Madagascar is a large island in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. It is the fourth largest island in the world.
The first people arrived in Madagascar between 350 BC and 550 AD from Borneo on outrigger canoes. These Austronesian first settlers were joined around 1000 AD by Bantu migrants crossing the Mozambique Channel.
Other groups such as Arabs, Indians, and Chinese continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. The Malagasy way of thinking includes a mixture of cultures, as well as their appearance and fashion style. It is a melting pot. Madagascar is part of the African Union, but that is now being reconsidered due to the recent 2009 political turmoil regarding the African Union members.
Ecology. Madagascar’s long isolation from the neighbouring continents has resulted in a unique mix of flora and fauna; many of which are unique and endemic to Madagascar. This has led some ecologists to refer to Madagascar as the “eighth continent”. Of the 10,000 plants native to Madagascar, 90% are found nowhere else in the world. Madagascar’s varied plants and animals are endangered by human activity, as one-third of it’s native vegetation has disappeared since the 1970s and since the arrival of humans 2,000 years ago, Madagascar has lost more than 90% of its original forest. Most lemurs are listed as endangered or threatened species.
The eastern, or windward side of the island is home to tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides, which lie in the rain shadow of the central highlands, are home to tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. Madagascar’s dry deciduous rainforest has been preserved generally better than the eastern rainforests or the high central plateau, presumably due to historically low population densities.
Climate. The climate is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and arid in the south. The weather is dominated by the southeastern trade winds that originate in the Indian Ocean anticyclone, a centre of high atmospheric pressure that seasonally changes its position over the ocean. Madagascar has two seasons: a hot, rainy season from November to April, and a cooler, dry season from May to October. There is, however, great variation in climate owing to elevation and position relative to dominant winds. The east coast has a sub-equatorial climate and, being most directly exposed to the trade winds, has the heaviest rainfall, averaging as much as 3,500 mm (137.8 in) annually. This region is notorious not only for a hot, humid climate in which tropical fevers are endemic but also for the destructive cyclones that occur during the rainy season, coming in principally from the direction of the Mascarene Islands. Because rain clouds discharge much of their moisture east of the highest elevations on the island, the central highlands are appreciably drier and, owing to the altitude, also cooler. Thunderstorms are common during the rainy season in the central highlands, and lightning is a serious hazard.
Antananarivo receives practically all of its average annual 1,400 mm (55.1 in) of rainfall between November and April. The dry season is pleasant and sunny, although somewhat chilly, especially in the mornings. Although frosts are rare in Antananarivo, they are common at higher elevations.
GET IN
Visa. Nationals of most countries can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport – 30/60 day visas received using cash only for either $37/$45 dollars or 35/40 Euro. All visitors a return ticket. A counter before entry issues visas.
By plane. From Europe, Asia, North America, South America the best connections are with Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines.
Air Madagascar fly from Paris, Marseille, Guangzhou to Antananarivo.
Kenya airways has flights from Africa, Europe, USA, Asia, too Antananarivo.
Air Austral (Reunion) runs flights to Madagascar from Paris, Bangkok, Chennai with transfer on Reunion Island.
Travelers from Europe, Asia, Australia can also fly too Antananarivo with Air Mauritius.
Flights from Johannesburg, South Africa, using Air Madagascar code shared with SA Airlink 6 days a week.
Comores Aviation fly to Moroni.
Note that the airport is located right next to Ivato which has cheap public transport to Tana center (1200 ariary). 50,000 (few lower than 70,000). There are many hotels near the airport from 30,000Ar.
By boat. There are no more Ferries from Toamasina on the east coast going to Mauritius via Reunion. Currently you can only fly to Mauritius or Reunion.
GET AROUND
By plane. Air Madagascar (rebranded as Tsaradia for domestic flights) serves numerous destinations throughout the country, which is a good thing considering the bad state of the roads. It is advisable to check the status of your flight in advance, as timetable changes can occur at fairly short notice. From 2020 Passengers who arrive in Madagascar on a long-haul flight on Air Madagascar no longer benefit from reductions on internal flights.
By train. There are four rail lines in Madagascar:
Antananarivo-Ambatondrazaka via Moramanga, you can get on the train between Moramanga and Ambatondrazaka.
Antananarivo-Antsirabe
Fianarantsoa-Manakara three times a week both directions.
Antananarivo-Toamasina: Moramanga to Tomasina twice a week.
With the Malagasy railway network dating from the colonial period, breakdowns are frequent due to poor maintenance, and a line may be closed for several weeks.
The train is not the fastest and most comfortable means of travel, but it lets you admire the magnificent landscapes (especially on the line connecting Fianarantsoa to Manakara) and discover the Malagasy fruits and dishes offered at every stop. You can taste what is in season at little cost: crayfish, bananas, cinnamon apples, sambos, zebu sausages, oranges. Travelling by train is cheap (1st class from Fianarantsoa to Manakara only 25000Ar (less than 10€)). You want to choose a 1st class seat; or get up very early if you want to be sure to get a 2nd class ticket since it is always extremely crowded (the train is the only mean of transport for many villagers) and no booking is possible in 2nd class. Unfortunately, the train that runs between Manakara and Fianarantsoa has become less reliable lately (early 2007) due to poor conditions of the tracks.
By road. This is the only inexpensive way to get around, but Madagascar’s roads are almost all of very low grade (with the exception of 2 routes leading out of Tana). Many roads are studded with potholes and are quagmires in the rainy season. Be warned that travel by road will almost always take much more time than you would normally expect. Hire of a 4WD vehicle can reduce this problem but the cost will be higher but still very cost effective if you are not traveling alone and able to split the rental fee between the members of your group. (Rent a 4WD with driver is around 50 EURO/day/car excluding gasoline). Due to the poor condition of the roads many car hire companies will only rent you a car if you use one of their drivers. In most cases, the driver can act as your guide and translator as well.
By taxi-brousse. This is the way most natives travel around the country. There are three major modern roads in the country: RN7 from Tana to Toliara, RN2 from Tana to Tomasina (via Brickaville) and RN4 from Tana to Mahajanga. Trips between those towns take about a day whereas traveling between Tana and Taolagnaro, a south-eastern coastal town, would take about 3 or 4 days due to the condition of the road. Travel is cramped and don’t expect air conditioning. Expect dust to be a problem in the dry season. Travel by Taxi-Brousse is guaranteed to test one’s patience and sanity, but there is quite possibly no better way to meet and interact with the locals and experience Madagascar as the Malagasy do. Taxi-brousse is by far the cheapest way to travel, but do not expect to leave or arrive on time. Indeed, the drivers wait for their 15 seats small buses to get full before leaving, therefore a few hours delay is never excluded! However, during the trip it allows you to admire the breathtaking landscapes Madagascar holds.
By taxi-be. In Tana, the cheapest way to get around is by taxi-be, or big taxi, which is a bit larger than a mini-van. There is one aisle with seats to fold down so they can cram in even more people. During peak season, buses run frequently.
By boat. If you are looking for an unusual holiday, a yacht charter to Madagascar might be a good choice. To bareboat (hire a ship or boat without provisions or crew), a “guide” is usually included in the price of the yacht charter and is essential for the multitude of services he will provide – prepare the food, recommend anchorages, know where to fish and refill the water tanks, speak the local language and have an established relationship with the local people. He will protect the boat from theft when you leave it to explore on land. The guide lives completely on the exterior of the boat and does not require a cabin. A yacht charter to Madagascar is a bit of a “Robinson Crusoe” adventure. Once you embark, you will not be able to stock up provisions again and must live off the fish and seafood you will catch for yourself (or with your guide). So take great care with your provisioning list.
By bicycle. Madagascar is a great place to tour by bike and staying in small towns and villages along the way gives a real sense of what the country is all about. A mountain bike or heavy duty tourer at least is required as the roads can be in poor to terrible condition. In rainy season on the East coast the main North-south road can become impassable, possibly leading to a two day walk – over soft sand in one section – this is not an easily rideable route. Generally there is little to no traffic which makes cruising around a great pleasure. The people are amazingly friendly and you’ll be greeted with crowds of children shouting ‘Vazaha’ in every village. There are little or no facilities for cyclists, so be prepared to camp rough (ask if it is somebody’s land and never too near a family grave) or sleep in very basic guesthouses. Likely you will be invited to stay in people’s houses. Bring a spare tire, puncture kit, chain, brake/gear cable, derailleur and all the tools you need.
Organised Madagascar Cycling tour can be arranged with specialised operators, they will accompany you with a car, reserve hotels and sort out any problem may arise during your ride. More expensive but definitely safer and hassle free.
Language. The official languages are Malagasy and French.
Malagasay is a Malayo-Polynesian language related to Malay and Indonesian that is spoken by the majority of the island as a native 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 the 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.
Tourist workers and some government officials will have a reasonable command of English.
Money. The unit of money is the ariary (Ar). It is subdivided into 5 iraimbilanja and is one of only two non-decimal currencies currently circulating (the other is the Mauritanian ouguiya).
As of June 2020, 1 € is equal to 4400 Ar while $1 is 3900 Ar. Hotel and tour prices are frequently quoted in Euro, and Euro is accepted for most high-end transactions.
ATMs in most cities and towns.
In general the cost of travel in Madagascar is a good value at nearly every budget level. Basic rooms can be found for $10 dollars in most places. while a meal at a hotel can easily be under two dollars. Mid-level hotels and jungle lodges generally are better values than on the African content, with high-service and beautiful bungalows available for $50 in many places. Even Tana’s most expensive eateries rarely charge more than $10 for a main. there are backpacker hostels in a few places.
Shoppers will find much to buy in the country. Spices, such as vanilla, are a great souvenir and a great value.
Expect to pay 200,000 Ar or so a day for a car, fuel and a driver’.
EAT
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. 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. Big supermarket chains, Shoprite, Score and Leader Price are all Western style, well stocked, but expensive due to the need to import just about everything.
Drink. While in general tap water is considered not safe, in most cities it seldom causes problems. Bonbon Anglais, and 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 25,000 to 75,000 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 4 to 8 euro in Tana. Camping’s exist in and around several national parks, but for some you may require your own tent.
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, …).
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. But, in most cases don’t expect help from the locals. Most locals will stay quiet in fear of being chastised for helping a foreigner. A crowd of locals will move in to cover for a child running away with your stuff. The spoils are then divided up among those who helped the person get away. Beware of hanging your hand out the windows of a bus or car. A thief will literally rip a ring off your finger or a spandex watch off your arm. In one reported case a thief cut a woman’s finger off to get her ring.
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!
Beggars should be respected, are attracted to wealthy foreigners. “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.
Health. While the AIDS epidemic has not reached the devastating level found in many southern African countries, it is widely assumed that the incidence of HIV 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.
Malaria prophylaxis is necessary plus 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.
Wear lots of sunscreen and keep hydrated.
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. Vazaha are exempt.
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.
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.
CONTACT. There are three cellphone companies in Madagascar. Airtel , Orange and Telma.buy a sim card then load calls sms and internet
Why is Madagascar’s wildlife so unique? Their ancestors may have rafted over.
It’s long been a mystery how the ancestors of gremlin-like aye-ayes and satanic leaf-tailed geckos got to the island. A new study suggests a series of dramatic ocean journeys.
PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER R. HOULIHAN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Madagascar’s fabulously improbable wildlife, from gremlin-like aye-ayes to satanic leaf-tailed geckos, may be thanks to dozens of dramatic oceanic journeys that would put Robinson Crusoe to shame, new research says.
“It seems like a far-fetched idea that animals could survive drifting across the sea, because it’s hard enough for humans to survive that, let alone animals,” says Matthew Borths, a curator of fossils at Lemur Center at Duke University.
But a comparison of genetic data from modern Malagasy species with the fossil record of their ancestors from the African mainland has revealed that this is likely what happened for most land vertebrates, according to the research, published in May in the journal Biological Reviews.
Reptiles, amphibians, and mammals from mainland Africa would have been stranded on giant rafts of vegetation and floated to Madagascar, where they eventually evolved into the wildlife we know today. Some 95 percent of mammals and 98 percent of reptiles are endemic to the country, which means they live nowhere else in the world.
While it seems improbable for animals to survive the roughly 30 to 35 days it would have taken to get across the Mozambique Channel, the vegetation may have held fruits or other food sources, as well as trapped rain to keep the animals alive.
“With geological time, something which is statistically unlikely or highly unlikely becomes a certainty. If you keep throwing the dice for five million years, eventually you’re going to come up with 10 sixes,” says study co-author Jason Ali, a geophysicist at the University of Hong Kong.
An empty fossil record
Scientists have three major theories to explain how land animals got to Madagascar: The species were there before Madagascar split off and became an island, they swam and/or rafted across from mainland Africa when currents flowed that way, or they crossed land bridges that might have existed at different periods.
The trouble is, the fossil record in Madagascar between the time of the dinosaurs and about 2,000 years ago is nearly nonexistent, leaving a lot of room for debate.
In their new study, Ali and Blair Hedges, an evolutionary biologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, pulled together a large amount of previously published research to test each of these possible origin stories. (Read more about the theory that mammals rafted to Madagascar.)
The team compared the genes of 28 clades of land vertebrates, including reptiles, amphibians, and mammals from modern-day Madagascar with the genes of species on mainland Africa that are evolutionarily the closest relatives. Based on this information, they calculated the likely intervals when the ancestor of each species group likely arrived in Madagascar, then evolved into something new.
Survival stories
The analysis revealed that a handful of the species found today on Madagascar have been there for at least as long as it’s been an island, which at least partially supports the first theory. That means the animals came along when Madagascar split off from the Indian subcontinent, along with Seychelles, more than 81 million years ago.
Species like the critically endangered Madagascar big-headed turtle and several species of worm-like blind snakes probably descended from this time and were among a select few that survived the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, Ali says.
But most of the rest of the reptiles, mammals, and amphibians that remain today are descended from relatively small animals that rafted from the mainland.
The ancestors of modern lemurs are already thought to have been quite small—something like modern mouse lemurs. Other Malagasy species, like the predatory fossa, also had comparatively small ancestors while rodents and the only other native Malagasy mammal group—the hedgehog-like tenrecs—remain relatively small today. (Read the surprising reason some lemurs grow their own gardens.)
Reptiles such as tortoises, which are very hardy, may have even floated across the Mozambique Channel without a raft, Ali says.
Rafts more likely than bridges
Borths, who was not involved in the new study, says the idea of animals walking to Madagascar via land bridges has gotten traction in recent years—notably through the work of the late Judith Masters and Fabien Genin.
But the new study’s models ruled out the possibility that animals crossed via land bridges. Even though Ali and Hedges only have estimated windows for when the ancestors of the living species arrived on the island, these are different enough from each other to appear random over time. If land bridges had opened at some period, many species would have crossed in surges, which would show up in the genetic record, Ali says. (Read about the race to save Madagascar’s sacred forests.)
Borths agrees the new study likely puts this the land bridge theory to rest with a “powerful set of models.”
He says rafting is not unique to Madagascar, either: A number of animals made the far longer crossing from Africa to South America via raft, he says. And rafts can be quite huge—he points to a video of a massive clump of vegetation floating down the Panama Canal, complete with upright trees. “A monkey could have totally been on that thing,” Borths says.
“The diversity that we see on the island is actually a product of the randomness of Madagascar,” he adds, “and organisms figuring where they sit in this ecosystem.”
NM MADAGASCAR
Borders: Madagascar (sea border/port)
NOMAD MANIA Madagascar – Antananarivo (Antsirabe)
World Heritage Sites: Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
Tentative WHS
Ancien site industriel de Mantasoa
La Haute Ville d’Antananarivo (02/02/2016)
Villages and Small Towns
Tsiroanomandidy
Museums: Ilafy: Ethnographic Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Ambohimanga Rova: Rova of Ambohimanga
Rivers: Mahajilo River
Festivals
Gasytsara
Hiragasy
Waterfalls
Les Chutes de la Lily
African Cities
ANTANIFOTSY
ANTSIRABE World City and Popular Town
Religious Temples: Antsirabe Cathedral
ANTANANARIVO World Capitals World City and Popular Towns
Tentative WHS: La Haute Ville d’Antananarivo (02/02/2016)
Airports: Antananarivo (TNR)
Museums
Botanical and Zoological Garden of Tsimbazaza
Museum of Art and Archaeology
Pirates Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Andafiavaratra Palace
Rova of Antananarivo
Religious Temples
Cathédrale d’Andohalo
Faravohitra Church
Khoja Mosque
Modern Architecture Buildings: Soarano Train Station
Zoos
Lemurs’ Park
Tsimbazaza Zoo
Markets: Pavillion Analakely
Monuments: Monument to the Dead
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NOMAD MANIA Madagascar – Mahajanga and Antsiranana (Nosy Be)
M@P: Andranovondronina municipality (extreme north), Nosy Be and Nosy Komba
World Heritage Sites
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
Tentative WHS
Nosy Lonjo d’Antsiranana
NOSYnakà (Sahamalaza, Nosy Hara, Nosy Tanikely, Lokobe, Ambodivahibe, Ankarea, Ankivonjy)
Réserve Spéciale d’Anjanaharibe-Sud (extension des forêts humides de l’Atsinanana) (14/03/2008)
Airports: Nosy Be (NOS)
Museums: Majunga: Akiba Museum
World of Nature
Ambatovaky Reserve
Amber Mountain NP
Analamerana Reserve
Anjanaharibe-Sud Reserve
Ankarafantsika NP
Ankarana Reserve
Baie de Baly NP
Bemarivo Reserve
Bora Reserve
Kasijy Reserve
Lokobe NP
Mahavavy-Kinkony Protected Area
Maningoza Reserve
Manongarivo Reserve
Marojejy NP
Marotandrano Reserve
Masoala NP
Montagne des Français Reserve
Nosy Hara NP
Nosy Tanikely NP
Sahamalaza NP
Tampoketsa Analamaitso Reserve
Tsaratanana Nature Reserve
Tsingy de Beramaha Reserve
Tsingy de Namoroka NP
Rivers
Betsiboka River
Ikopa River
Manambolo River
Festivals: Donia, Nosy Be
Lighthouses: Amboditaitry: Tanjona Masoala Lighthouse
Beaches
Anjajavy Beach
Mitsio Islands Beaches
Tsarabanjina island
Islands
Madagascar
Nosy Be
Nosy Berafia
Nosy Mitsio
XL
Antsiranana and northern cape
Masoala peninsula
African Cities
AMBILOBE
ANTSIRANANA
Airports: Antsiranana (DIE)
MAHAJANGA
Airports: Mahajanga (MJN)
Religious Temples: Mary Immaculate Heart Church
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NOMAD MANIA Madagascar – Toamasina
M@P: Nosy Boraha
World Heritage Sites: Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Tentative WHS: Eglise catholique d’Ambodifotatra de Sainte Marie
World of Nature
Analamazaotra NP
Andasibe-Mantadia NP
Ankeniheny Zahamena Forest Corridor
Betampona Reserve
Mananara Nord NP
Mangerivola Reserve
Zahamena Reserve
Lakes: Lake Alaotra
Rivers: Mangoro River
Zoos: Marozevo: Peyrieras Reptile Reserve
Islands
NOSY BORAHA (ILE ST. MARIE)
Airports: Sainte Marie (SMS)
Lighthouses: Cap Sainte-Marie Lighthouse
Beaches: Sainte Marie: Île aux Nattes
African Cities
AMPARAFARAVOLA
TOAMASINA World City and Popular Town
Airports: Toamasina (TMM)
Religious Temples: St. Joseph Cathedral
Zoos: Parc Ivoloina
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NOMAD MANIA Madagascar – Fianarantsoa
World Heritage Sites: Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Religious Temples: Ambositra: Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
World of Nature
Andringitra NP
Isalo NP
Kalambatritra Reserve
Manombo Reserve
Midongy du Sud NP
Ranomafana NP
Rivers
Ihosy River
Zomandao River
Botanical Gardens: Ranomafana: Ranomafana Arboretum
Waterfalls
Riandahy and Rianbavy falls
Sakaleona Falls
African Cities
FIANARANTSOA
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Fianarantsoa-Côte-Est railway
Religious Temples: Fianarantsoa: Ambozontany Cathedral
AMBALAVAO*
Religious Temples: Ambalavao: Ambalavao Church
Markets: Ambalavao Market
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NOMAD MANIA Madagascar – Toliara
World Heritage Sites: Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Tentative WHS
Les forêts sèches de l’Andrefana (14/03/2008)
Sud-Ouest Malgache, Pays Mahafaly (14/11/1997)
World of Nature
Ambohijanahary Reserve
Andohahela NP
Andranomena Reserve
Berenty Reserve
Beza Mahafaly Reserve
Kirindy Mitea NP
Nahampoana Reserve
Nosy Ve-Androka NP
Tsimanampetsotse NP
Zombitse and Vohlbasia NP
Lakes: Lake Ihotry
Rivers
Mangoky River
Onilahy River
Botanical Gardens: Fort Dauphin: Arboretum of Ranopiso
Beaches
Andovoke Bay
Manafiafy Beach
Salary Beach
African Cities
AMBOVOMBE
XL: Extreme South (Ambovombe)
MORONDAVA
Urban Legends: Morondava: Avenue of the Baobabs
TOLLARA
Botanical Gardens: Toliara: Arboretum d’Antsokay
Villages and Small Towns
IFATY