanana.
• Two commodities that are in the news as part of the predicted economic boom are vanilla and sapphires. The Malagasy are proud of their country’s provision of half the world’s supply of vanilla, with about 1000 tones a year being exported.
• Email: Public Internet access exists in large cities and hotels; there are a few Internet cafes in Antananarivo.
• Electricity: 220V. Outlets take European-style two pin round plugs. A travel adaptor is recommended.
• Shopping Hints: Handicrafts include lamba (traditional squares of cloth in various designs and woven materials); zafimaniny marquetry, which is applied to furniture, chessboards and boxes; silverwork such as mahafaly crosses and vangavanga bracelets; jewellery made from shells and precious stones; items woven from reeds, raffia and straw; antemore paper decorated with dried flowers; and embroidery. All products incorporating Malagasy flora or fauna (including dried flowers) often require export permits.