Talk

The ring-tailed lemur is unique to the fauna of Madagascar
The remarkable thing about Madagascar is that the entire island speaks one language: Malagasy, an Austronesian language. As well as being the name of the language, “Malagasy” also refers to the people of the island. Because the island is so large there are many different dialects. The Merina dialect is the “Official Malagasy” of the island and is spoken around highlands of Antananarivo. Most Malagasy, however, speak Merina across the island.
French is the second official language of Madagascar. The government and large corporations use French in everyday business, but 75-85% of Malagasy only have limited proficiency in this language. Attempts by foreigners to learn and speak Malagasy are liked and encouraged by the Malagasy people.

See

Tsingy de Bemaraha Reserve
Walking the Avenue of the Baobabs
Avenue of the baobabs at sunrise
• Tsingy de Bemaraha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is Madagascar’s largest reserve (152,000 hectares). The fascinating raised limestone plateau is decorated with a frail, chaotic razor-sharp collection of pinnacles, the “Tsingy”, also called the Labyrinth of Stone. Areas of deciduous forest also provide the chance to see brown lemurs and a variety of bird life, we may also meet the rare all white Decken’s sifaka. The great variety of flora includes: aloes, orchids, numerous pachypodium and baobabs. The deciduous forest is home to over 50 species of birds; 7 species of lemurs (including the all-white Deckens sifaka) and the rare stump-tailed chameleon (Brookesia perarmata). The site of Bemaraha is managed under special UNESCO and access is restricted and the areas you are allowed to visit vary from time to time. Located approximately 180 km north of Morondava.
• Tsingy de Ankarana is a small version of the Tsingy de Bemaraha. This park in the north is on the national road to Antisirana and thus easily accessible. The park also is home to three types of lemurs, chameleons,…
• Avenue of the Baobabs is an extra-ordinary stand of huge baobab trees. Located 45 minutes north of Morondava on Madagascar’s west coast it is one of the most visited sites in the Menabe Region. A candidate as one of the 7 Wonders of Africa; efforts are underway to protect this unique grove of more than a dozen trees. Some of the trees, Adansonia grandidieri, are over 800 years old and reach a height of 30+ meters. Truly a photographers paradise and especially beautiful at sunset. The cheapest way to get there is to take a taxi-brousse to the ‘croissement a Belo’ (14km) and walk north for 1.5 hours.
Note: tours combine the Tsingy, a three day piroque boat trip and the Allee de Baobap in 7 days for 200 or more euro dependent on group size. This is most easily arranged in and from Antsirabe.

Do

• Kite and Windsurfing, Emerald Sea (Fly to Diego). Between April and November there is a constant 30 knot wind making this one of the best surfing spots in the southern hemisphere. edit
• Guided Kayaking, Ile Sainte Marie. See the country from a different angle. Explore the coastline of beautiful Sainte Marie with a local guide. Overnight at different local hotels each night and interact with the people. Explore villages and relax in hidden coves. Crystal clear and calm water – no experience required and one does not have to be ultra fit. edit
• Deep Sea Fishing, Nosy Be, [5]. Get away from the overfished waters of Nosy Be and head out, in luxury, to the Radamas or Mitsio islands. Sailfish, Kingfish, King Mackerel and Wahoo all waiting for you. edit
• Diving. Come and see Madagascar`s annual cheese diving competition. Competitors from around the world dive into a coral reef to retrieve a block of cheese. This event is usually dominated by Asian athletes Past winners include Yoshimasho Kudora and his record of 3 blocks of cheddar in 1:36.78 min at a depth of 7 meters. edit

Buy

The unit of money is the ariary. 1 € is about 2900 ariary and 1 US$ is about 2270 ariary as of Dec 2012. The value of the ariary has been rather stable for a few years. The currency system was overhauled in 2006. Prior to 2006 the unit of currency was the Malagasy Franc (Franc Malgache) and was worth 1/5 of an ariary, for example, 1 Euro = 2’900 Ariary = 14’500 Francs. However, old banknotes in Francs are still legal tender. Whenever negotiating a price, always confirm the amount in ariary. Unscrupulous merchants have been known to state the amount due without specifying the currency so that buyers are duped into paying 5 times the amount due because of Franc/Ariary confusion.
You can withdraw money from ATM’s in the cities, using a Visa or Visa Electron card. MasterCard can be used with ATM’s of the BNI bank.
Vanilla and other spices are cheap in Madagascar compared to Europe or elsewhere, and the quality (especially of vanilla) is very good. (Vanilla is about €2 for 10 pods in Mada, compared to €3 for 2 pods in France.)

Eat

Voanjobory sy henakisoa, a traditional dish in Madagascar made of Bambara groundnut cooked with pork
Ravimbomanga sy patsamena consists of potato leaves stewed with dried shrimp and beef served over rice.
The cheapest way to get a meal is to eat at a “hotely” or at market places. Simple meals that include a plate of rice, laoka (malagasy for side dish accompanying rice) like chicken, beans or pork, and rice water often are about 2000 Ariary (about 1 dollar) but could even be as low as 500 Ariary. For 200 ariary extra you can get a small glass of homemade yogurt. ‘Compose’ is a small salad that often includes potato salad and some other vegetables, often available for 300 to 600 Ariary. The same is also available on a baguette. Soups in various kinds, often including pasta are also very popular.
Bananas (hundreds of varieties) and rice cakes (Malagasy ‘bread’) are staple ‘street food’ and available everywhere. Coffee is very good, usually hand-made by the cup and served very sweet with condensed milk. Steak-frites is available in restaurants in the larger towns.
Supermarkets – In Tana there is a supermarket chain called Jumbo Score. This Western style supermarket is well stocked, but the expensive prices reflect the need to import just about everything. There are many Casino (a French Supermarket) branded goods but also some more local produce (veg, spices etc, far cheaper from any the street markets). Shoprite is a slightly cheaper alternative but usually a smaller selection of stock items.

Drink

While in general tap water is considered not safe, in most cities it seldom causes problems. Bottled water costs 30 to 60 eurocent per liter and can be found almost everywhere. The same holds for Fanta, Coca Cola, … Bonbon Anglais, and various beers like Three Horses Beer (THB), Castel, Queens, Skol, … Locals often drink rum because it is much cheaper than beer. Natural and not so natural juices can also readily be found, for 5 to 10 eurocent per cup. Another option is ranon’apango (RAN-oo-na-PANG-oo) or rice water (water used to cook rice, which will therefore have been boiled) which is often served when eating in local places. It’s particularly important to plan ahead if visiting rural areas. It is worth taking with you some chlorine tablets, which can be used to make the local water drinkable.
Home brewed rum, and creme de coco, is also available – in many flavours!

Sleep

In most places a budget room can be found for 12000 to 25000 Ariary, which provides for a double bed. Single travelers therefore end up spending more on accommodation, with dormitories or single rooms being rare. Mosquito nets are mostly provided where necessary, a net costs about 1 to 8 euro in Tana. Camping’s exist in and around several national parks, but for some you may require your own tent.

Learn

Please learn some Malagasy. The single best thing you can do to have a fun and safe trip on this beautiful island is to speak the local language. Even ten words will make your trip monumentally better than if you speak French. There are a number of guidebooks you can buy to learn Malagasy or ask someone to teach you. Just a few words, I promise you, will make all the difference.

Work

Stay safe
Madagascar is a fairly safe country. You must, however, respect some simple principles:
• Don’t walk around at night in Antananarivo (other cities are pretty safe).
• Don’t exhibit signs of wealth (cameras, jewels, …).
• Similarly, always carry small bills. Paying with large bills shows off your wealth, can insult the seller because they will not have change, and opens you up for becoming a target.
• Don’t resist in case of aggression.
• Don’t provoke stray dogs.
• Keep an eye on your belongings when using public transportation or visiting markets where numerous pickpockets swarm.
• Learn the Malagasy word for thief, “Mpangalatra” which is pronounced “pahn-GAHL-ah-tra”. If someone is trying to rob you in a busy market area scream this. The fact that a vazaha is screaming thief will unsettle the thief as well as alert the people near you to help.
• Always listen for the words “vazaha” or “vazongo” when spoken in low tones. If you hear these words be aware that someone is talking about you, for better or for worse!
Like any other developing country, the presence of beggars never goes unnoticed. This is sometimes uncomfortable for tourists, but these people should be respected none-the-less. They are, predictably, attracted to foreigners as they view them as being wealthy and will not hesitate to ask for a hand out. If you don’t want to be bothered, a simple “Non, merci” or “Tsy Misy (tsee-meesh)” (I have nothing) will do the trick. If they persist, try shouting “Mandehana! (man-day-han)” (Go Away!). It is recommended not to give money, but other useful items, such as a banana, a piece of bread, etc. It is usually accepted with gratitude, and if the beggar is a child, he will run away with a smile on his face. NEVER take a child to the hotel or you would be suspected of pedophilia.
It is imperative not to encourage begging – in Madagascar the people do not really believe in getting something for nothing and will invariably offer you something first. For example a chameleon to photograph.

Stay healthy

While the AIDS epidemic has not reached the devastating level found in many southern African countries, it is widely assumed that the incidence of AIDS is underestimated and rising. You should take no risks and avoid unprotected sex in all cases.
Areas inhabited by humans will invariably have large populations of stray dogs. Never provoke a stray dog, and although bites are rare, if bitten seek medical assistance promptly as rabies is not unheard of.
Research malaria prophylaxis options, and follow through. If you are not taking any prophylactics, be sure to always use a mosquito net for sleeping, and apply mosquito repellents once dusk sets in. On-skin repellent (only repellents containing ~40% DEET are effective, such as NoBite, Azeron Before Tropics etc.) is good but should be used in combination with on-clothes repellent (eg: NoBite). The clothes repellent is odourless approximately an hour after application, and clothes can be washed up to 4 times before it needs to be re-applied. If you wear long-sleeve clothing treated with the repellent and apply on-skin repellent to the skin parts not covered, you will be very safe against mosquito bites and can skip the prophylaxis with its notorious side effects. Be sure to take the repellent issue seriously, though, as it’s very easy to fall into a more ‘relaxed’ mode after you’ve spent some time in the country.
Remember that Madagascar is in the tropics and take precautions against sunburn and heat exhaustion seriously. Wear lots of sunscreen and keep hydrated. Remember that a cloudy day does not mean you won’t get burnt.

Respect

Everyday life in Madagascar is regulated by numerous fady (taboos) which vary from one region to another. They can forbid foods (pork, lemur, turtle… ), wearing clothes of a particular colour, bathing in a river or a lake. Observance of “Fady” is mostly limited to rural areas, as tourists will most likely not run into this problem if they stay in the main towns. However, there are Fady’s in places such as Antananarivo but most Vazaha are exempt.
Fady are attributed to ancestors, to whom Malagasy adopt a respectful attitude whatever their religion. It is safest to respect these prohibitions and not violate them, even if you feel they don’t make sense. Inform yourself about local fady when you arrive in a new place.
When addressing anyone older than you or in a position of authority (e.g. police, military, customs officials), use the word “tompoko (TOOMP-koo)” the same way you would use “Sir” or “Ma’am” in English. Respect for elders and authority figures is important in Madagascar.
Do not ever take photos of a tomb without permission. Always ask permission before taking photos. Also, if you go to a remote village or hamlet it is fomba or tradition that you first meet with the head of the village if you have business in the village. Meeting this person can save you a lot of time if you have work to do there.