Madagascar Things to Do

  Inside the market.
by rosequartzlover1
 
  • Inside the market.
      Inside the market.
    by rosequartzlover1
  • Atmosphere around the market.
      Atmosphere around the market.
    by rosequartzlover1
  • That's my 4WD and people who helped us
      That's my 4WD and people who helped us
    by rosequartzlover1
  • very simple class room in the middle of the field
      very simple class room in the middle of...
    by rosequartzlover1
  • black board
      black board
    by rosequartzlover1
 
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Visit Ft. Dauphin on the Indian Ocean

by no1birdlady

Ft. Dauphin is on the southeastern corner of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean. It is very tropical and lush with swamps and palm trees. It's also quite mountainous This is a lovely rocky coastline with turquoise water but no one swims because the sharks are very bad here. Kelp Gulls are over the ocean. There is a lovely little village along the coast here and we walked up the coast to the Mirador Restaurant for dinner. In town there is an interesting local market where you can buy just about anything needed for living there.

See Crocodiles at Lake Ravelobe

by no1birdlady

While staying in Mahjunga on the northern coast, we drove south to Ankarafantsika Reserve. Next to the reserve is a local village and a large lake where they bathe and get water for their use. We walked around Lake Ravelobe where we saw many interersing birds such as the Madagascar Fish Eagle and the White-faced Whistling Duck. But the most interesting were the Nile Crocodiles. They are huge. I was amazed the way the locals were bathing their small babies in the lake right across from where the crocodiles were. But they seemed to be coexisting with mutual respect.

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See the Wildlife at Ankarafantsika Reserve

by no1birdlady

We stayed in Mahujunga on the northern coast to go to Ankarafantsika Reserve. We had breakfast at 5am because it's a long drive to the reserve which is south. A local guide met us and showed us several types of lemurs here as well as some great birds such as Crested Coua, Rufous Vanga and Van Dam's Vanga(the rarest vanga). On one trail we saw a Fossa which is a large cat-like animal. This was very unusual. This species was last seen in 1922 and then seemed to vanish. It was thought to be extinct but then was found again not too long ago. Brian had never seen one. Staff from the hotel brought lunch here to us and set it up on tables they set up by a lake.

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Lemur spotting - 2

by glenn57

A great place to see lemurs close up, and to have them on your shoulders, is Vakona Forest Lodge. You can pay about $3 US to visit their lemur sanctuary. I spent about 2 and a half hours there, and loved it ! No one put this brown lemur on my shoulder - it jumped right onto me from a tree when I pulled out my camera (they associate cameras with getting a banana). I had another one climb right up my body from the ground to my shoulder when he saw a banana in my hand. Anyway, they aren't the only creatures that have wanted me just for my banana.Vakona Forest Lodge is 6 km uphill from the village of Andasibe. You can hire a driver to take you there, wait for you, and take you back for about $10 US. I walked back myself, as it is a really beautiful walk on a road through the forest.The brown lemur has scientific name 'Eulemur fulvus fulvus'.

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Rock tombs

by glenn57

This is a rock tomb at Isalo National Park. This tomb is temporary - where the body is buried until 7 years after death. At that time, the body is removed from the tomb, and then the bones are danced around in a joyous ceremony called 'famadihana'. Then the body is buried permanently in another place.

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Betsileo houses

by glenn57

The Betsileo make their homes from mud bricks, which make them red like the soil of Madagascar. The windows are only on the ends, hence why you don't see any in this picture. The Betsileo are a people of mainly Indonesian origin who inhabit the highlands especially around Fianarantsoa. They are engaged mostly in rice cultivation.

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Antananarivo - rice paddies and jacarandas

by glenn57

This is one of the nice views I ws talking about in my earlier tip on Antananarivo. There are rice paddies right in the town, and the juxtaposition of rice paddies and jacaranda trees in bloom is a nice one.

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Antananarivo - Market

by glenn57

Antananarivo would be a shock to most Westerners. Its air is terribly polluted with car exhaust fumes (you smell that all the time), the roads are clogged with cars and pedestrians, it is noisy, it is full of concrete buildings that are falling apart. In a 10 minute walk down the streets, you will nearly get hit by cars a few times. Sorry, but I refuse to do the VT thing and make every place I've been sound like a paradise. On the plus side, the people are extremely kind and friendly and helpful. And from up near the Rova, you get some very nice views. Pictured here is the central market called Analakely Market.

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Lemur spotting - 5

by glenn57

Here is a diademed sifaka in the middle of a leap from tree to tree. One thing I really enjoyed about watching lemurs is that they are constantly jumping between trees and branches in front of your eyes. Notice the upright posture during the jump - sifakas do that, while other lemurs adopt a more horizontal position in jumping, and in sitting on trees.

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Lemur spotting - 4

by glenn57

This is the diademed sifaka, scientific name 'Propithecus diadema diadema'. It can hop in jumps of almost a metre, as this one is doing. This is at Vakona Forest Lodge, and this gaffer is hopping toward a banana (which is outside the frame).

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Fun things to do in Madagascar

Top 3 Hotels in Madagascar

Hotel Tamboho  Antananarivo

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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... 

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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... 

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18 Hotels in Madagascar
 
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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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Things to Do: Cities in Madagascar
  1. Antananarivo Things to Do
  2. Antsirabe Things to Do
  3. Ampefy Things to Do
  4. Toamasina Things to Do
  5. Nosy Be Things to Do
  6. Ambohimanga Things to Do
  7. Toliara Things to Do
  8. Morondava Things to Do
  9. Mahajanga Things to Do
  10. Nosy Sainte Marie Things to Do
  11. Anjajavy Things to Do
  12. Malaza Things to Do
  13. Andasibe Things to Do
  14. Tangorombohitr' Isalo Things to Do
  15. Ranomafana Things to Do
  16. Antsiranana Things to Do
  17. Nosy Mangabe Things to Do
  18. Berenty Things to Do
  19. Sambava Things to Do
  20. Antalia Things to Do
  21. Anakao Things to Do
  22. Ambalavao Things to Do
  23. Lazaina Things to Do
  24. Ambatolampy Things to Do
  25. Ambalavao Things to Do
  26. Ranomafana Things to Do
  27. Mahavelona Things to Do
  28. Tolanaro Things to Do
  29. Ranomafana Things to Do

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Popular Regions in Madagascar

Faritanin' Antananarivo Things to Do  Faritanin' i Toamasina Things to Do  Faritanin' i Toliara Things to Do  Faritanin' Antsiranana Things to Do  Faritanin' i Fianarantsoa Things to Do  Faritanin' i Mahajanga Things to Do 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Has anyone used Desire Travel Tours and had problems just before arriving? I'm 12 days from departure to Madagascar from Kenya... 

Odinnthor profile photo

A: I think you may be jumping to bad conclusions too quickly. I have been a tour director for several decades, and have a pretty good handle on most operators. It is... 

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