Some of the Rhino Africa team recently visited the exotic island of Madagascar. Poor them… The team consisted of three of our travel consultants and our video man. None of them had been to Madagascar before. Now they can’t talk about anything else. Their Facebook pages are rife with snaps from Mad. Which is what they nicknamed the island – Mad. That’s how much they liked it.
They visited Tana, Andasibe/Perinet (Mantadia National Park), Anjajavy and Nosy Be during the trip. This is what they had to say…
Find out more below and watch the video:
Antananarivo
Antananarivo is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It’s also known by its French colonial shorthand form ‘Tana’. There is not a lot to do here but it makes for a very interesting city, and a very beautiful, photogenic one that’s ideal for photographers. The city is quite spread out and built around a series of hills with old buildings found on top of them and rice paddies, livestock and brick-makers between. The Malagasy people eat more rice per capita than any of the Asian countries.
We went on the Tana city tour and visited the The Rova of Antananarivo, which is the remains of the royal palace that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century. Another place of interest is the Marche Artisanal De La Digue, an arts and crafts market on the outskirts. Expect haggling! The roads are narrow, winding and potholed but orderly, with no chaos or noise. We went to two great restaurants – Cafe de la Gare (Station Cafe) and Ku De Ta. Tana is easily accessible en-route to or from the airport.
We stayed at Le Pavillon de l’Emyrne, a beautifully restored guesthouse.
TRAVEL TIPS:
- Be sure to draw ariary – the currency – at the airport. One ariary is subdivided into 5 iraimbilanja. It is difficult/ illegal to exchange elsewhere. Euros are more widely accepted than USD. You can pay hotels in €/$ but the exchange rate’s not always favourable.
- Credit cards are not accepted everywhere, but where they are, Visa is normally your best bet.
- At hotels/lodges, it’s advised to tip at the end of your stay rather than every time you sign a bill. At Anjajavy and Vakona it’s recommended to leave a tip envelope in a tip box at reception. Recommended amount is $10 (or equivalent) per person per day.
- Bring your own insect repellent.
Vakona Lodge & Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs! Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is Madagascar’s most accessible rainforest park, famous for the Indri Lemur, a lemur that sings like a whale but looks like a cross between a human and a panda. The park is also known for its other lemur species, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Excellent guides are available.
Where we stayed – Vakona Forest Lodge – was amazing, located 15 minutes by car from the main entrance to Andasibe National Park. Accommodation is in 24 spacious bungalows with heaters (important in winter). All bungalows have a mini bar and en suite bathrooms. A magnificent lounge and restaurant, serving delicious meals, are built around a central fireplace. There’s a small souvenir shop, board games, snooker table, swimming pool, horse riding, table tennis, TV, a squash court, hikes and a golf driving range!
TRAVEL TIP: Bring a head torch for night walks to see the nocturnal Lemurs.
See more photos in our Facebook Album!
No Roads Lead to Anjajavy…
Anjajavy is the most remote place we have ever been to. It’s a 1.5 hour plane ride from Tana with amazing views. Anjajavy International Airport is basically a banana leaf hut. We were met by Cedric, the General Manager and one of the most passionate people in the world. He LOVES Madagascar and Anjajavy and it shows. We stayed at Anjajavy l’Hôtel. Arriving here feels like walking into paradise; it’s very impressive and a Relais & Chateax property. It has the softest, green grass with love birds on it and an infinity pool surrounded with palm trees, which lead down to the beach. There are eight private beaches and simple classy villas with a kids room upstairs.
High tea with the lemurs was amazing. They naturally cross the area at 4:30pm every day. There are several activities on offer, such as bike rides, snorkeling, walks, wind surfing and boats trips. The food was excellent considering everything has to be flown in. It’s quite pricey but, all in all, an amazing property. Highly recommended.
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is the biggest and most popular beach destination on the island of Madagascar. It is located about eight kilometers (5 miles) from the coast of Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel; several smaller islands are located nearby, including Nosy Komba, Nosy Mitsio, Nosy Sakatia, and Nosy Tanikely. The island is known for having the world’s smallest frog (Stumpffia pygmaea) and chameleon (Brookesia minima).
Here we stayed at:
1. Vanila Hotel
- There’s a fantastic Manager on duty here and a very authentic feeling to the place. The hotel is close to the beach, only a few steps down to the beach. There are garden and ocean facing Rooms and Prestige Suites (each suite with a Jacuzzi). All rooms have a safe, mini bar, TV and aircon. The food is amazing and there’s a beautiful Spa as well.
2. Amarina Hotel
- This big beach resort has 58 rooms, all with a safe, mini bar, TV and aircon. They offer buffet meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and there is a diving centre. The hotel is kid friendly with programmes for children. Be aware that there are no English TV channels or anything written in English.
3. L’Heure Bleue
- It’s situated on the beachfront, but slightly elevated above, with the most amazing views. The furniture in the bedrooms and public areas features some stunning wood work. There are 10 bungalows with private patios and amazing beach views. The luxury rooms are further away and higher up from the beach. They’re private with incredible views as well. All rooms have a safe, mini bar, TV and fans. They are busy building another swimming pool and extra luxury rooms with plunge pools.
TOURS
There’s no substitute for first-hand knowledge. We’ve compiled three tried and tested itineraries/tours, to give you an idea of what’s possible. You might even want to combine some time in Madagascar visiting the lemurs with a trip to the Kruger National Park to see the Big 5!
Contact one of our Madagascar travel experts today and let’s start planning your own, tailor-made Madagascar holiday of a lifetime!
Love the Palm Trees !