Travel Guide

Places To See

Parc National de Ranomafana

Parc National de Ranomafana is 41,500 hectares (102,549 acres) of lush rainforest, riddled with small streams that plummet into the Namorona River, and teeming with 12 lemur species, including red-bellied lemurs and broad-nosed gentle lemurs.

The park entrance and Angap office are at Ambodiamontana village. Permits are compulsory and are available at the Angap office.

Guided walks range from two to four hours, try a nocturnal walk for the chance to spot the fanaloka, or Malagasy civet, and the dainty brown mouse lemur.

Ifaty

Most travellers visit the quiet coastal area of Ifaty, featuring the villages of Ifaty, Mangilly and Mandio Rano, or sit under a palm tree on a white sandy beach. With coral reefs just offshore, sea breezes whispering in the casuarina trees and a relaxed tropical ambience, who can blame them?

There's whale-watching in July and August, and the amazing spiny forest along the road just north of Mangilly is well worth a look.

Parc National de L'Isalo

The flat, grassy plains of the hauts plateaux near Ranohira are abruptly broken by towering sandstone massifs sculpted by wind and water into gorges and craggy bluffs. It's one of the country's most spectacular regions, perfect for overnight hikes, rock-hopping along cool canyons and spotting lemurs.

It's best to visit during the cooler months (April to October), when the bizarre pachypodiums and periwinkles are in flower on the rock faces and walking is more comfortable. The Sakalava people used to bury their dead in caves high up on cliff faces and some areas are fady (taboo) even today.

Official guides are compulsory for visits to the park and fees depend on the length of each trek. All trails start and finish in Ranohira, and range from one to seven days in length. All arrangements and permits can be dealt with at the Angap office in Ranohira.

Two popular short trips are a day walk to Canyon des Singes & Piscine Naturelle, where you can take a plunge in the cool water; and Natural Window, a short way off the highway. Here you can watch the sun rise or set through a large, square hole in the rock, although at times it gets crowded.

Pre-Departure Information

When to go?

The island's west and southwest get searingly hot during summer (November to March), which can make moving around a struggle, particularly if you're travelling by taxi-brousse (bush taxi). By contrast, the winter months in these regions are pleasant, with blue skies, cooler temperatures and essentially no rain. In the east and northeast, be prepared for rain and overcast skies at any time, although rain showers don't usually last long during the winter months. Between July and September the sea is too dangerous to travel by cargo boat.

Hotels, popular tourist attractions and all forms of transport, including planes and buses, fill up during European holiday periods, ie July to August, Christmas and Easter. Prices also go up at these times. The period between June and October is vanilla season on the east coast, so flights between towns such as Maroantsetra, Mananara and Antalaha often fill up far in advance.

Avoid January to March, when heavy rainfall in many areas of the country makes many roads muddy and impassable, limits outdoor activities and the risk of cyclones (particularly in the east and northeast of the country) is high.

Travel Visa Overview

All visitors require a visa. Visas are valid for up to three months from the date of entry.

Visas for stays of up to three months from the date of entry do need to be organised in advance through the embassy or consulate. The same is true for multiple entry visas. Both must be used within six months of the date of issue. It's best to request a three-month visa from the start if there is any chance that you may need one, as visa extensions can be time consuming and expensive.

Electricity

127/220V

50Hz

Electrical Plugs

European plug with two circular metal pins

South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin

Health Information

Meningococcal meningitis

Meningococcal infection is spread through close respiratory contact and is more likely in crowded situations, such as dormitories, buses and clubs. Infection is uncommon in travellers. Vaccination is recommended for long stays and is especially important towards the end of the dry season. Symptoms include a fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and a red rash. Immediate medical treatment is necessary.

The ACWY vaccine is recommended for all travellers to the region. This vaccine is different from the meningococcal meningitis C vaccine given to children and adolescents in some countries; it is safe to be given both types of vaccine. Self-treatment: none.

Hepatitis

Several different viruses cause hepatitis; they differ in the way that they are transmitted. The symptoms in all forms of the illness include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, feelings of weakness and aches and pains, followed by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-coloured faeces, jaundiced (yellow) skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

There are 6 known types of viral hepatitis:A, B, C, D, E and G. G is not dangerous. A and E are passed on by the fecal-oral route of transmission; there is a vaccine. Seek medical advice, but there is not much you can do apart from resting, drinking lots of fluids, eating lightly and avoiding fatty foods. A and E cause an acute illness, but you will recover fully from it.

B and D are passed on via blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids. They can be passed on by close contact, sexual contact, and blood-to-blood contact. The symptoms of hepatitis B may be more severe than type A and the disease can lead to long-term problems such as chronic liver damage, liver cancer or a long-term carrier state. There is a vaccine.

Hepatitis C is only passed on from blood-to-blood contact. There is no vaccine.

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia)

This disease is spread by flukes (minute worms) that are carried by a species of freshwater snail. The flukes are found inside the snail, which then sheds them into slow-moving or still water. The parasites penetrate human skin during paddling or swimming and then migrate to the bladder or bowel. They are passed out via stool or urine and could contaminate fresh water, where the cycle starts again. Paddling or swimming in suspect freshwater lakes or slow-running rivers should be avoided. There might be no symptoms. There might be a transient fever and rash, and advanced cases might have blood in the stool or in the urine. A blood test can detect antibodies if you suspect you have been exposed, and treatment is then possible in specialist travel or infectious-disease clinics. If not treated, the infection can cause kidney failure or permanent bowel damage. It is not possible for you to infect others. Self-treatment: none.

Malaria

Malaria is present throughout Madagascar, particularly in the coastal areas; it is less common in the central highlands and Antananarivo, but outbreaks can occur. The disease is caused by a parasite in the bloodstream spread via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. There are several types of malaria, falciparum malaria being the most dangerous type. Infection rates vary with the seasons and climate, so check out the situation before departure. Several different drugs are used to prevent malaria and new ones are in the pipeline. Up-to-date advice from a travel health clinic is essential as some medication is more suitable for some travellers than others.

The early stages of malaria include headaches, fevers, generalised aches and pains, and malaise, which could be mistaken for flu. Other symptoms can include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and a cough. Anyone who develops a fever in a malarial area should assume malarial infection until a blood test proves negative, even if you have been taking antimalarial medication. If not treated, the next stage could develop within 24 hours, particularly if falciparum malaria is the parasite: jaundice, then reduced consciousness and coma (also known as cerebral malaria), followed by death. Treatment in hospital is essential, and the death rate might still be as high as 10% even in the best intensive-care facilities.

Many travellers are under the impression that malaria is a mild illness, and that taking antimalarial drugs causes more illness through side effects than actually getting malaria. This is unfortunately not true. If you decide that you really do not wish to take antimalarial drugs, you must understand the risks, and be obsessive about avoiding mosquito bites. Use nets and insect repellent, and report any fever or flu-like symptoms to a doctor as soon as possible.

Dengue fever

Dengue fever is spread through mosquito bites. It causes a feverish illness with headache and muscle pains similar to those experienced with a bad, prolonged attack of influenza. There might be a rash. Mosquito bites should be avoided whenever possible. Self-treatment: paracetamol and rest.

Diarrhoea

Although it's not inevitable that you will get diarrhoea while travelling in Madagascar, it's certainly very likely. Diarrhoea is the most common travel-related illness - figures suggest that at least half of all travellers to Africa will get diarrhoea at some stage. Sometimes dietary changes, such as increased spices or oils, are the cause. To avoid diarrhoea, only eat fresh fruits or vegetables if cooked or peeled, and be wary of dairy products that might contain unpasteurised milk. Although freshly cooked food can often be a safe option, plates or serving utensils might be dirty, so you should be highly selective when eating food from street vendors (make sure that cooked food is piping hot all the way through).

If you develop diarrhoea, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, preferably an oral rehydration solution containing lots of salt and sugar. A few loose stools don't require treatment, but if you start having more than four or five loose stools a day, you should start taking an antibiotic (usually a quinoline drug, such as ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin) and an antidiarrhoeal agent (such as loperamide) if you are not within easy reach of a toilet. If diarrhoea is bloody, persists for more than 72 hours or is accompanied by fever, shaking chills or severe abdominal pain, you should seek medical attention.

Weather Information

Because Madagascar is so large, it experiences several climates simultaneously. For example, you could be pegged out on a beach in the southwest and a few days later be rugged up against the cold in the hauts plateaux. In general, the best time to travel in most areas is April and October/November. The only time you should avoid is January to March, when heavy rain can make many roads muddy and impassable, and when there's a high risk of cyclones in the east and northeast. The coolest time to travel is during the winter months (May to October), when the Central Highlands (including Antananarivo) can get cold, wet and windy, although it can still be hot and sunny in the west and southwest.

The west and southwest get searingly hot during the summer, but winter in these regions is pleasantly cool, with blue skies and little rain. Fort Dauphin can experience rain as late in the year as July. In the east and northeast be prepared for rain and overcast skies at any time; on the Masoala Peninsula and around Maroantsetra the wettest months are from July to September.

History and Culture

Pre-20th Centure History

The Malagasy people are a mixture of Asians and Africans, and have been on Madagascar for 1500 to 2000 years, although stone artefacts indicate an older culture possibly existed there. Most of the immigrants were Malay-Polynesians, who crossed the Indian Ocean from Indonesia and South-East Asia, but people came from eastern Africa as well. African slaves, Arab, Indian and Portuguese traders, European pirates and French colonists all mixed with the population to eventually create the 18 official 'tribes' or clans inhabiting the island today. The first Malagasy brought the food crops that they'd grown in South-East Asia with them, and the agricultural regions with their endless rice paddies today look as if they belong in Asia rather than Africa.

Marco Polo reported Madagascar's existence in the narrative of his travels, and it was also known to Arab cartographers. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive, in a fleet under the command of Diego Dias in 1500. In the centuries that followed, the Portuguese, Dutch and British all failed to establish permanent bases on the island, but from the 17th century, bands of outlaws succeeded where their governments had failed. Pirates contributed booty, buried treasure, and genes to the island's population, especially around Île Sainte Marie. At one stage when they were just saying no to piracy in the Caribbean, more than 1000 English, French, Portuguese, Dutch, American and other pirates were based on Madagascar's east coast. They used it as a convenient base to attack ships rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

Increasing trade in arms and slaves with Europeans brought about the rise of Malagasy kingdoms, and small, rival states eventually emerged. By the late 18th century, the Merina clan had begun to dominate. The British signed a treaty in 1820 recognising Madagascar as an independent state under Merina rule, and British influence remained strong well into the 20th century. But by 1883, the British had gone cold and France had become the recognised and sole European power in Madagascar (in exchange for French recognition of British sovereignty in Zanzibar).

The French invaded in 1895, surprising Merina defences and setting up a colonial administration. They sent Queen Ranavalona III into exile in Algeria in 1897, effectively abolishing the monarchy, and attempted to suppress all British influence and crush the Malagasy language, declaring French the official language. Although the French abolished slavery in name on the island, in practice they introduced a repressive tax regime that amounted to forced labour. Land was expropriated by foreign settlers and companies, primarily for use as coffee plantations.

Modern History

During WWII Britain invaded, ostensibly to prevent Japan from using Madagascar as an Indian Ocean base. The British handed it back to de Gaulle's free French in 1943. Post-war, Madagascar underwent a nationalist backlash; many Malagasy had been trained to French standards and were no longer willing to be second class citizens in their own country. The 1947 revolt was crushed at the cost of many thousands of Malagasy lives, but the rot had set in.

Several indigenous political parties were born in the 1950s, and when de Gaulle returned to power in France in 1958, the Malagasy voted to become an autonomous republic within the French community of overseas nations. Madagascar underwent a peaceful transition to independence in 1960, although the colons, as the French settlers were called, still pulled the strings. Philibert Tsiranana refused to establish a dialogue with any communist nations. He ferociously repressed a revolt in the country's south in 1972, which was the beginning of his undoing. He resigned soon after and handed power to his army commander, General Gabriel Ramantsoa.

The economy began a slow nose dive almost straight after independence. When it withdrew from the Communauté Financier Africaine (CFA), the nosedive gathered pace as the French farming community departed wholesale, taking capital, skills and technology with them. A quick shuffle of army general presidents - one of whom was assassinated after only a week in office - couldn't stem the haemorrhaging economy. A new group of officers led by Admiral Didier Ratsiraka had a shot at the top job, nationalising banks and other major businesses without compensation.

By the late 1970s Madagascar had severed all ties with France and the government was seriously courting communist nations. A mounting debt crisis in 1981-82 prodded the government to slow its reforms, and to trot out the standard austerity measures the IMF demanded as terms of a loan. The economy improved marginally with the IMF's programs, but quickly slumped again. Ratsiraka won the election in March 1989 under dubious circumstances, which led to riots. More came in 1991 when peaceful demonstrators were killed by North Korean-trained presidential guards in front of Ratsiraka's opulent new palace (built with North Korean aid). The early 90s was plagued by civil unrest. After a four year rule by Professor Albert Zafy that failed to unite the country or overcome years of bureaucratic misrule, Ratsiraka was voted back into power in 1996, to almost universal surprise. That less than 50% of the 6.5 million registered voters bothered to cast a ballot indicates that the Malagasy had little enthusiasm for any of the candidates.

Following his 1996 reelection, Ratsiraka helped negotiate a deal with the IMF and World Bank that led to the privatisation of several important economic sectors, resulting in both a greater expansion of the economy and higher inflation. Growing opposition to Ratsiraka led to the popularity of Marc Ravalomanana, the mayor of Antananarivo.

Recent History

The results of presidential elections in December 2001 were inconclusive, with both Ratsiraka and Ravalomanana claiming victory. Eventually, after much to-do involving mass strikes and protests, Ravalomanana declared himself president in February 2002 and set up shop in the capital of Antananarivo, while Ratsiraka and his forces moved to the port city of Tamatave. Ratsiraka fled to Paris several months later although forces loyal to him still operate, sometimes preventing supplies from reaching the capital.

Ravalomanana soundly defeated the fragmented opposition in elections in December 2002, thus securing the legitimacy he needed. The new president set about reforming the country's ruined economy, and announced salary increases for politicians in an effort to stamp out corruption. He generally made the right noises to the World Bank which, along with France and the US, pledged more than US$20 billion in aid.

In December 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami hit the east coast of Madagascar, destroying infrastructure and leaving close to 1000 people homeless.

Ravalomanana won a second term in office in 2006, and in April 2007 a referendum endorsed constitutional reforms that will increase presidential powers and make English an official language. 'Madagascar is ready for take-off', Ravalomanana told a press conference. For the moment, most people seem to share his belief.