Southeast Madagascar

Visas

30 day ($37) or 60 day ($45) Visa on arrival. You can get a visa before arrival which will save a bit of time at the airport, which can be especially handy if trying to make connecting flights. For updates and latest news check

Getting There

Antananarivo is one of the most difficult and expensive capitals to fly to. Get to Mauritius, Réunion or South Africa. Air Madí is reliable and don’t charge much for boards. Flights to Tulear are $350r/t and get full, book early. It’s a 1h ride by Snipper Euro boat (8h overland by 4x4) from Tulear to Anakao ($40, r/t) and 1h15 to Ifaty. Dep tax: $15 SOUTHWEST MADAGASCAR Visa on arrival costs $30. Most flights go through “Tana” (TNR) mostly from Paris via Air France or Air Madagascar. Fly to Fort-Dauphin (FTU) from Reunion Island for $600 return. From Tana, fly FTU or Tulear (TLE) but most transport is organized from FTU. Then, 6-8h by 4WD to Lavanono or rent a Cessna to land at the Lavanono airstrip; 3pax for $900 o/w.

Getting Around

Think of this as an adventure, give yourself ample time, book early and fly as much as possible as the road system across the South is virtually non-existent. There are plenty of taxis in and around Fort Dauphin but Zebu cow carts are the local, extremely rudimentary, form of transport in rural areas. Taxi-brousses (local buses) travel between towns at about 15km/h (10mph) only departing when packed with people, not to a schedule. It’s hard to rent motorised dugouts; most are sailing (SW) or paddle (SE) pirogues (expect to pay 18 Euros / 25 USD a day). A 4WD with driver is the best and often the only reliable way of getting around, however they are expensive (expect to pay about 55 Euros / 75 USD a day plus fuel).
SOUTHWEST MADAGASCAR Domestic flights are expensive FTU to TLE is $320 r/t and can be fully booked. Taxi-Brousse overland transport is amazingly slow (and cheap), only use it if you have lots of time. Renting a 4WD in FTU with a driver costs $300-350/day with Lavasoa. Beware with pirogue cruises, it can take days. Zebu cow cart trips are a classic!

Accommodation

Fort Dauphin has changed dramatically in recent years due to the construction of a deep water port for Rio Tinto’s mining activity in the region. This has had the effect of pushing up prices somewhat but also means that there is a great range of accommodation available, local roads have improved and numerous restaurants and bars are more attuned to visitors tastes.

From Luxury hotels like the Kaleta (rooms 55 – 120 Euros / $75 - $160) and Azura (58 - 85 Euros/ $78 - $113) which have swimming pools, romantic hideaways like the Lavasoa (bungalows 40 or 45 Euros / $54 - $59) to budget hotels like the Petit Bonheur overlooking Monseigneur Baie (rooms 22 or 30 Euro / $29 or $39), the Gina Village in the heart of town (bungalows 18 Euros / $25) or the Baie de Sainge Hotel (bungalows 15 Euro/ $20) there is something to match all requirements. There are great restaurants in town offering main courses for around $6-9 / 4-7 Euros and the local beer is just under 1 Euro / just over $1. For those on a budget try out the local Malagasy Hotely which serve tasty rice & stew for less than $2 / 1.5 Euros.

Activities

Madagascar or ‘the Great Red Island’ is a land like no other. The fourth largest island in the world, roughly the size of France, it has been isolated from Africa for over 150 million years resulting in 70-80% of the plants and animals found on the island existing nowhere else on Earth. The island is home to Lemurs (the endemic primates that Hollywood thinks ‘like to move it move it’), brightly coloured Chameleons, huge Baobab trees, 1,000s of orchids and many other strange plants and animals. If you would like to experience the wildlife during your visit, the Andohahela National Park, the Berenty & Nahampoana Private Reserves and Lac Anony are all en route to the waves and well worth a visit. Climb Pic St Louis the mountain behind Fort Dauphin for dramatic views or picnic at one of the many waterfalls in the area. From June – September keep your eyes open and you will see whales migrating along the south east coast and if you are lucky you will surf with dolphins or turtles who sometimes join in the fun.

Madagascar is also a land of extraordinary cultural richness. It's a place where ancestors are as much a part of the present day as they are of the past; where in many areas custom takes precedence over the law and western-style religion is freely mixed with beliefs in sorcery and unparalleled funerary customs, which create tombs with Zebu cattle skulls and intriguing decorations – please ask permission before photographing these. The Malagasy - the name for the people of the island - are descended from Indonesians who arrived on the island only around 2,000 years ago with Arab and African influences arriving later. After a period marked by the presence of pirates along the eastern coast, Madagascar was colonized by the French in the late 19th century. Madagascar won its independence in 1960 and is today a democratic state. The French language today remains the only widely spoken European language, with most rural people outside of major cities speaking only their own regional dialect.

Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries. The country's economy is based on agriculture, mining, fishing, clothes production and famously vanilla. The average Malagasy makes only around $1 US per day, while 70% of the Malagasy live below the world poverty line. Nearly half of Madagascar's children under five are malnourished and there has been an ongoing drought in the spiny desert for many years. Despite hardships the Malagasy are known for their hospitality and preference for debate over conflict.

Hazards & hassles

At the time of writing, Madagascar is currently politically unstable due to an ongoing power struggle for the presidency. But thanks to Malagasy nature there has been no trouble of any kind in the Fort Dauphin region or in most of the rest of the country outside the capital and larger towns. If you plan to spend time in Antananarivo or in Tulear it is best to avoid crowds and don’t go out too far from your accommodation at night. It is also best to avoid travelling at night in extremely remote rural areas, a good guide will be able to advise you.

Despite Madagascar being an extremely poor country, you will experience few hassles on land or in the water. Malagasy are famous for being friendly and accommodating and a polite refusal is all you usually need if you are being offered something you don’t want. Your belongings and safety are rarely at risk so long as you are sensible i.e. don’t leave things out for the taking or walk around alone after dark.

Do get up to date medical advice and all recommended travel inoculations as you don’t want to end up in a Malagasy hospital. There is malaria in Madagascar so you should take appropriate prophylaxis and cover up with spray and long sleeves/trousers in the evening. There are no mosquitoes once you get into the southern spiny desert but you will encounter them en route! Do ensure that you have good medical insurance that will evacuate you in case of emergency.

Madagascar’s reputation for sharks comes from the East coast (Tamatave records an average of around 13 bites a year) and the west coast as it is on the Mozambique Channel home of the notorious Zambezi Shark (also known as the Bull Shark or Bronze Whaler) which likes to swim up rivers to forage. However the sharks of Fort Dauphin appear not to be very interested in coming inshore, some say because of ocean currents, some say because there is plenty of food further out, all of which is great news for surfers. However it is always best to have a local guide with you at all times and always follow the rules of surfing safely: no surfing with an open and seeping wound, no surfing at dawn, dusk or in murky water.

Handy Hints

If you can come in a group of 4 or 5 – this means that with a guide & a driver you will fit into one 4WD making travel more cost effective.

No surf equipment can be purchased and very little is available for hire in Fort Dauphin – in fact local surfers are always desperate for anything you can leave behind. If you can, bring a board to leave with one of the local surf associations for the locals to share - you will have friends for life! Bring at least one short and one long board with you so you have something whatever the conditions. Your equipment should be able to withstand powerful conditions as sand bottom waves with the right swell and wind can make for strong conditions. Don’t forget spare leashes, fins and a ding repair kit. You would only need a big wave gun if you are planning to visit Anakao in May – July.

If you want to travel on a budget, bring a tent. This will also enable you to visit remote breaks where no accommodation is available.

If you don’t speak French, you may have difficulties as there are very few surf guides who speak good English. Book your trip in advance with www.surfbornnaked.com and you will be guided by Samson, the only British qualified surf instructor and lifeguard in Fort Dauphin. If you want to turn up and risk it, don’t get collared at the airport but ask for Samson, Flav or Tsilavo down on Baie de Sainge beach.

Malagasy culture is based around a number of ‘fady’ or taboos. These are numerous and vary depending on where you are in the country. For example, in Fort Dauphin it is considered extremely rude to touch another person’s head. It is important to understand the local fady and respect them – a good guide will ensure you don’t accidentally upset locals, especially if you plan to explore areas where tourists rarely visit.

Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.