EXPERIENCE MADAGASCAR
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Climate
Madagascar has two seasons:
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Winter (dry season) April to October-mainly
dry and mild climate
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Summer (wet season) November to March-
mainly hot and rainy climate
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The east of Madagascar suffers from cyclones in February
and March
Travel Documents
Visas are required by everyone
traveling to Madagascar and are usually issued for a
30 day stay period.
Visas usually run around 25 USD and can be purchased
at the airport in Antananarivo
Always check with the Madagascar consulate or Embassy
in the USA for visa requirement updates two to three
months before travel.
It is important to carry your passport with you at all
times in a very secure place.
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Madagascar Embassy in United
States:
2374 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
202-265-5525
www.embassy.org/madagascar
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Madagascar Embassy in France:
4 Av Raphael
75016 Paris, France
1 45 04 62 11
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Medical and Immunizations:
As with all travel you want
to check on any new developments for immunizations for
your destination.
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We recommend purchasing travel insurance
for all international travel
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There is a prevalence of tapeworm
in cattle- eat your steak well-done
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Madagascar is very close to the equator
therefore the risk of sunburn is exponentially greater-
make sure to bring sufficient and strong sunscreen.
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As with all international travel
and exposure to different foods- carrying anti-diarrhea
medication is always recommended
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A small first aid kit with basic
essentials is recommended for all travel
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Water sterilization is important
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Bottled water is usually a safe route
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Boiling water kills all the microbes
that are likely to cause disease
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Malaria is a risk in Madagascar
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Avoid exposing skin during dawn and
dusk
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You may want to consider an anti-malaria
prescription program
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Carry plenty of DEET based insect
repellent
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If you are looking to spend some
nights not in a four or five star hotel it would
be a good idea to bring a mosquito net with you.
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Checklist of Things to Bring
The following is a suggested
list only of recommended items to bring with you on
your trip to Madagascar. It is neither comprehensive
nor mandatory.
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A backpack is the most practical
luggage option.
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Your clothes will greatly depend
on the season you are traveling as well as which
regions, as climate varies greatly from one to the
other and by season.
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Layering clothes is recommended
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A light jacket for night time.
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Jeans are not recommended as they
are heavy, don't breathe well, and are cumbersome.
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Light weight cotton and linen fabrics
are best suited for the hot weather during the day.
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Longer light weight sleeves and pants
for hiking and night time helps keep mosquito bites
at bay.
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Running shoes are highly recommended
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Sport sandals will be more practical
than regular flip-flops
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If you are going to spend a great
deal of time exploring rivers, lakes, and the ocean
water shoes may be a good investment.
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It is a good idea to bring all the
toiletries you will need, women especially.
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For the more adventurous types who
may be spending a good amount of time off the beaten
path and in more rural areas it won't hurt to carry
an extra roll of toilet paper with you.
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A small torch or flashlight
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Extra batteries
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Travel alarm clock
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First aid kit |
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Mosquito netting for those planning
on spending nights not at four or five star hotels.
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Sunscreen
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Your camera, film and extra batteries-
to capture your once in a lifetime experience!
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Money & Costs
Madagascar is about as cheap as it gets when it comes
to travel. You'd be hard pressed to spend more than
US$10 on a meal in most places, and you can get a room
for the night for as little as US$2.50. Admittedly,
it will be a dive, you may be sharing it with bedbugs
and lice, and the hotel may also double as a brothel.
So you may want to spend around US$5 for a basic bottom-end
room with at least the rudiments of cleanliness and
security. In a nutshell, you could get by in the countryside
for as little as US$10-15 a day for food and lodging,
but your costs will increase considerably in Tana or
particularly on the resort island of Nosy Be. Budget
on spending US$30-50 to have a very comfortable time
accommodation-wise with the best food the island has
to offer, and US$150 and upwards if you want to stay
and eat in the big hotels on Nosy Be and Tana.
The best currency to take is euros, followed closely
by US dollars and pounds sterling. The Malagasy franc
is worth 100 centimes, but you probably won't see any
of the practically worthless coins. Four main banks
have branches throughout the country and you can change
money there, and there will be at least one in every
major town. They change recognised brands of travellers
cheques and cash in major currencies. The upmarket hotels
in Tana and some of the larger towns will also exchange
cash and cheques for guests, but they normally charge
a 10% commission. You can use credit cards in major
hotels in large cities and resorts, airline offices
and offices of the larger travel companies, but that's
about it.
Tipping is not the norm except in expensive hotels
in Tana and Nosy Be. It is generally discouraged by
local tourist authorities, but rounding up a restaurant
bill to avoid carrying worthless change around, or tipping
for exceptionally good service is not a bad idea. Bargaining,
on the other hand, is a way of life, except in the places
where it is normal to tip. The concept of a fixed price
is virtually unknown, except in mid to top-range hotels,
and in smaller shops and markets you should never pay
the first price asked. You won't be able to get things
as cheaply as the locals can, but if you don't bargain
you'll be helping to put the price of goods out of the
reach of locals, and they will probably see you as an
idiot to boot.
Reproduced with permission from the Lonely Planet website www.lonelyplanet.com
© 2005 Lonely Planet
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