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Pro
Quiet city, rather clean, smooth people
Con
The spa has seen better days ...
In a nutshell
An escape from the world
Explore Antsirabe's history on foot
CatherineReichardt Says: The centre of Antsirabe is a wonderful place for strolling - it's impossible to use the word 'walk' in a place so laid back, and indeed, perhaps 'ambling' is closer to the mark!I am no architectural fundi, but when I am travelling, I do like looking at buildings and...
Stroll down Independence Avenue
CatherineReichardt Says: If ever there were a boulevard designed for elegant evening strolling, Avenue de l'Independence is it! Tree-lined, designed with panoramic proportions and stretching between the delectable railway station and Hotel des Thermes, it takes little imagination to conjur up the...
CatherineReichardt Says: Markets exert a magnetic attraction for me, and so it was inevitable that we would end up wandering around the one in Andasibe ...The range and quality of produce in Madagascar is an endless source of fascination for me. Most of what is on sale is recognisable for a tourist...
Admire the semi-precious stones
CatherineReichardt Says: Madagascar is justifiably famous for its semi-precious stones, and we were taken by our tour guide to an excellent shop in Antsirabe that sold beautiful semi-precious stones and fossils.The store owners (who were of Asian descent) made a great fuss of us and insisted on...
Rickshaw rides are hard on the chassis!
CatherineReichardt Says: Taking a rickshaw ride is clearly a big thing for tourists in Antsirabe, and so our tour guide took it upon himself to organise one for us without prior consultation. As we had just started our trip and didn't want to offend him, we somewhat unenthusiastically went along...
Croc'Inn snack-bar (part of Arotel): Start the day with a good breakfast
Norali Says: [Update May 2010: cannot guarantee the accuracy of my below comments anymore. Mangement has changed, strategy as well, seems things have worsened. Most important, Chef James has left the house. Fooding experience wouldn't be the same anymore. Have an idea: what about your...
Arotel restaurant " Agapes": French cuisine ingredients: foie gras, duck filet
Norali Says: [Update May 2010: cannot guarantee the accuracy of my below comments anymore. Mangement has changed, strategy as well, seems things have worsened. Most important, Chef James has left the house. Fooding experience wouldn't be the same anymore. Have an idea: what about your...
Norali Says: Now, Bira is not the ideal city for crazy clubbing nightlife. Only a handful of clubs (2 or 3). Anyway, even in Tana, I'm not into clubbing at all.In Antsirabe, you could spend some time in a bar, chatting with friends, over drinks. Bière pression, that is excellent....
How I would love to take the Tana-Antsirabe train!
CatherineReichardt Says: By now, it should be blindingly obvious to anyone reading my travel pages that I have a thing for trains! So, it is with great frustration that I report the existence of a functioning passenger train service in Madagascar that I didn't get the chance to road (or should that...
Norali Says: For the city being small, the main transportation for seeing around is by pousse-pousse (or bicycle).Although I'll recommend to walk through the city, I'll recommend also the charm of this transportation means as in Antsirabe, they are most beautiful with their colours, and...
A stall of Antsenakely market: Natural Ratsimamanga soap
Norali Says: Off Antsenakely market, I've found a cute stall selling natural soaps. The label on the table said "Savon naturel aux plantes de Madagascar". Being the type who would spend hours in a bathroom on her lazy days, the stall was sure a me-magnet. I had a feeling I was standing...
Stall across Le relais du pêcheur: Aluminium trinkets in Ambatolampy
Norali Says:
Norali Says: It stroke me as it doesn't apply anywhere else in the island: a wool blanket as a shawl.In winter, you will see men in the streets, wearing a wool or synthetic blanket as it's freezing hard (see another tip for what to wear when staying in the highlands, esp. Antsirabe)....
Men use to wear (wrap up with) lamba
Norali Says: Antsirabe men use to wear lamba (a piece of fabrics that wraps both head, shoulder and whole body: cotton fabrics for casual wear and for special occasions, natural silk for Merina and Betsileo women ). So do Betsileo men (In Fianar region). Both wear a hat as well.See in my...
Gem stones sold in the streets of Antsirabe
Norali Says: Antsirabe is known for the place where gem stones are traded. They come from Ilakaka (South) region. A craze for sapphire stones and the like arose years ago when someone discovered a huge mine in Ilakaka region.Street vendors sell fake stones. For tourists (and locals) who...
Norali Says: I was hanging around the ochre mosque that morning. Adjusting lenses to take pictures of the sun shining behind the mosque and the temple - without the flare on my camera screendisplay- when I suddenly heard that noise. The vigorous march of a troop. No, not military! I...
Norali Says: A widespread contest in Tana and Antsirabe...It used to gather people of all kinds, rich and poor don't know barriers when it comes to cock battles.Interesting to see the craze for it, the atmosphere, the worried cock breeders, those who bet on a particular beast and have to...
Horseriding, golf, swimming in a spa pool, tennis
Norali Says: Along with trekking, those are among sports you can practice in Antsirabe and surroundings: several "earth" sport (as opposed to water sport) indeed.Arotel has 1 or 2 tennis courts & a (small) swimming pool;As far as I remember, Les Thermes (spa) has it as well. Ranovisy...
Norali Says: When travelling to Antsirabe, I could always be sure to be treated with delicious food !Why ?The area being considered as the "Vegetable patch & Orchard of Madagascar", restaurants can offer you the freshest ingredients at a lower price. No mystery, the city & its greater...
Norali Says: Probably nothing else could epitomize Antsirabe in my eyes better than this: a Singer sewing machine. My Dad's family comes from Malaza (North of Tana). Still, my grand-parents settled in Antsirabe to earn their living there. My Grand-Dad was a civil servant whilst my...
Plan a Antsirabe vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Antsirabe locals
Antsirabe is known for the place where gem stones are traded. They come from Ilakaka (South) region. A craze for sapphire stones and the like arose years ago...
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170 km from urban Tana, it epitomizes "Little Europe" in Madagascar. Yet, people there are real Malagasy, Merina indeed, and Antsirabe belongs to Antananarivo province. There are now reported 200 000...
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Savour the elegance of a bygone era
I knew that I was going to love Antsirabe the moment I laid eyes on its magnificent railway station, and nothing that we experienced during our all-too-brief stay there disavowed me of my initial...
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Arrived on Easter Monday, a drinking holiday in much of Madagascar. Well, maybe not that bad. People are out everywhere. Settled into the house and as darkness fell, the street turned into a...
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I've got some interesting experiences in Antsirabe. I'd love to share with you the 0 tips I've written, the 3 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created.
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I've got some interesting experiences in Antsirabe. I'd love to share with you the 0 tips I've written, the 11 photos uploaded, and 1 travelogue I've created.
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