Madagascar

Madagascar Has Been Separated from Africa for 88 Million Years and It Shows

The island broke away from the African continent before many of today’s animal families had even evolved. That geological isolation explains why roughly 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on earth. There are 105 species of lemur, all unique to Madagascar. Half the world’s chameleon species. Over 300 bird species, 60% of them endemic. Baobab trees that have been growing here for thousands of years in forms you will not find in mainland Africa. The ecological argument for visiting is as strong as any destination on earth.

The infrastructure argument is considerably less straightforward. Roads are genuinely bad. Many national parks require a full day of difficult travel to reach. Internal flights exist but are limited and sometimes cancelled. Madagascar is not a country for a quick week. Budget two weeks minimum if you want to reach more than one or two regions, and accept that a good local operator is essential and worth paying for – this is one destination where trying to figure it out independently tends to waste the time you came to spend seeing things.

What to See and Where

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is the most accessible major park, about 3.5 hours by road from the capital Antananarivo. This is the best place to hear – and likely see – the Indri, the largest living lemur. The Indri’s territorial call is a loud, haunting wail that carries through the forest. Being in the park at dawn when they begin calling is one of Madagascar’s defining experiences; you do not need to see the animal for the sound to affect you. The park also has spectacular orchids in October through December.

The Avenue des Baobabs near Morondava on the west coast is the photograph most people associate with Madagascar. Six giant baobabs line a dirt road between farmland, their flat-topped silhouettes extraordinary against the sunset sky. The road is technically a public agricultural track with no entrance fee. Arrive an hour before sunset and stay until the light is gone.

Isalo National Park in the southwest is sandstone canyon country – eroded massifs, swimming holes at the bottom of gorges, ring-tailed lemurs on almost every trail. It consistently surprises visitors who expected only rainforest. Allow two to three days.

Nosy Be in the northwest is the main beach destination, with reasonable snorkelling and a manageable pace. Ile Sainte-Marie on the east coast is smaller and less touristed, and is worth prioritising if you have a choice between the two.

Food

Romazava, a beef or zebu stew with leafy greens and ginger, is the national dish. Rice accompanies almost everything. Grilled lobster at a beach shack in Nosy Be is frequently cited by visitors as one of the best meals they eat in Africa at a fraction of the price they would pay anywhere comparable. Fresh seafood on the coast is excellent and genuinely cheap.

Practical Notes

Malaria is present in most of Madagascar below 2,000 metres. Take prophylaxis seriously. Vaccinations for yellow fever, typhoid, and hepatitis A are advised. The local currency is the Malagasy Ariary; US dollars work in hotels and tourist businesses. French is the co-official language alongside Malagasy – it helps considerably outside the main tourist circuits.