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A trip to Madagascar?
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A trip to Madagascar?

How to get there?

On a regional level, Air Austral serves Madagascar from Réunion, Air Mauritius from Mauritius and South African Airways and South African Airlink from South Africa.

Entrance formalities

A visitor's visa is required for anyone wishing to visit Madagascar as a tourist. Here is the list of documents required to obtain this visa:

  • Have a passport valid for 6 months after the date of stay.

  • A form to be completed in quadruplicate, issued by the consulate of the country of departure or certain travel agencies. 5 passport photos.

  • A transport ticket (return air ticket).

  • Fee payment

Visas can also be issued at the airport of arrival in Antananarivo, the country's capital, or in provincial towns (Nosy Be, Sainte Marie, Tamatave, Diego Suarez, Fort Dauphin and Tuléar) for regional flights from Réunion.

Here is the list of Madagascar's embassies and consulates abroad for obtaining a visa

  • Afrique du Sud

    South Africa

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Pretoria. 90 B Tait Street, Colbyn, P. O. Box 11722 , Queenswood 0120 Pretoria, South Africa

  • Fax : (+27) 86 535 5173

  • Consulate General of Madagascar in Cape Town. 77, Newlands Avenue P. O. Box 44612, Claremont, 7735 Cape Town, South Africa

  • Phone: (+27) 21 674 7238

  • Fax : (+27) 21 674 6716

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Durban. P. O. Box 20554 Durban North 4016, South Africa

  • Phone: (+27) 31 564 4927

  • Website : madagascarconsul.com

  • Allemagne

    Germany

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Berlin. Seepromenade 92 14612 Falkensee (Brandenburg), Germany

  • Phone : (+49) 3322 231 40

  • Fax : (+49) 3322 23 14 29

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Düsseldorf. Graf-Recke-Strasse 43 40239 Düsseldorf, Germany

  • Phone : (+49) 211 914 29 17

  • Fax : (+49) 211 699 06 02

  • Honorary Consulate General of Madagascar in Hamburg. Christoph-Probst-Weg 4 20251 Hamburg, Germany

  • Phone : (+49) 40 611 353 10

  • Fax : (+49) 40 611 353 11

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Munich. Kafkastrasse 6 81737 München, Germany

  • Phone : (+49) 89 431 36 75

  • Fax : (+49) 89 454 586 84

  • Belgique

    Belgium

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Brussels. Avenue de Tervuren 276 1150 Brussels, Belgium

  • Phone: (+32) 2 770 17 26

  • Fax : (+32) 2 772 37 31

  • Canada

    Canada

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Ottawa. 3 Raymond Street, Ottawa Ottawa, ON K1R 1A3, Canada

  • Téléphone : (+1) 613 567 0505

  • Fax : (+1) 613 567 2882

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Calgary. 8944 Bayridge Drive, S.W. Calgary, AB T2V 3M8, Canada

  • Phone : (+1) 403 262 5576

  • Fax : (+1) 403 262 3556

  • Honorary Consulate General of Madagascar in Montreal. 2160 de la Montagne Street, Suite 330 Montreal, QC H3G 2T3, Canada

  • Phone : (+1) 514 847 5252

  • Fax : (+1) 514 849 8008

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Quebec. 2915 de Valmont, Sainte-Foy Quebec, QC G1W 1Y8, Canada

  • Phone : (+1) 418 651 8647

  • Fax : (+1) 418 651 8647

  • Chine

    China

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Beijing. No. 3, San Li Tun Dong Jie Beijing 100600, China

  • Phone : (+86) 10 6532 1353

  • Fax : (+86) 10 6532 2102

  • États-Unis

    United States

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Washington, D.C. 2374 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20008, United States

  • Phone : (+1) 202 265 5525

  • Fax : (+1) 202 265 3034

  • Consulate General of Madagascar in New York. 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800 New York, NY 10017, United States

  • Phone : (+1) 212-986-9491

  • Fax : (+1) 212-986-6271

  • France

    France

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Paris. 4, avenue Raphaël 75016 Paris, France

  • Phone : (+33) 1 45.04.62.11

  • Fax : (+33) 1 45.03.58.70

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Amiens. 7, rue Duthoit 80000 Amiens, France

  • Phone : (+33) 3 22 92 26 26

  • Fax : (+33) 3 22 91 76 73

  • Consulat honoraire de Madagascar à Bordeaux. 19, rue Thiac 33000 Bordeaux, France

  • Phone : (+33) 5 56.44.78.81

  • Fax : (+33) 5 56.44.78.81

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Havre. 71 rue Jules Siegfried 76600 Le Havre, France

  • Phone : (+33) 2 35.44.00.92

  • Fax : (+33) 2 35.43.07.16

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Lyon. c/o CCI Lyon Métropole 3, place de la bourse 69289 Lyon Cedex 02, France

  • Téléphone : (+33) 7 69 62 14 19

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Marseille. 234, boulevard Périer 13008 Marseille, France

  • Phone : (+33) 4 91.15.16.91

  • Fax : (+33) 4 91.53.79.58

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Moulins. 45, boulevard de Courtais 03000 Moulins, France

  • Phone : (+33) 4 70.44.13.44

  • Fax : (+33) 4 70.44.13.44

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Nantes. 6 Place Sarradin 44 000 Nantes, France

  • Phone : (+33) 9 71 27 66 57

  • Fax : (+33) 2 40 85 43 68

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar in Saint-Étienne. 7 Rue Claude Lebois 42000 St. Etienne, France

  • Phone : (+33) 4 77.32.66.63

  • Fax : (+33) 4 77.37.25.23

  • Italie

    Italie

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Rome. Via Riccardo Zandonai, 84/A 00194 Roma, Italie

  • Fax : (+39) 06 8927 236

  • Phone: (+39) 06 8932 5880

  • Maurice

    Maurice

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Port Louis. Rue Guiot Pasceau, Floreal P.O.Box 3, Port Louis, Maurice

  • Fax : (+230) 686 7040

  • Phone: (+230) 686 5015 – (+230) 686 5016

  • La Réunion

    La Réunion

  • Honorary Consulate of Madagascar inSaint-Denis. 29 rue St Joseph Ouvrier 97400 Saint-Denis, Reunión

  • Phone: (+262) 262.72.07.30

  • Royaume-Uni

    Royaume-Uni

  • Embassy of Madagascar in Londres. 307A, 10 Greycoat Place SW1P 1SB London, Royaume-Uni

Health

A few precautions should be taken before, during and after your trip.
As a priority, take a course of anti-malaria medication. No vaccinations are compulsory, but it is advisable to take precautions against tetanus, polio, diphtheria, typhoid and hepatitis A and B. Consult your doctor before you leave. Don't forget your first-aid kit, especially if you're planning to hike with all the essentials (plasters, insect-bite cream, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-inflammatory).
When it comes to food and drink, prefer mineral water and wash plenty of fruit and vegetables. Local culinary specialities should be eaten in moderation for those with weak stomachs. In Madagascar, spices are abundant (curry, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, etc.) but unlike the neighbouring islands (Creole cuisine), local specialities are not very spicy; chilli pepper is always on the side, but never cooked with the dish. Enjoy your stay, though! Madagascar is a difficult destination, but it's so rich that any little worries quickly disappear when faced with the magnificence of nature. The island is unique in the world!
Managing water

Digestive problems are the most common health problems encountered. They are most often caused by changes in diet and, in the bush, by the poor quality of running water. To avoid them, eat well-cooked food, wash and peel fruit and vegetables thoroughly, and use bottled, sealed water, even for brushing your teeth. In the bush, where bottled mineral water is scarce, use products such as Aquatab, Micropur, Micropur express (for hikers who need the product to work for a short time). We also recommend Micropur Forte Dccna (in combination with silver ions), which is the only product on the market that not only purifies the water, but also preserves it (the water remains drinkable for up to 6 months); ideal for motorhome or boat tanks). This product eliminates both bacteria and viruses in 30 minutes, as well as parasites (amoebas, giardia, cryptosporidium) in 2 hours.

What to bring with you

  • Suncream and sunglasses

  • mosquito repellent lotion or cream

  • cap

  • wide-brimmed hat (can be bought on site)

  • flip-flops and walking shoes for hikes

  • torch

  • rechargeable batteries for your cameras

  • Swiss knife

Telecommunications

To reach Madagascar, dial: 00 261 followed by the number of one of the operators (20 for Télécom Malagasy for landlines and 34 for mobiles, 32 for Orange, 33 for Airtel). Then dial the number of your correspondent.

Telephones are still absent from many regions, but mobile telephony is becoming a way of life in Madagascar.

Major cities have their own post offices, so when sending mail and postcards, allow at least 4 to 5 days for delivery from the capital in France, and at least a week for delivery from the provinces.

Internet

The major cities are generally well connected to the internet; most of the country's major towns have internet connections and most hotels have Wi-Fi facilities. Cybercafés are also to be found just about everywhere, providing an important service for communicating with the outside world.

Banques & Argent

The local currency is the Ariary (MGA), which replaced the Malagasy Franc (FMG) in 2005. 1MGA is worth 5FMG. The Ariary is a ‘floating’ currency, i.e. it fluctuates according to local and international economic conditions and is linked to the two main international currencies, the Euro and the US Dollar. Currently, €1 is worth around MGA4,000 and $1 is worth MGA3,700.

In the towns, most banks accept foreign exchange transactions by card. Visa and Mastercard are accepted by Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, Bank of Africa and Mauritius Commercial Bank. American Express foreign exchange transactions are also possible with MCB. Each bank offers its customers ATMs, but most have withdrawal limits (around the equivalent of €170 per day for Visa, €200 per day for Mastercard).

NB :

A word of warning for bankcards: during foreign exchange transactions, withdrawals can sometimes be delayed due to a lack of internet connection, so you need to bring enough cash with you, especially at weekends.

Major hotels also accept payment by bank card, plus a commission of around 5%. Bank opening and closing hours are 08:00 to 16:00 in the capital and 08:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00 in the provinces.

Electricity

The voltage is 220V. The most commonly used sockets in Madagascar are type F.

Transports

Taxis are not metered, and the fare is fixed before departure according to the route to be covered. In several provincial towns (Antsirabe, Tamatave, Tuléar, Mahajanga, Manakara), you also have to negotiate the fare beforehand. Rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are also available in these provincial towns, as are taxis, so negotiate the fare in advance.

The Climate

The climate is tropical and wet.

The year is marked by two main seasons: the hot, humid rainy season, which begins in mid-November and lasts until late March or mid-April. From January to the end of March is the period when tropical cyclones can disrupt the weather. Madagascar is hit by two to three cyclones a year.

The dry season is cooler and runs from April to September. The southern winter runs from June to the end of August. May and September are between summer and winter, and are the best months to visit Madagascar. However, you should take precautions when visiting the Highlands, and bring warm clothing, as the temperature can vary considerably given the country's vast surface area and altitude. It can be very hot during the day and very cold at night.

In Andringitra, for example, between the Plateau des extra-terrestres at an altitude of 2,000m and the Tsaranoro Valley at 900m, the temperature range in winter is very wide, varying from -5°C at altitude to 29°C in the valley.

And don't forget the sun! In the south-west, on the beaches of Ifaty, temperatures easily reach 40°C in October-November.

For information :
During the austral summer (November to March)

  • In the Central Highlands: from 18° to 25°C, rainy to stormy afternoons and evenings from mid-November to the end of March.

  • In the south, south-west, north and north-west: from 20° to 32°C, rainy evenings from mid-November to the end of March.

  • All along the east coast: from 20°C to 28°C, rainy all day and into the evening. The island of Sainte Marie has the highest rainfall in the country at this time of year.

During the austral winter (from June to the end of August)

  • In the central highlands: from 5° to 15°C in the morning, between 10° and 18°C in the afternoon. In the Antsirabe region, temperatures can drop to 0°C or less at dawn, and as low as -10°C in the Andringitra.

  • In the south, south-west, north and north-west: between 15° and 25°C, often cool in the morning and at the end of the day, especially by the sea.

  • All along the east coast: between 15 and 25°C, often cool in the morning and at the end of the day, frequent morning spits.

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