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Madagascar offers enough landscape variety to please the occasional, amateur, experienced cyclers. Although Antananarivo and its province do not have any beach, they offer some opportunities to see other landscapes: the highlands. Through these areas, you can either walk either cycle either ride a motorbike to see the plains, the villages, their inhabitants, the ricefields in cascades, in plains. Also its geography allows variations in declivity, that may interest experienced cyclers, for instance.
Same for the other areas, except that you may cycle along the coast that is quite cool too. Know however that temps are much higher in coastal areas & you maybe interested in cycling, touring only in cooler areas such as the Highlands (Antananarivo & Fianarantsoa provinces).
From pure sport, it will evolve into some sightseeing tour.
OK, you don't know where to go, which route to follow, you may check MadaVTT. This club promotes VTT (mountainbiking). They use to organize tours in Antananarivo (e.g Le circuit des 3 rovas, a tough circuit w/ climb that liaises 3 sacred hills which have palaces in Antananarivo area: Ambohimanga, Tana, Namehana) & elsewhere through the Island (Nosy Be, Alaotra...). If my memory serves me well, they use to include guests. Maybe you could contact them to see whether there should be sthg that interests you.
They have a website (in French). I saw it a while ago over the net. Now, Feb. 2006, I could also read about their last tour. In case you do not understand French, you may want to check the website anyway, just to have e-mail addresses and get into contact with organizers. No ?
Equipment: Maybe a bike ? Not sure they hire mountainbike. Anyway, browse their website, send e-mails about their conditions, dates, locations, renting possibilities. Well, you know the way....
Updated Feb 22, 2007
Address: The whole island
Website: madagascarmadavtt.ifrance.com
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Madagascar is so diverse so it is possible to discover biodiversity while biking, trekking, horseriding, diving, fishing, hang-gliding...
Am very aware I have covered tiny parts of my vast island... the North is, for instance, very unknown to me. Am rather used to treks and hilltripping in Highlands and the South... but read and check pictures...
Also, I'll try, in the next & future tips, to add practical info about where to hire equipment, how much... bear with me! It will take time to consult those agencies in Tana...
Equipment: *Scuba diving is a specialty of Nosy be, Nosy Boraha (Ste- Marie), Taolanaro (Fort-Dauphin) and Ifaty... but with 5000 kms of beach, other great and non-touristy spots surely exist and may surprise with things they offer. Bring your own scuba camera and specific tools. I am not sure they are in constant assortment in shops there.
*Trekking is done everywhere, especially in natural parks, reserves, forests, in countryside (am very used to this in the Tana area). Solid boots and thick socks :). Horseriding there is a superb experience as well.
*Motorbiking is great while touring the island (discover changing landscape, bike hiring is possible)
*Spectacular hang-gliding to have a bird's eye view of exceptional sites (Tsingy of Bemaraha). Tsingy are mineral forests in Bemaraha region. The site is part of World Heritage. I've never been there but people who had this experience are totally enchanted... and freightened thinking of a breakdown that would force the engine to land on those mineral peaks... :-)
One tip: bring your camera and films... A lot to see over there...
Updated Feb 22, 2007
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In September, it is possible to watch migrating humped whales.
Nosy Boraha (Ste-Marie) is an island on East coast as Lokaro peninsula is located near Fort_Dauphin region (east coast as well).
Equipment: Nosy Boraha or Ste-Marie: by plane or by boat from Toamasina coast
Lokaro peninsula: Accessible by boat from Fort-Dauphin (also located in East coast)
Updated May 13, 2003
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I don't know much about diving and serious snorkling I did only once..... here in Madagascar! A brilliant experience
Equipment: Just hire a pirogue (boat) with guys to sail it and some equipment. For a few hours of fun you pay a mere few bucks per person. If I remember correctly some €10.
Written Feb 26, 2003
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Around Nosy be there are more than 80 diving spots, and it is hard describing the meetings that might take place, the majesty of the coral conformations, the colours you can see and the splendid variety of species living in it: the only way is to dive personally in this natural aquarium of crystalline water.
From the mysterious dragon fish, to the coral black albino, and all the species that have not been listed yet. The most surprising thing how calm are calm all these creatures that let you go into their own home, without fear to defend themselves, as they are still little accustomed to our presence. You will hardly find coral or lifless animals or mantas or turtles escaping frightened: they have never been annoyed by anybody.
But the most remarkable thing you is the biggest fish in the world: the shark whale. It comes and visits Nosy be regularly, each year, in the period that goes from November to January, having found, in the calm waters of the archipelago, the ideal situation to feed abundantly and unmolested. These enormous and calm greedy animals can be sighted by tens, while carefully filtering the plankton, they are greedy of. Even if some of them can reach the length of 15/18 meters, and their mouth is as large as a flat, they are so docile and sociable that they stay with you for the whole immersion, if not too annoyed by bubbles.
Written Sep 6, 2002
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Reviews and photos of Madagascar attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Madagascar sightseeing.
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