Madagascar is a big island in the Indian Ocean, about 587 041 Km², classified as the fourth-largest island in the world. It’s very rich in biodiversity and more than 80% of its wildlife are endemics so you can’t found anywhere else on Earth. Among its most notable kind of biodiversity are the lemur family of primates and its baobab trees.and rare nature as Tsingy.

The Republic of Madagascar is situated at the latitudes 12°S and 26°S, and longitudes 43°E and 51°E, off the eastern coast of Africa Neighboring islands of La Réunion and Mauritius.

• Government: unitary semi presdential constitutional republic
• Independence day: 26 June 1960
• Area: 587,040 km²
• Population: 24 millions
• GDP: Total $10,372 million (est 2017)
• HDI: $ 405 (2017)
• Currency: Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
• Time zone: UTC+3
• Internet TLD: .mg
• Calling code: + 261
• Malagasy motto: Fitiavana, Fahafahana, Fandrosoana (Love, Liberty, Progress)
• Anthem: Ry Tanindraza nay malala ô (Oh, Our Beloved Fatherland)

About VISA

All visitors to Madagascar are required to have a visa and you can pay and get a visa on arrival at the airport for stays up to 30, 60 and 90 days A passport valid for six month after the date of entry is required Short stay visa is about 35 euro (for 30 days) Make sure an entry stamp is recorded in your passport. A tourist visa has a maximum validity of 3 months and isn’t extendable.

Health and vaccination

In Madagascar specific vaccination is not required in the health and immigration desk. Hospitals and healthcare in Madagascar spread throughout the country. However, services are sometimes not the same in your country. Private healthcare is also available. Pharmacies are limited so visitors should get their personal medecine. There is no emergency ambulance service on the island, even though private ambulance is available. Malaria is a little bit risk in Madagascar in the eastern part of the region, make sure to do the required steps to protect yourself by taking simply the safety measure by tablets of anti-malaria or vaccination in your country. But in the north, at Diego Suarez town, there is no case of malaria as the data from The regional direction of the public Health (2017).

About the weather

We can subdivide Madagascar into five main regions, the center, the south, the north, the east and the west. And each subdivision has its own tourist attractions and climate(as the map ). With the greatness of the country, visitors do not have enough time to visit everything but it is better to plan your stay, around the attractions on some regions you need and climates. The subtropical climate of Madagascar is generally hot. The dry season, a little cold starts in mid May to October (winter) and the rainy season is between late November and the end of March (summer). a great variation of temperature is seen according to the altitude and geography. The east coast is quite humid, while the west coast is dry. South and Southwest are dry with very little rain. the mountainous region in highland is fresher, as ambatolampy, antsirabe (06 ° C to 18) and antananarivo.the temperature varies but indicatively from 18 ° C to 23 and from 27 ° C to 32 C° in the coast If you discover the Eastern region, be sure to bring accessories to protect yourself against the rain.

Insurances

For visitors, Health insurance included in insurance trip is recommended; it should include cover for emergency repatriation. Our agency, Madabest, tour operator has insurance about profesionnal civil responsabilities.It covers damage to travelers, service providers or third parties as a result of faults, errors of fact , omissions or negligence committed in connection with the offer, organization and the sale, from our travel agent , our employees

Food and Drink

Eating well is one of the pleasure when you visit Madagascar. Wherever, you will find freshly prepared original dishes. The cuisine of Madagascar is quite simple. Traditionally the Malagasy eat a pile of rice, accompanying portion of meat,or fish and vegetables with sauce and romazava. The local hotels serve local cuisine that is almost always excellent, especially on the coast, where lobster, crayfish, and other seafood are available. Meat lovers will appreciate zebu steaks. Malagasy cuisine are: Romazava (rice and type of beef/chicken/fish stew with leaves )., Ravitoto (pork served with shredded cassava leaves)., Lasary colorful chutney usually made from lemon, mango or papaya – or sometimes tomato, peanuts or vegetables). Incredible dishes can be found in the less desirable places, but in hotels usually offer a fixed menu. the menu is written on the board: henan-omby (meat of zebu/beef), henan-borona / hen’akoho (chicken), henan-kisoa (pork), trondro or henan-drano / hazan drano ( fish), Tsaramaso (rice with beans and pork)all served with various (rice).the price is from 1,3 euro to 4 euro/dish. There are many fresh food and fruits here and Vegetarians can easily be accommodated Travelers with unusual dietetic requirements have not difficulties, they would communicate only their case and will be respected. Tourist establishments serve meals with the rice or fries to accompaniment and another many choices. Pepper corn sauce. Seafood naturally is abundant, including many manner of fish or seafood preparation, Pizza is admired everywhere. Chinese dishes are also available. Meanwhile, European menu are served by restaurants.The price is from 5 euro to 20 euro/dish About fruit, we have several fruit as limon ; citrus, bananas, apples, pineapples, papayas, , mangoes, guavas, coconuts, peaches , jackfruit., also strawberries, , lychees, pineapples etc… At the end, There are nice cheeses and yoghurt produced locally, good quality and available in smaller shops.

Drink

0-Visitors should take care about drinking water . Water quality country wide is untill now not safety and need to be sterilized or boiled before use for drinking. It’s wise to acquire safety mineral water for drinking per day. In our services, we offer you one bottle of safe water per day Meanwhile There are some drinks: 1-Ranovola or ranonapango(burnt rice water, made by boiling water in the pan in which rice has just been cooked appreciated by many travellers). 2-The most popular drink, Three Horses beer, known as THB, have won awards around the world, is very appreciated, cheap and wonderful in hot weather. THB (available in bottles , cans),.about 01 euro/bottle of 75cl 3-Malagasy wine, « Maromby » ( typically of an average table wine quality; it is produced in red, white, rosé and grey types). 4-Litchel (an aperitif made from lychees) is also good appetize 5-There also ‘ Dzama’ , a local rhum, have won also awards around the world. 6-Local drinks as fermented sugar cane juice called betsabetsa (at the east coast), or coconut fermented juice called trembo (in the north), make a change. The rum arranged are also very appreciated (homemade flavoured rums that are available in great variety – produced with various fruit or spices)

Accommodation

A big effort has been made in accommodation in Madagascar to bring them up to international standards. Rates are generally quoted per room in Madagascar, with the exception of Nosy Be and Sainte Marie. Island Some hotels and resorts in this place quote prices per person from 50 euro. There is a tourist tax, tourist vignette, from 1000 to 3000 Ar per room per night. This is usually absorbed in the price but can sometimes be additional to the rates quoted. Outside the peak season, many places are open to negotiate discounted rates for stays of several nights. Breakfast is sometimes included in the price. there are many Hotels in urban area, and you have a wide range of room depending of the place and the quality. The « HOTELY » refers to a simple local restaurant rather than accommodation. Outside cities, upper or mid range accommodation is usually done in quiet, comfortable bungalows made from local materials. The price per night is from 8 euro to 90 euro. Most mid-range hotels and budget hotels will take care of your laundry at a very reasonable price. This creates jobs for local people and is an important part of responsible travel. In upper range and top end hotels laundry

Mini ckeck list of your luggages

• Personal necessities, belonging,medicine
• Backpack for cabin & flexible travel bag
• Light or headlamp
• clothing suited warm weather, in wool or polyesters
• light Rain coat
• trekking boots, trekking pants, sandal or relaxing shoes
• sunglasses
• Swimsuit
• Sun cream, spray against Mosquito
• Sun Hat or cap
• Good Physical condition,
• Positive mind to Happiness

MBOLA TSARA (means Hello)

Your experiential holiday by visiting Madagascar, contribute to preserve the treasure of nature inside this big country and to improve the income of local people employing in tourism services . You are So Important for many Malagasy . It’s our pleasure and passion to give you satisfaction. So allow us accompany you to make sure that you live fun holiday,be satisfied by the added values of the place & services and come back with your relatives later, or at least a good witness. Thank you for your confidence. “ we have only one duty :make ourselves Happy!” We wish you the best, success ,health, prosperity and happiness! Jose & Madabest team

SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS IN MADAGASCAR

1. THE SOUTH NATIONAL ROAD 7 FROM TANANARIVO TO TULEAR

It Is the basis for all the southern circuits of the island. You have to cross more than 950km from Antananarivo to Tulear .by car or flight. And this trip allows you to discover the different wonderful landscapes; rolling hills, plains, rice fields, different ethnicities and cultures, handicrafts, woodcarvings, the way of living of the villagers with their tourist attractions, national parks and reserves (Anja, Ranomafana, Isalo and Zombitse), ring tailed lemurs(Lemur Catta), the majestic baobabs and the Mahafaly tombs . At the end we can combine with relaxation and seaside on the beach in Ifaty. …

2. THE DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT NORTH

The base of all the circuits in the North of Madagascar is the combined discovery of Diego suarez, Nosy Be and the attractions along the NR6-NR4 to Ankarafantsika. It allows to combine seaside tours (diving and discovering turtles, colored fishes, corals and whale watching) with wildlife circuits to discover endemic flora & fauna(birds/lemurs),rare natures as the oldest park in Madagascar (Amber Mountain),the smallest chameleon the tsingy(limestone massif) and crowned lemurs of the Ankarana National Park then the sand stone in Red Tsingy,the crocodile antanavo, endemics baobab in Montagne de Francais, snorkeling relax and kite surfing in sakalava bay/ the emerald sea and the city of Diego Suarez with its sugarloaf the attractions on the RN 6 enriched the discovery such as : cocoa plantations, variety of landscape/culture and the Ankarafantsika National Park with its rare birds., endemics wildlife The north is recommended if you do not have enough time, less than 14 days.

3. THE EAST AXIS TOWARD TAMATAVE

It makes you discover a lush landscape and the tropical rain forest in the national parks of Andasibe , Mantadia and also in the private reserves (Peyreiras, Vakona and Palmarium), . you will admire the meeting with many endemic species among others : the largest lemur in the world, Aye Aye and other species like endemics birds etc The extension to the island Sainte Marie is also interesting it is a wonder island with its long beach with these reefs and clear water, lined with coconut trees, the rainforest. Seaside activities like diving are interesting. The humpback whales are easily observed if you plan your visit from July to the end of September.

4. THE ADVENTURE IN THE WESTERN REGION

The base of the circuit of the west is the adventure for the descent of the river Tsiribihina, the discovery of the tsingy of bemaraha and the baobab alley in Morondava. the descent of the river allows to make surprising bivouac by discovering a dry, deciduous vegetation and other fauna endemic: Sifaka, vasa perrot, egrets and crocodiles of the Nil … the discovery of the Tsingy National Park of Bemaraha, the karstic or limestone massif with endemic vegetation and the rare species of lemurs, bats and bird species. The unique alley of the baobabs and its sunset. it’s so impressive.