Madagascar is the world's 4th largest island measuring 1571km in length and 571km at its widest point. The island has its share of white sandy beaches and world class reefs, a drawcard for a variety of tourists and divers.
Mon-Fri 0800-1100 and 1400-1600.
ATMs are available around the capital and in some of the larger towns.
The official currency is the ariary.The international dialing Code for Madagascar is +261.European two-prong plugs - 220v.Madagascar is divided into six provinces:
Antananarivo Province
Antsiranana Province
Fianarantsoa Province
Mahajanga Province
Toamasina Province
Toliara ProvinceAmbohimangaRainforests of the Atsinanana
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
Nosy Be
An island located about eight kilometers (5 miles) off the coast of Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel, this is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist resortDonia Music Festival
The biggest festival of the Indian Ocean, with its 50 000 spectators over 5 days is held every May on the island of Nosy Be.
Antananarivo Province
Antananarivo is the island's capital city - often called Tana. It has French and Asian inspired architecture and winding cobblestone streets and stairways that create a medieval ambience.
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
because of the unique geography, preserved mangrove forests, and wild bird and lemur populations of the area, the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1990.
Ambohimanga
The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga is a site of cultural and historical significance and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001. The site consists of a walled historic village including residences and burial sites of several key members of the royalty of Imerina, the ethnic community that rose to power in the 19th century.
Alahamady Be
The celebration of the Malagasy New Year is held annually in March. Locals dance and revel to traditional music.
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Antsiranana Province
Antsiranana Bay (also known as Diégo-Suarez Bay), the large natural bay along the northeast coast of Madagascar, is considered one of the finest natural harbors in the world. The principal city, Antsiranana, is the second commercial port of the island.
The Ankarana Reserve, 65 kms south of Antsiranana, features a fortress-like limestone plateau decorated with fields of sharp pinnacles. Wildlife abounds in forested canyons and there are incredible caves and subterranean rivers.
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
The Rainforests of the Atsinanana comprise six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island and were declared a World Heritage Site in 2007. The rainforests are inscribed for their importance to both ecological and biological processes as well as their biodiversity and the threatened species they support. Many species are rare and threatened, especially primates and lemurs.
Fianarantsoa Province
Frequently referred to in its abbreviated form of "Fianar", the province is home to four major national parks: Ranomafana National Park, Midongy Du Sud, Isalo National Park, and Andringitra.
The city of Fianarantsoa is surrounded by tea plantations and wine estates. The name, Fianarantsoa, means "the place of good learning".
Ranomafana National Park is an exquisite mountain rainforest home to 12 species of lemur.
Isalo National Park is a hiker's paradise. Erosion has carved into the sandstone.
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Mahajanga Province
The City of Mahajanga is a favorite tourist destination for both Malagasy tourists and international travelers, with beautiful beaches, a coconut-lined boardwalk (La Boru), and eight months of hot yet virtually rain-free weather.
Toamasina Province
The city of Toamasina is the most important seaport of the country.
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Whale Watching
From July to September, humpback whales return from the Antarctic to spawn near Ile Sainte Marie.
Toliara Province
As a port town, Toliara, acts as a major import/export hub for commodities such as sisal, soap, hemp, cotton, rice, and peanuts as well as offering the vistor a great array of sea activities.
Santabary
The Santabary is held at the time of the first rice harvest. This feast is an occasion to reinforce the family bonds, to show the respect for the grandfathers, bringing them the first fruits of the rice harvest. This ancestral custom has evolved from a previously showing of respect to the king.
Famadihana
The best known ceremony is the 'Turning of the Bones' ceremony held from July to October where all over the island families honour their dead by taking their shroud-wrapped remains out for partying before returning them to their burial site.
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