Madagascar, the rainbow Island

Useful information | Hotels

Useful information about Madagascar

Madagascar... the exotic “island continent”, in the heart of the Indian Ocean, is a real change of scene. It has one of the most fascinating assemblages of unique organisms on the planet. Over 1580 km long and 570 km wide, Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island: some consider it the “Eighth Continent.”

Air travel is a good way to get around this vast country, especially if time is short. Almost anywhere in Madagascar can be reached by air, apart from a few locations in the central highlands. Air Madagascar offers some good deals and extensive coverage, flying to over 50 cities and towns throughout the country.

Airport : The main airport is Antananarivo Airport (TNR), which is located 17km (11 miles) from the city. Facilities located at the airport include restaurants, bureaux de change and car hire offices. Other airports around the country like Arivonimamo (located near Mahajanga), Nosy Bé and Toamasina.

Formalities

Passport : Only Malagasy citizens can travel to Madagascar without a visa. All other nationalities are required to have a visa upon entering Madagascar. You will need a passport that is valid for at least the next 6 months.

Customs : Almost all of the products that are created from Malagasy flora or fauna (including dried flowers) require export permits.

Tax : A tax and tourist vignette is charged on the price of the rooms. There is no departure tax.

Health requirements : Foreign tourists should be in possession of Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate conforming to International Health Regulations, if they are originating or transiting through Yellow Fever endemic countries (Africa and South America).

Practicalities

Weather : July to September is the hot/dry season, and is the ideal time to come to Antananarivo. October to April is the rainy season, Madgascar's cool/wet season. The highest levels of rainfall occur from November to January. Temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the year, ranging from 18 to 27 degrees Celsius. The rainy season can make travelling on less than perfect roads even more difficult.

Money

Currency : The currency unit is the Ariary, denoted by the symbol Ar. Before the depart, take traveller's cheque or bank note with you. Banks are open between 8h00 and 15h00 from Monday to Friday.

Exchange rates : Foreign currency can be exchanged at local banks and Bureaux de changes.

Carte de Crédit : International Credit cards can be used only in Major hotels and in banks in the larger cities. Visa is the most widely accepted and American Express is also taken in some outlets. Marstercard is rarely accepted anywhere and Diners Club is also difficult to use. In general we recommend clients to be adequately prepared to live without a Credit Card once outside Antananarivo.

Credits cards : Most major international credits cards such as visa card, American express, master card, diners club are accepted for most purchases

Tipping : Tips are warmly received for service.

Communication

Language : The official language of Antananarivo is Malagasy, which is spoken by 90 percent of the population. French and English are also spoken, mostly in larger cities and towns and popular tourist destinations.

Phone : The country code to dial into Madagascar from overseas is 261, followed by the area code (Antananarivo is 20 22 and Antsirabe 20 44). Cellular phone codes begin with either 33 or 32.
Phone calls can be made at the telecom offices. Phone cards are sold in different denominations, and range from €1.50 - €30.
Internet cafes are readily available in the major centres, and they offer quite reasonable rates.

Car : Traffic drives on the right. Car hire is not very common, driving can be quite a stressful experience. If you do choose to drive yourself, a national driving licence is normally sufficient, but make sure to make detailed. The best option is to hire a car and a driver. The road network in Madagascar is quite poor. Tarred roads are normally only used to link major towns in the most populated areas, with the remainder still dirt roads. These are often impassable in the rainy season, which runs from November to March.

Taxi and others transportation : In everywhere except Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa, taxis charge flat fares for rides. In the two cities mentioned, it depends on whether the ride is staying in the ‘lower town’ or continues on to the ‘upper town’.
There are others types of taxis in Madagascar much more like buses. One is the taxi-be, normally very crowded which works in the inner city and around, and the other is the taxi-brousse (bush taxi), which is cheap, slow, crowded and normally operates on cross-country routes. You should agree on the fare before commencing your journey.
The pousse-pousse (rickshaw) is a common way of getting around within cities and towns. Prices are not set, and will vary depending on the distance of the journey. They should also be agreed upon in advance.

Restauration

Food : Current day cuisine is generally quite flavoursome, prepared in a simple manner without too much spice. The main course will usually consist of one main dish of meat, poultry or fish, as well as side dishes of vegetables and a bowl of rice, which will accompany almost every meal. Ron'akoho is something you should try, and is basically chicken bouillon (chicken stock) with ginger. Meat in Madagascar is generally much less fatty than in western countries, and is often much more organic. The only drink traditionally served with meals is ranonapango, a burned-rice drink. Desserts are often just some of the delicious local fruits, normally with some sugar sprinkled on top, and then flavoured with vanilla.

Water : It is advised to drink water in bottle.