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Antananarivo Hotels: 182 Reviews - 440 Photos
Nosy Be Hotels: 20 Reviews - 28 Photos
Ambatofotsy Hotels: See nearby hotels
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Salary Avaratra Hotels: 2 Reviews - 3 Photos
Nosy Sainte Marie Hotels: 12 Reviews - 43 Photos
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Moramanga Hotels: See nearby hotels
Nosy Mangabe Hotels: 2 Reviews - 14 Photos
Manakara Hotels: 1 Review - 6 Photos
Farihy Itasy Hotels: See nearby hotels
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Madagascar Shopping

by CatherineReichardt

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Shopping
by CatherineReichardt
Enterance/Exit
by explore_discover
Analakely Market
by Jmill42
Analakely Market
by Jmill42
Analakely Market
by Jmill42

Comments (1)

- Report abuse
niknik6 Dec 6, 2012 at 7:06 AM

does anyone know where i can buy the metal gecko/baobab items that all the hotels and lodges had please.
- Report abuse
  giampiero6 Dec 6, 2012 at 10:18 AM
  
  Hi...I'd ask your question here:
  Madagascar Travel Forum
  
  you're sure to get some help...
- Report abuse
  CatherineReichardt Dec 10, 2012 at 10:13 AM
  
  Where are you based?
  If you're still in Madagascar, ask to be taken to the main craft market in Antananarivo (Tana), where you'll be spoiled for choice - it's terrific for all craftwork.
  If you're transiting via South Africa, then the Rosebank Craft Market in Johannesburg is the best and most accesible alternative and has lots of variations on a gecko theme.
  Whilst the geckoes tend to be easy, the baobab stuff is harder to get your hands on. I am still looking for an oblong mirror with a metallic baobab surround (as we saw in the bathrooms at the Arboretum in Tulear) - I now have a square one from Tana which hangs in the bathroom, but though gorgeous, it's not quite the same!

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Malagasy lychees - perfumed perfection!

by CatherineReichardt

Towards the end of our trip in Madagascar (December 2010), the lychees were at the height of their season.On the way back, our guide Mamy - I never did get used to calling a grown man Mamy! - insisted that we stopped off in one of the small towns between Andasibe and Tana so that he could buy a basket of lychees for his family. My expectation of a 'basket' was more along the lines of a 'Little Red Riding Hood' accessory (which already seemed on the generous side), and I was staggered to see him staggering under the weight of an enormous basket half as tall as he was!We rode back to Tana amid a perfumed haze of perfectly ripe lychees - divine! And I am happy to report that they tasted every bit as good as they smelled: a memory to appeal to multiple senses!

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Colbert: The best comfort food for sweettoothed friends !

by Norali

I know only two decent patisseries here: my cousin's and Colbert's. My cousin's is not running yet (we're still looking for the location)... and Colbert... is Colbert.NY celebration was celebration with family... and definitely the best dessert I've ever had here is still from Colbert. Not really a chocolate cake fan, I literally devoured (and savoured!) those small pieces of chocolate cake ! Some I suspected with nougatine (those crunchy bits!), others were "plain" ganache. The others cakes... well... theirs bavarois, their mousses. I like the way they take advantage of this abundance of fruits on this island. Only con: the chocolate cake seemed a tad too sweet to me... but not that bad, anyway. That day, one of my cousins also brought some Colbert chocolate candies (pralines types). Woah! those variations on truffles (hihi! I use to adore nougatine, I must precise). One of the best...

Chocolaterie Robert (brand): Chocolate is taken seriously here!

by Norali

Yes folks, this is the real thing!From the website of its South-African distribution network"... Chocolaterie Robert produces a number of NATURAL Cocoa and Chocolate products each sharing the heritage of the organically cultivated, naturally fermented, sun-dried Trinitario and Criollo cacao beans. The cacao is transformed without the use of additives or solvents. Naturally processed, additive free Robert chocolate is intended for the Chocophile or chocolate gourmet- or anyone who appreciates additive -free Natural chocolate. Robert Chocolate is intended for the adult palate..."Chocolate from Madagascar, that is produced by the only Chocolaterie Robert. Not known by the mass market ... but revered by chocolate craftsmen, patissiers and chocolate connoisseurs. Madagascar is not a quantity producer, rather a quality producer.. for a very specific reason: our cocoa beans have been for a very...

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Baobab shampoo !

by gazellen

Baobab shampoo ! Because it´s the best shampoo that I have ever tried. You can buy it for a couple of euroes, in the small homephatic shops, in the main cities, where you can also find many other funny and interesting things.

Right amount in Ariary: the only Mada currency

by Norali

You will see, while shopping in markets, price displays that use amounts in Ariary (A) or in Francs malgaches (Fmg) or combinations of the two them.Know that:- Ariary is now (since 2003) the (only) national currency. In supermarkets, prices are rightly given in Ariary both on shelvings display & on your bills. It's when shopping in markets (the Chinese pavillions in Analakely, for instance) that one has to really watch out the combinations of Ariary & Fmg displays. In doubt, ask the equivalent amount in Ariary as on banknotes, Ariary amounts are the only that are clearly written whilst amounts in Fmg are in small police size, hardly visible. 1 Ariary = 5 Fmg.- Some historyIraimbilanja - Ariary system, where 1 Ariary = 5 Iraimbilanja, is the traditional one while the French implemented "Franc malgache" name. Franc malgache has same value as Iraimbilanja: 1Fmg = 1Ia. No mention of...

CENAM, Andravoahangy market or Zafimaniry villages: Zafimaniry woodcraft and furniture

by Norali

It is rather about a range of products than about shops.Zafimaniry peoples are traditional woodcraftsmen. Zafimaniry villages are located in what used to be the Fianarantsoa province. S-E forest, far from industrialized world. Though buyers, tourists use to flock in to buy, order items. Wood sculpting (jewel boxes, bonbonera, huge wood box, minimalist- style chairs...) is their specialty. They perform well with abstract motives as well as landscape, flowers. As for types of wood, it may be palissandre, rosewood.. While visiting their villages, you will notice nicely sculpted shutters, they cannot be exported.. Just admire the beauty...This is, however, a proceeds that leads to exterminate forest and its rare and precious diversity (along with other worse proceeds, such as burning trees and soil) as trade of those wooden jewels expands. Many NGO, the government and Malagasy people are...

CENAM, Ateliers Jacaranda: Warm bivouac motive materials

by Norali

It can be cotton, silk material but it has to be the fauve/ brown shade Bivouac motive.I like this type of motive for the reason that when you buy this material, you can hang it as a painting, a wall carpet, a cushion (silk) or... like in the pic, as a lamp. For my best friend, I bought this warm bivouac motive material (hand painted) Ateliers Jacaranda. She had the socle (Belgian pierre bleue stone) fit to hold the lamp that is made with this material. With this color combination, it's a beautiful lamp with a warm light coming through it. It's like if the campfire of bivouaqueurs (usually, herdsmen camping with the cattle in search of constant green grazing) was really in the room. Such warm, yellow light.With silk material for lamp, the best light is with blue or green. It's kind of soft light (watercolours). The fauve/brown effect is most spectacular with the cotton batik. Cotton...

IMRA, BioAroma, Homeopharma: Madagascar essential oils to heal & feel good

by Norali

Since the murky depth of times, Malagasy people have used to integrate the use of plants & their medicinal properties in eveyday life. Be it for beauty recipes, be for health reasons or comfort, the traditionals used to be very knowledgeable regarding the use of plants. They knew the properties of a plant's roots, its barks, its fruit, its leaves... everything. Such knowledge has been kept & transmited through generations. So, while strolling in markets, it is very common to find barks, concoctions, leaves, roots sold in markets. Just stalls and vendors. Trouble is not every vendor knows which quantity to use... In the past decades, however, both national & foreigner researchers could collect locals' knowledge (mostly in rural areas) of the plants, modernize essence extraction methods, define needed quantities of so-and-so essence in a drug. Most known of researchers is Pr. Ratsimamanga...

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All over the country.: TINTIN in wood

by belgianchocolate

It is quit funny to see that TinTin is popular in Madagascar. It was a surprise to us. They use images and covers of this popular strip figure and give it a title with Madagascar in it. These images are made of different sorts of wood. That wood is almost peeled in tiny slises and the differences in color are used to create the image. We found them in shops all over Madagascar , but noticed that they were the cheapest on Nosy be (15 dollar more in Diego is quit a huge amount of money on Madagascar). You'll find them in Tana too and the most expensive they are in the airport (40-50 dollars)

67 ha.: Market

by quapaw

The best market to go to in Antananarivo if you are looking for souvenirs is this one. It is a fairly big market in the suburb 67 hectares. Lots of souvenirs such as handicrafts, wood carvings, semi precious stones, hand made scrap metal toy cars, spices, vanilla, paintings, batik, etc. But also furniture and other stuff. There are also good food stalls and there are some good restaurants nearby. Make sure you bargain as with everything in Madagascar. In general you should not pay more than half of the price they start of with. If you bargain hard you can get very good prices

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