Madagascar Mini Guide
The Republic of Madagascar is a large island in the Indian Ocean which is famed for its unique flora and fauna.
Located a few hundred kilometres off the coast of South Eastern Africa, Madagascar and its ecologically rich forests are home to many species of lemurs as well as chameleons and the Elephant bird which is thought to be the largest bird that has ever lived.
It also has magnificent baobab trees, octopus trees and the carnivorous pitcher plant while vanilla and peppers are grown here too. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and has 5% of all the plant and animal species on earth.
Airlines which fly into Madagascar include Madagascar Air and the French carrier Corsair and the main cities from which you can get flights to Madagascar are Bangkok, Johannesburg and Paris.
Some people like to really experience Madagascar in an exciting way by coming into the island via boat. There are a number of charter yachts which can be hired for this which are fully equipped with necessities and luxuries. This also gives you a good opportunity to go snorkelling, swimming and scuba diving, three activities which are not to be missed.
There are many wonderful natural sights to be explored here such as waterfalls and caves and it is a good idea to rent a car and then drive to spots from which you can walk on amazing nature trails.
However, the state of the roads on the island may leave something to be desired. You are advised to hire a four by four vehicle to cope with any crater-sized potholes you might come across and this is a must during the rainy season when things can get pretty muddy.
When you are getting your bearings in Madagascar you should know that there are six provinces which are Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, and Toliara, and Antananarivo is the capital of the country.
Madagascar used to be colonised by the French but today people there speak their own language which is known as Malagasy.
There is a cultural mix of people on the island and you may be surprised to find that its inhabitants have customs more similar to Arabs than those of Africans. After all, Madagascar used to be a stopping point along the Indian Ocean spice route.
The ariary is the currency of Madagascar and 2,500 ariary is about 1 € while 1500 ariary is approximately 1 US$.