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When you are in Isalo canyon, pay attention to what guides tell you and don't miss the picture of this haughty-woman-shaped rock... It is "La Reine" (The Queen). Winds and rains combined their actions so as to give birth to such shapes.I missed the pic though I was amazed by the shape of the rock. I saw it from the Route Nationale though.BTW, ANGAP guide is a must-have while visiting such places.
Off the beaten path, a good way to travel when you don't have a 4wd and you are down south is to ask for some room in a lobsters collector car.Lobsters hunted in the north and west of Tolnaro (Fort-Dauphin) are picked up at fishermen's villages by "rabatteurs" and taken on these coastal tracks a few kilometers in the countryside. Collectors come usually every day or two, when in the official fishing season, to bring the lobsters back to Fort-Dauphin. They also supply the villages with rice, sugar, soap, ...They are nearly the only way of communication between those tiny and very isolated villages and the major city.Since they are the only regular traffic on these tracks, the collector will usually give you a cheap lift to your next destination.See my travelogue for a detailed experience with them.
The South-East primitive forest by train has been always mythical for me. The image one has of train services has been always bad. I enjoyed a railtrip to East, a kind of an inauguration ride. Afterwards, services went bad and we stuck to roadtrips.Now, for this FCE line, it is an old line from the 40s that was victim of cyclones in early 2000 BUT largely rebuilt now. The line is reported to be one of the three steepest in the world (along with Burma and Ecuador), with 67 bridges and 48 tunnels. It offers the traveler magnificent views as it descends the escarpment east of Fianarantsoa.With three newly rehabilitated locomotives, the FCE is ready to welcome travelers. 163 km path from the high plateau to the sea through forest, bamboo trees and ricefields. Land of Tanala people ("those who come from the forest" )Take your time because it is a leisurely ride with a speed of 20-35 km/hour....
Now, what is to be seen in Manakara? Manakara is the capital city of Antemoro tribe, those who make Antemoro paper and derived products. You can buy them at the market, Bazary.Side note: Antemoro paper is made from crunched Havoha (of a mulberry tree family) barks. Motifs are made with flowers petals, that are laid on the paste obtained from crunched barks. The whole set is left there for drying and to have the paste hardened. Antemoro people: "people from the coast" are of islamic origin, reportedly Antalaotra from Comorros who reached East coast. That surely explains the high number of mosques in such less important port city. Anyway, it is worth the glance for its colonial styled buildings, on foot or by pousse-pousse.Anakara people have kept "Sorabe", sacred texts, in Arabic words. Those texts remind of Antemoro history, astrology and some Coran verses. (Side note: Malagasy was first...
Be it in the gardens of Royal Palace of Antananarivo, in the streets of Toamasina city or in Toliara... you will be surprised by this enchanting smell of frangipani... Hmmm, those white and yellow-gold-hearted flowers. They may be pinkish or a bit ochre as well, like here on the picture. Frangipani flowers are one of Monoi oil components... Isn't that a sure sign of sensuality?I will always remember my schooldays in primary school... My school had lots of this tree type and the white and yellow flowers used to fall as wind blows. But at same time, walking or standing near the tree just granted me with this intoxicating fragrance of the little flowers.The petals are soft as velvet...
Well, this tip is not to ad on a hotel for its hospitability and offers. This is rather a tip on architecture and the use of materials according to the building's environment ( a kind of built in/on rocks). I really fell for it!Not only it greatly differs from hotels' building in Madagascar but I kind of appeciated its real beauty made of stone (same as you will find in Isalo area). Isn'it beautiful? I would use for a kind of honeymoon stay :-) Yeah, one can dream. Alongside to desert and natural reserves and natural pool in Isalo region. And inside, it was all cool and fresh for this warm and dry area.
Watching sunset is not really exceptional but this one is really beautiful and I saw it many times in Madagascar, and not in Belgium. I saw it while returning from Foulpointe beach. Back from Foulpointe (Mahavelona in my Faritanin'i Toamasina pages), my friends and I had a warm evening, like if the sunset is just a sure sign of fun...A tip that would make it less "off the beaten path" :- from May to October, sun rises at 5.00 am and sets at 7.00 pm,- from June to September, rises at 7.30 am and sets at 17.00pm.
Ranovola is a typical beverage in Tana area (and surroundings). It is an amber-coloured hot beverage that you will drink while having lunch. It is obtained from boiling water in the kettle that had cooked rice. First, cooked rice is taken out from the kettle. Then let remaining rice burn a bit. Then, add water so as to have it boiled.The taste is special, it resembles very light coffee's. Imagine a burnt-rice beverage. Of course, Ranovola is safe (boiled and over-boiled) for you.
A thing to do when you are in Fianarantsoa: try Toakagasy, a rotgut made from rice or sugarcane alcohol. Alongside wine production, Fianarantsoa is the region that produces Toakagasy... Off the record selling though. You would find it there...
these two places should be on everyones Itinery. Really good chance of seeing lemurs in ramanafana. Ifaty is on the coast and you can go into the forest and see these lovely boabab trees. some are really big
Hotel Tamboho Antananarivo
32 Opinions
La Varangue Antananarivo
1 Review and 29 Opinions I spent three nights in this very pleasant hotel in Tana. The location is excellent,. right around...
Hotel Royal Palissandre Antananarivo
1 Review and 47 Opinions Le Royal Pallisandre is a very good quality hotel in the heart of the city. The rooms and public...
Reviews and photos of Madagascar attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Madagascar sightseeing.
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