Tourist Attractions in Madagascar

Be it in happiness, in harsh situation, we always smile. This is a constant element all over the island. We don't laugh without reason, we smile.

Even in embarrassing situation, we smile. Foreigners use to mistake about it. When a Malagasy pedestrian crosses the street out of zebra crossing area (: meaning he/she is faultive) and nearly triggers an accident, he/she smiles. In this case, Westerners use to think that the Malagasy person is making fun of him. In fact, not. He/ She smiles thinking how silly he/she is crossing the street the way he/she has done. This self-derision is quite important to know if you get in contact with Malagasy people. Of course, this smile is different from our smile when we greet people.

Also, even in a heated discussion (don't talk about Malagasy believes too much. You may ask the reasons of our believes but never criticize), you would see people to end a debate with a smile and "You're probaby right". Real meaning: "You may feel you're right in your conception but who are you to interfere in our belief system ? Let's end this discussion". At least, this happens this way in Tana, with smoothing Asian ascendants. Whilst in other parts, behaviours can differ. Heated debates can easily evolve into some fights... Never good.

Unique Suggestions: Considering that the tourist trap is getting angry because of a smiling faultive person, mistakingly considered as making fun of others, what to do at least ?

In any way, don't insist on arguing, rather calm down.

Fun Alternatives: What is an alternative to a smile ? None!

OK, an alternative to a bad mood for having mistaken about a smile ? Try to talk with the smiling person and understand. You'd notice, the person is not aggressive at all. Why sould be aggressive, after all ? She was making fun of her self (we practice self-derision a lot).

Just apologize for your bad words & mood, say "Azafady!" ("Sorry !"), pronouce "Azàfad". The smiling person too should apologize for nearly triggering the accident, off course & everything should be in order...

Though, chauffeur is not always needed for your long trips (you do them by taxi-brousses for instance), guiding is mandatory. First, without a guide, you would miss hidden gems. Second, he would serve as translator if needed.

Beware though to choose appointed guides as only these ones would ensure you safety and share their knowledge of circuits and spots... Fake guides are reported to show you nothing, and sometimes, steal your stuffs...

Unique Suggestions: If you are not sure your guide is an appointed one, choose at least one that may translate from Malagasy to English or French (or another language you both would understand)...

Fun Alternatives: Ask hotels, tour operators, travel agencies to arrange your trips. They use to work alongside one with each other, and with guides, car rental companies...

If you only visit national parks and nature reserve, for a minimum cost, do hire ANGAP guides at entry of each National park and nature reserve. For the rest of your roadtrip, a driver (who is sometimes a guide) is enough.

[Update May 2004: At least for National parks, guiding is mandatory. You wouldn't fall into the trap, then, since parks and reserves use to have their ANGAP guides].

One knows it, a trip to Madagascar is expensive.

As a solution, travellers are now tempted to pay for the expensive air ticket to the mythical, dream island and use dead-cheap transportation means. It is sthg I understand but bear in mind that taxi-brousses are not panacea, esp. if you travel there for 2 weeks and that you intend to go through many spots of the island. Roadtrips this way are dead cheap but not comfy all the time. Look at my picture, taxi-brousses are not all like this mini-van. On some portions of RN7 (Tana- Big Southern area), taxi-brousses are huge trucks, loaded with people... Yeah! trucks, not coaches.

Here and there, tourists who planned to travel by taxi-brousses *only*, eventually, ended by turning down half of their plan. They then travelled the first half by taxi-brousses but changed plan and hired 4WD with driver for the rest of the roadtrips. It is common that even backpacking hardliners end digging into that last minute change.

Unique Suggestions: - Choose a sedan as taxi- brousse, or a mini-van or a 4WD (private rental services). It is possible to arrange with other passengers the cost of a 4WD hiring.

Yet, if you are taking a taxi-brousse in a remote area and don't have any choice but the truck:
- Socialize in the truck. Will help you to "entertain" yourself. :)
- If possible, have some walk when there are halts on your itinerary because sitting in the back of a huge truck is not that comfy.
- Bear in mind that a taxi-brousse in remote areas has all power to unexpectedly drop you in the middle of nowhere (well, a dive in a small village). You looked for adventure, no? You have it! :) But just be prepared to that.

Fun Alternatives: Carefully consider transportation means combination according to your budget, your time. Also, never aim too big in Madagascar. IMHO, better travel to few places but you would come to know well, for hiring a guide for instance, instead of wasting your time (say, 8 hours in a truck-brousse) in transportation for only 1 day in a place. For sure, this is one of travels you have to carefully plan.

For instance, there are distances you can easily do with taxi-brousse because roads are well-kept (Tana-Toamasina, Tana-Antsirabe, Tana-Fianarantsoa). On other lines (like Toliara- Taolagnaro/ Fort Dauphin, Fianarantsoa-Ranomafana-Manakara), it's tiring within those trucks esp. in rainy season.

To explore the South, either take your time when roadtripping (taxi-brousse and train combination), either less time but hire a car with driver.

The train is more comfortable and cheaper than taxi-brousse sometimes. Plus, government undertook lately investments and rehabilitation works. It seems like a renewal has come, as for the national rail company (that would be now privatized, if I am not wrong).
Three rail lines from Tana in Madagascar:
- Tana-Antsirabe
- Tana-Ambatondrazaka
- Tana-Toamasina (usually closed in rainy summer for fear of erosion...)
- Fianar-Manakara (off beat track and hugely rehabilitated in 2003)

If you are into a "truck-brousse only" mood when starting and that you have time, plan extra-money in case you shift plans. You may add days in hotels to relax/ recover or go for more comfortable transportation means. In both cases, it would cost more than the truck. Still, you can skip the internal expensive flights.

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 don't know how to distinguish true from fake, avoid them.

Gem street vendors are seen around hotel places, parkings... so, beware!

Fun Alternatives: Go to houses that use to trade. Unfortunately, I am not able to give any name now but Antsirabe has those houses that are trading gem stones (with certificate, if I am not wrong)... Ah yes! I remember the name of Quartz house, held by a gem- passionate woman (quite old)...

In Foulpointe ( Mahavelona), a "guide", one of the boys who tout for clients (tourists and holidaymakers) in the beach, told me about a natural pool in the coral reef. I wanted to see and rendez-vous was made. My friends and I stepped on a "pirogue" (little boat) and the "guide" rowed till we reached the "natural pool".

I was disappointed as it seemed to be a not so exceptional spot. I just saw an urchin and a sea cucumber. The guide told me about a water snake and looked for it. At a moment, he picked from water a long brown stuff, like soft... I am not sure it was a snake unless this one was sick *LOL*... It may have been a rotten wood rod or .. I don't know what...

So, I put it here like a tourist trap.

The only best thing I had from this "visit" to see a natural pool is the possibility to take this picture when I was away from the beach. Isn'it nice? Other pics in my BEACHLOGUE (Mahavelona page)

Unique Suggestions: I don't know any way to avoid this trap unless ask a hotel a restaurant personnel how it should be (the right location, the price people use to pay for that, a short description)..

Fun Alternatives: Even better, rely on restaurant- hotel personnel to arrange excursions, visits... They would know qualified persons for guiding...

Banknotes
The Malagasy Franc is the currency. Largest banknote is 25.000 MGF, worth about 4.03 USD (rate 16/11/01). But there are even coins!

Creditcard
Carte bleue (Visa) can be used in some places including top hotels in Antananarivo. Better are Travellers Cheques and US Dollars.

Changing money
You'll find people wanting to change money for you on the street or at the airport. Necessity brought us to it and it went well. When you change a few 100 dollars worth of traveller cheques, you'll get a big pile of MFG notes. So it's handy to have something with you to carry it around safely.

If you order a Coke, a soft drink or mineral water they bring you a litre bottle if you want a large drink (GM). Cost about 1.61 USD and it's no problem if you share.
PHOTO: Market with 200 souvenir stalls, just north of Antananarivo

The famous ZOMA market in Antananarivo does not exist anymore. Although you'll still find it mentioned in many guides. On Fridays a huge square would be filled with goods and people. It has been abolished recently because it became too dangerous. There are still stalls but even our Malagasy hosts would not take us there.