Madagascar Travel Guide

A zoological cornucopia on an island the size of France sitting adrift in the Indian Ocean off Africa’s east coast is one way to describe Madagascar. 

When you add in the fact it is home to five percent of the world’s known animal and plant species, plus epic landscapes of incredible diversity and cultural variation which is unlike anywhere else in the world; describing Madagascar as the ‘eighth continent’ feels about right. 

As cliche as it may sound, there really is nowhere else like Madagascar, and this is largely due to its historical development. Split from Africa and Asia around the age of the dinosaur, Madagascar evolved in sweet isolation devoid of big predators. Before humans arrived on the island, its lands were ruled by bizarre and wonderful flora and fauna blossoming across its kaleidoscope of landscapes - deserts, rainforests, canyons, mountains and 500 kilometres of coastline. 

Today, 2,000 years after human introduction, not much has changed. Upon arrival from surrounding continents, the human gene pool naturally blended into 18 distinct tribes, each with their own language, beliefs and customs. The island’s isolation enabled these cultures to develop independently, each with localised types of music, cooking skills and traditions. Even two hundred years of French colonisation (and with it, Christianity) barely threatened this deep-rooted nirvana. 

Madagascar’s enchanting myriad of landscapes -lush rainforests, baobab trees dotting the desert, limestone pinnacles and stunning coral reefs- are now accented by human landscapes of terraced rice fields and rows of pastel-coloured houses. The island’s star resident is gentle, unaggressive lemurs. With their soulful eyes, over 50 species of this primate now coexist on the island; big, small, funky, cute and freaky, they come in all shapes and sizes.

Before one begins to think a Madagascar trip is just for the naturalists, let us reassure you, the island is an adventure playground. Think diving, rock climbing, hiking, off-road driving, mountain biking, kitesurfing and more; in Madagascar, half the fun of its destinations and attractions is getting there!

By now, you must be itching to know all there is to know about this spectacular country, so let’s dive in!

Madagascar’s climate varies drastically across its diverse terrains and the best time to visit is largely down to where you want to go and what you want to do. Our Local Designers in Madagascar know exactly when to visit to get the most out of your experience and will always bear that in mind when planning your trip. 

From November to March each year, a hot, humid, and very wet summer drenches the eastern lands. This period aligns with cyclone season, during which ferocious storms hit the east coast and pillage their way inland. As you can imagine, this makes travel extremely difficult during this time. However, in this same period, down in the southwest of the island, the desert is barely disrupted with only a smattering of rain if it’s lucky. 

The flip side is April to October or dry season. Warm, comfortable days with very limited rain are perfect conditions for hiking, snorkelling and diving, particularly between August and October for the latter. 

The best time to go to Madagascar for wildlife viewing varies. Between June and September is a wonderful time if you’re looking to spot the northerly migration of whales off the east coast. However, the best time for reptiles, birds, amphibians and more, is November. Just as the first rains hit, you tend to see an explosion of courting and mating rituals which make it an ideal month if you don’t mind a little rain. 

Golden beaches, fascinating limestone pinnacles, emerald rainforests, flooded paddies reflecting granite peaks, pastel houses, meandering rivers, endemic wildlife; the list of Madagascar’s draws is endless. 

Whatever you’re looking for, tours of Madagascar can be completely tailored to your hobbies, interests or even bucket lists!

Beach Time, Diving & Snorkelling in Nosy Be

In the north of Madagascar, you’ll find the reasonably developed islands of Nosy Be and Ile Ste Marie. Between these islands and that of Fort Dauphin and Tulear in the south, beach resorts are relatively new, delivering the best of both worlds between luxury comforts and rustic island life. 

With a dose of soft white sand, incredible seafood and flourishing coral reefs shrouded by azure waters, Nosy Be has developed into the country’s top beach destination. Most visitors, lured by the year-round balmy weather and warm seas, make a beeline for the many diving and snorkelling sites. Great visibility allows you to spot hawksbills turtles, marina giants such as manta rays, and if you’re lucky, whale sharks. This is all before you’ve floated over the dancing aquariums of untouched coral reefs.

When you’re ready to dry off, you can head inland to the less-explored hinterland swathed in colourful dry forest punctuated by low and highland rainforests. The southeast of Nosy Be is home to a number of rare and endemic species hidden in a corner of the primary rainforest. In between waterfalls, miles of trails and crater lakes, the best way to traverse Nosy Be’s national park, Lokobe, is on foot or by quad bike. 

You’ll get your fill of Nosy Be’s treasures on this 7-day luxury Madagascar holiday!

Lemur Spotting

If spotting lemurs isn’t on your Madagascar travel itinerary, then you’re doing it all wrong. Almost every traveller that steps foot on this archipelago heads to Mantadia National Park, where amongst dense mountain rainforest, you’ll find 11 different species of lemur. 

Mantadia is paired with its flatter neighbour, Analamazaotra National Park, within a large UNESCO-listed area. Both offer accessible terrains and wonderful wildlife encounters. Since the lemurs are very used to human visitors, they rarely acknowledge your presence which makes for some captivating experiences, especially as you hear their calls through the thick canopy.

Madagascar wildlife holidays don’t get better than this week-long lemur experience!

Walk the Avenue of Baobabs

A scene you may recognise, the Avenue of Baobabs, is a UNESCO-recognised grove of trees just outside of the town of Morondava. This incredible procession of vast, tall baobabs towers over a section of the road between Morondava and Belo-sur-Tsiribihina. Standing in a guard of honour formation, some of these trees are almost 1000 years old, and the huge branches fanning from the tops of their giant trunks have stories to tell. 

The best time to visit the Avenue of Baobabs or Allee des Baobabs as it’s locally known, is sunrise or sunset when the colours of the trees and surrounding earth are deepened by the bright sun and their shadows become longer and more pronounced. As a result of this popular spot, a small local industry consisting of a gift shop selling local handicrafts, baobab jams and oils and a coffee shop is situated at the entrance of the avenue for your enjoyment.

It’s all about baobabs and lemurs on this 7-day Madagascar safari tour!

Typically transport around Madagascar will be by road. As the country develops, as does the road network with several major routes in reasonably tarmacked condition now servicing the country’s key tourist destinations. 

You’ll find that all transport spouts off north, east, south and west from one major hub, Antananarivo, the country’s capital. Outside of these major routes, connections become a little more adventurous: think makeshift water crossings, small sand roads and long drives to cover short distances. 

Private Tours

It is estimated that around 80% of visitors to Madagascar do so by way of organised tours. Straight away, by this, you may be thinking group travel with strangers stuck to an itinerary you may not completely love. However, at Designer Journeys, we connect you with in-destination Local Designers who know the country like the back of their hands and can create an itinerary completely tailored to you. Whatever you are looking for in your Madagascar trip, be it full-on activity or a mix of beach time and sightseeing or anything in between, our Local Designers can take care of every detail for you. 

A private tour is a great way to see Madagascar; travelling with a local or with a local’s carefully planned itinerary enables you the freedom to explore as you please whilst also learning about and seeing parts of the country you may not have otherwise. You can browse our range of fully customisable Madagascar tours or get straight to it and begin designing your dream Madagascar trip with one of our Local Designers today!

Renting a Car

If you’re up for the challenge that the country roads may bring, then driving yourself around Madagascar is a great way to see the country. Whilst erring on the expensive side, it is a worthwhile experience if you are wanting to travel at your own pace and deviate from the itinerary wherever you like. 

Of course, if renting a car and driving yourself is a little overwhelming, the perfect middle ground is hiring a private driver with one of our Local Designers in Madagascar. 

Trains, Planes & Water Transport 

Air Madagascar is the main airline servicing the country’s airports. Flying into the capital, it is likely that you will use the airline to reach the key destinations, which are dotted around the coast. Considering most journeys from Antananarivo can take over a day, if you’re short on time, flying is a great option. 

Train services in Madagascar are limited; there are two lines, one running between Moramanga and Tamatave and the other between Fianarantsoa and Manakara. Each line runs twice a week in each direction, and reserving a ticket prior to arriving at the station is virtually impossible. Unless you plan on dedicating a solid amount of time to travelling from one destination to the next, trains aren’t advised. 

Much like train services, water transport around the island and on the rivers inland are few and far between. On the east and west coasts, this is largely due to the rough seas, often resulting in cancelled departures. To reach the islands on the east coast, such as Ile Sainte Marie, passenger ferries are used but make sure to allocate extra travel time for potential cancellations.

Public Transport 

The most common road transport in Madagascar is by taxi-brousse - small 15-seater minibuses which leave for their destination once full. When arriving at a new destination and planning to travel by public transport, you’ll often be approached by touts all jostling for your business. Make sure to look for a minibus that’s almost full; otherwise, you’ll find you may be waiting for hours to leave.

Like most destinations around the world, accommodation in Madagascar ranges from top-end to budget and camping options. There is a wide range of hotels scattered all over the island; however, when it comes to luxury accommodation, there’s only a handful that meet the highs of western standards due to lack of competition and urgency. 

High-end urban hotels, beach resorts and national park lodges are dotted across the island, with the largest concentrations in Tana, Nosy Be and Ile Sainte Marie. Costing around US$100 a night, these accommodation options will provide everything you could need. 

Taking a step down in standard, you enter the mid-range level of hotels. Incorporating in this band are hotels that stretch from incredibly good value to rather overpriced for what you get. Unfortunately, consistency is hard to find when you’re paying between US$20 and US$100 a night. However, you can expect en-suites, pleasant decor, comfortable beds, air-conditioning or fans and intermittent WiFi. If you’re going to be out exploring all day, this may be just what you need!

In the budget range, less than US$20 a night, you’ll find the likes of charming thatched bungalows and well-kitted-out campsites. In this range, you can expect some of the shower and toilet facilities to be shared and air conditioning, hot water and electricity to be optional. However, you’ll be sharing your lodgings with local Malagasy people, which will enhance your experience.

At the centre of Madagascar’s food culture is their staple food, rice, which dominates most of the dishes. So much so that even rice lovers may tire of this ingredient. Not to worry, a host of spices, herbs and delicious vegetable dishes as well as seafood and meat brings diversity to the cuisine in a host of mouthwatering meals. 

Zebu: Steak, Madagascan Style

Zebu is a subspecies of the domestic cow found all over Africa. Known for their hump, venerated horns which feature on tombs all over the country and fine meat, zebu is found on all of the best menus. Commonly served with fried and a hefty serving of rice, zebu steak will be a regular meal during your Madagascar holiday. That being said, after a few nights, you may be pining for something else, so keep reading to see what else is on the menu. 

Madagascar’s National Dish, Romazava

A hearty meat stew teamed with leafy greens and an array of spices; romazava rarely disappoints. Typically consisting of pork, chicken or beef, and served over rice, romazava is a popular lunch or dinner dish. The combination of mustard greens, ginger, chillies, and watercress makes for a spicy yet peppery taste. 

The Veggie Dish: Lasary

Lasary is the dish you’ll reach for when you’ve had enough zebu steak, spicy dishes and fried snacks (don’t worry, we’ll get to those later). Close to the only vegetarian dish, you’ll find on the menu, lasary consists of carrots, green beans and onion bought together by a vinaigrette which gives it a sour taste. Bear in mind, in Madagascan cities, ‘lasary’ refers to a sauce of pickled lemons and mangos. 

Malagasy Breakfast Calls: Mofo Gasy

Madagascar’s version of breakfast pancakes, the dough of mofo gasy is made with flour, yeast, water, sugar and cream of rice. They are then deep-fried in a special mould and served with maple syrup, juice and fruits. Depending on where you are in the country, mofo gasy recipes and toppings will vary. To try these crispy pancakes with a chewy centre, head to a street food stall and wash them down with a coffee. 

Malagasy-Style Fried Rice

It would be rude to get through a list of Madagascan must-try foods without mentioning the country’s staple dish. A lot of vegetables including carrots, bell peppers, sweetcorn, bok choy and spring onions are thrown into a portion of their beloved rice fried in oil with slices of meat, eggs and shrimp added in for good measure. The dish has a rich and spicy flavour and is the perfect people-pleaser. 

Koba, Traditional Madagascan Dessert

For those with a sweet tooth, koba is a dish of mashed bananas, vanilla beans, ground peanuts and honey - delicious! With the addition of cornflour, these ingredients form a batter which is then wrapped in banana leaves and boiled or steamed to the sweet sensation you’ll find sold at almost every transport stop and market all over the country. 

Snacks, Snacks & More Snacks

Madagascan cuisine has its fair share of snacks that you can pick up on the go, perfect for long journeys or a day on the beach. Mofo-anana translates to bread and leafy greens. The greens are cooked well before being added to a bread batter which is then deep-fried to create tiny little fritters. Dip them in a hot sauce of chilli, garlic and ginger, and you’ve got yourself a winner. 

Crispy spring rolls? Yes, please. Nem are crunchy, deep-fried spring rolls filled with beef, leek, potato, cabbage and onions. Eaten on their own or dipped in a tangy sauce, they are Madagascar’s much-loved street food go-to. 

You may be beginning to notice a theme there; many of Madagascar’s snacks are deep-fried. Continuing on the same thread, we have sambusa. Very similar to an Indian samosa but much milder, they are deep-fried, triangular savoury pastries filled with ground beef and potatoes. 

Ranovola

Rice is such a big part of Madagascar that there are even special drinks made from it. Ranovola is the staple drink of the country. To prepare the drink, a cup of cooked rice is heated over a flame until a toasty smell is given off. Water is then added before the cup is left to cool and then strained into a glass of ice. The resulting drink is both refreshing, nutritious and worth a trip on your Madagascar trip. 

Madagascar is a unique, culturally varied country. To understand the festivals and celebrations that take place, it’s important to understand the country’s diversity. Over half of the population follow traditional beliefs and practices, whilst 40% practice Christianity and around 5% of the popular are followers of Islam. 

Famadihana

Malagasy people believe that the soul is immortal, so you may notice that many of their popular celebrations revolve around death, the most important part of life in their view. One of the most important festivals is Famadihana or the Turning of the Bones Festival. 

Unlike others in the country, there is no specific date for this festival. It takes place every seven to nine years between June and September. The main ceremony involves exhuming the remains of deceased loved ones from family crypts, carrying them back to town or a special place where the celebrations continue. Families will take care of the bodies, eat and drink with them, put on new burial clothes and perform ritual dancing before returning them back to their crypts. 

If you want to experience this particular festival, our Local Designers in Madagascar will be able to make this extraordinary experience a reality. 

Christmas, New Year & Easter

Due to the large population of Christians on the island, these three holidays play a pivotal role in society. Over Christmas, people will travel to visit loved ones, and exchange gifts, and colourful fairs and parades will take place on Christmas Eve in the large cities. Easter celebrations are very much along the same lines, with many outdoor festivities taking over the city. 

Both the Catholic New Year and Taom-baovao, the local New Year, are celebrated on or around 1st January of each year. Fireworks, concerts and traditional shows form the backbone of these celebrations. 

Independence Day

The most important annual celebration in June, Fetim-Pyrenees or Independence Day, celebrates Madagascar’s freedom from French colonisation on 26th June. These public holidays come with their fair share of street performances, parades, processions, concerts and carnivals. They are an explosion of colour and cultural celebrations. 

Feria Oramena

Held in June, Feria Oramena is a celebration of Madagascar’s prized seafood, lobsters. The multi-day celebration involves shows, exhibitions and of course, lots of fresh fish dishes enjoyed by everyone in attendance. 

Here are some quick tips to send you on your way!

Language: Malagasy and French are the official languages of Madagascar, with English spoken in the major tourist destinations but usually only by tour guides. 

Currency: Madagascan currency is the Madagascar Aviary (Ary), but Euros and US Dollars are also accepted. In some remote regions of the island, Franc malgache remains in use. At the time of writing, July 2021, US$1 is equal to 3909 Ary. 

Biodiversity and Conservation: Every year, dozens of new species are discovered in Madagascar. These species of flora and fauna, including their beloved lemurs (now over 100 species on the island), are protected in over 40 national parks.

Size: Madagascar could fit the UK into it 2.5 times over. It’s huge. As the fourth-largest island in the world, it’s worth bearing in mind travel times when exploring this country. 

Mora mora: The Madagascan mantra. Meaning ‘slowly slowly’, mora mora is the answer to almost everything on this island, especially if you’re in a hurry. Remember to embrace the island vibe and live life here ‘mora mora’. 

A primal Eden that has embraced its traditions, blessed lands and the weird and wonderful that goes along with it, Madagascar is a treasure trove of travel experiences. Every day, Madagascar diversifies and becomes an even more interesting place to visit. 

If visiting the ‘eighth continent’ sounds like the way you’d like to spend some time away, then you can browse our gallery of fully customisable Madagascar trips and connect with one of our Local Designers in Madagascar to make it your own. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, then you can begin designing your own trip from scratch with one of our Local Designers right away. 

What are you waiting for?