| location | |
 | |
| flag | |
 | |
| Short dates | |
| Capital | Antananarivo |
|---|---|
| Form of government | republic |
| currency | Ariary (MGA) |
| surface | 587,000 km² |
| population | 18.61 million 2005 |
| languages | French |
| Religions | Animists 52%, Christians 41%, Muslims 7% |
| Phone code | 261 |
| Internet TLD | .mg |
| Time zone | CET 2h |
Madagascar is an island state in Indian Ocean and counts East Africa.
background
Flora and fauna
Because of its island location, Madagascar has a unique flora and fauna with numerous endemic species. So wild lemurs only come to Madagascar and the Comoros, some subspecies such as the brown maki (brown or true lemur) exclusively in Madagascar. In return, other animal species, some of which are widespread, such as vipers, are completely absent.
Regions
The island of Madagascar was divided into 6 provinces. They are made up of 22 regions, which in turn consist of 119 districts.
Cities
- Antananarivo - Capital
- Morondava - The coastal town of Morondava is located in western Madagascar, directly on the Mozambique Channel. It is one of the cities in Madagascar that is a little better developed for tourism, but that does not mean that you will come across many tourists here. Rather the opposite is the case. But there are some good opportunities to stay overnight or to go out to eat. Morondava beach is wide, long and clean. It slopes gently into the sea and is therefore also suitable for children (under supervision) due to the mostly mild waves. Diving is not possible off Morondava due to the lack of reefs, but several providers offer multi-day tours by boat (motor or sailing boat) Belo sur mer where diving is possible due to extensive coral reefs. Many famous sights of Madagascar are within the distance of a day trip from Morondava (Avenue of the baobabs, Dry forest Kirindy, Belo sur mer) or can be reached within one to two day tours (e.g. the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tsingy de Bemaraha). In Morondava there are several providers of tours to these sights. Therefore, Morondava is suitable as a base for exploration.
Other goals
- Nosy Be represents the main tourist center and delights with beaches with white sand and a rich underwater world.
- Nosy Boraha (Ile St. Marie), located on the northeast coast of Madagascar, is a former pirate refuge. An old pirate cemetery in a ledge in the bay in the west of the island testifies to this. The population lives on the west coast and this is where most of the hotel complexes can be found. Whales can be observed very well in late summer. The empty sandy beaches on the almost uninhabited east coast, protected by a reef, can be reached by boat or by hiking and crossing a brackish water lagoon with a mangrove forest.
getting there
A visa is required for entry. This is either with the Embassy of Madagascar or available at the airport for a fee.
There is a e-Visa website, which should be possible from the second half of 2018. The fee is € 35 for a month's stay.
By plane
There is currently no direct connection from Germany to Madagascar.
With Air France you can fly to Antananarivo from various airports in Germany with a change in Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly.
The Malagasy airline Air Madagascar flies from Paris to Antananarivo. With a few flights there is an intermediate landing in Nosy Be.
There are still regular flight connections from Mauritius, La Reunion, South Africa, Kenya, Comoros,Thailand and the Turkey.
Upon arrival and departure, it is necessary to provide information about the person in writing. Corresponding slips of paper are distributed for this.
There is no exit tax on departure (Departure Tax) collected.
By boat
Madagascar is approached by cruise ships from time to time, but they often only dock for a short time and then mostly in Fort Dauphin in the south. Another possibility is (possibly) with container ships, which in Madagascar mostly call at the port city Toamasina regularly. However, a few weeks should be planned for this. Otherwise there are no scheduled ship connections to Madagascar.
mobility
When it comes to getting around Madagascar, a distinction must be made between national land routes and longer regional and urban short routes. Domestic flights and long-distance bus routes are available for long distances. The long-distance bus lines typically connect the most important private cities with each other and with the capital Antanatarivo.
Taxi buses operate overland routes on longer and shorter routes. Taxi buses often only leave when it is fully occupied (or overcrowded). A row of seats is usually designed for 3 people, but is occupied by 4 to 5 people. In the widespread buses of the Mercedes series 207D or 209D, e.g., fold-out "emergency seats" are attached between the regular row of seats and the exit area. Not all buses are viable, many are in need of repairs.
It's not uncommon to have to share your row of seats with chickens. Trips in the taxi bus can take 10 to 13 hours, as there are frequent stops. Regular roadblocks by various military and police units and difficult road conditions lead to an average speed of only 50 km / h even on long stretches. Driving at night is considered more dangerous than driving during the day.
Another way of getting around are rental cars.
Domestic flights
For years, the national flights were also operated by Air Madagascar alone. Since 2017 Air Austral (Réunion) has a 49 percent share in Air Madagascar. Domestic flights have been operated by the 100% subsidiary since 2018 Tsaradia ' carried out. Flights are next to Antananarivo (as of 10/2019)
- Antsiranana (Diégo-Suarez)
- Nosy Be
- Mahajanga (Majunga)
- Toamasina (Tamatave)
- Sambava
- Maroantsetra
- Sainte-Marie
- Toliara (Tuléar)
- Morondava
- Taolagnaro (Fort Dauphin)
There is an international (English / French) booking page. Flight cancellations and long delays can occasionally be expected.
railroad
There are two railway lines with passenger traffic.
- In the south
One day there, the other back (not Monday) runs on the Fianarantsoa-Cote Est-Track a passenger train between the places Fianarantsoa and Manakara. The distance between these places is 163 km. The train to Manakara takes about nine hours and in the opposite direction, since it is uphill, about twelve hours - if you are unlucky it can take twice as long. A place in 2nd class costs 16,000 ariary, a place in 1st class costs 40,000 ariary. However, legroom is very limited everywhere. In addition, the train takes longer breaks at each station so that the local residents can offer their goods for sale on the train. The goods on offer include homemade necklaces, dried vanilla, and all kinds of foods like bananas, bread, meatballs, etc.
- In the North
After privatization did Madarail passenger traffic resumed (as of 2018):
- Moramanga - Toamasina. Monday there, Tuesday back; 2nd class only, 10,000 ares.
- Moramanga - Ambila. Thursday afternoon there, Friday morning back.
- Moramanga - Ambatondrazaka (142 km). Wednesday and Saturday there, Thursday and Sunday back; 1st class 12000-14000, 2nd class 9000 Ar.
In larger stations, tickets are only sold an hour before departure, at smaller stations only a quarter of an hour before.
There is also a tourist one Trans Lémurie Express with the Classe Palissandre from Antananarivo either to Antsirabe or Toamasina as well as special trips with the Micheline "Viko-Viko."
language
The national languages are Malagasy and French. The local language is called Malagasy in the country. It is spoken in numerous dialects. English is only spoken in the larger cities and only by a few people there. Knowledge of French is an advantage. In the hinterland, e.g. in small villages, even French is often no longer understood. Here it is recommended to have a local tour guide who can act as an interpreter.
shop
The Malagasy currency is the ariary (international abbreviation MGA). 10,000 ariary corresponds to approx. 2 euros and 1 euro corresponds to approx. 4,800 ariary (as of March 2021).
In tourist areas you can occasionally pay with euros; however, you get a significantly worse exchange rate. We therefore recommend changing money at official exchange offices or withdrawing cash (see below). An exchange of Ariary in euros officially possible recently; the difference between the buying and selling price often indicates a fair exchange rate.
Ariary should not be carried out, but the regulations are no longer as strict as in the past.
ATMs are available in many larger cities (Antananarivo, Morondava, Antsirabe, Sambava, Tulear). There is now also an ATM at Antananarivo Airport. Money can be withdrawn from these machines with a VISA card. The individual withdrawal is limited to 40 notes (the largest in 2017 is 20,000, i.e. 800,000 Av.). In addition, there is a bank-dependent weekly limit of 3.6-10 million Av. Sometimes the money is “sold out”. Mastercard is only accepted by the Banque Nationale d'Investissement (BNI). If credit cards are accepted in shops at all, a surcharge of 5-8% is common.
Withdrawing money - even with a VISA card - can be difficult in smaller towns. Therefore, you should always have a sufficient amount of cash (MGA or Euro) with you. Other currencies (including dollars or sFr) are rarely accepted.
Bargaining is common in the local markets (especially when buying souvenirs), but does not have to be exaggerated. The goods on offer are often comparatively inexpensive. Be careful with precious stones (authenticity, export restrictions), vanilla (export restrictions, tendency to mold) and certain organic articles made of rosewood / rosewood, giant clams, turtles (species protection / import bans).
kitchen
In restaurants, the menus and drinks are often in French, but in recent years they have also increasingly been in English. You should master a little culinary French so as not to experience any nasty surprises. Increasing tourism means that more and more people in this industry speak at least a little English.
- Henakisoa sy ravitoto consists of pork that is cooked with crushed cassava leaves
- Saosisy is a very coarse sausage made from pork, which is peppered with pieces of bacon
- Romazava is cooked from beef with cassava root leaves, tomatoes and garlic. It is similar to our goulash.
- Brochettes are meat skewers that are usually served with pickled cabbage and rice
- Sambos are triangular dumplings that are filled with vegetables or meat
- At Tilapia nahandro gasy the fish is braised in the pan without adding water
In addition to Malagasy dishes, Chinese cuisine is also widespread.
nightlife
Depending on where you are in Madagascar, there is little or no nightlife. In the capital, Antananarivo, it is of course no problem to go to a disco or pub. In smaller places, however, there is usually not even night street lighting and usually no nightclubs of any kind. Since it gets dark very early in Madagascar (between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.), the options in smaller towns are very limited. Of course, you always have the opportunity to look for a restaurant or something similar to have a drink. It should be noted, however, that alcohol is not exactly cheap in Madagascar. The only exception here is the local beer brand THB, which is only slightly more expensive than a soft drink.
In many larger towns there is often an astonishing number of karaoke bars. Since many of the songs in the repertoire of the karaoke bars are naturally in Malagasy or French, singing along can occasionally be more difficult.
accommodation
Cheap overnight stays are possible everywhere along the main traffic axes in the Hotely Gasy (pronounced Hotelgasch). For 2-10 euros you can get a (very) simple room. In the cities and larger towns there are also more comfortable hotels (up to a maximum of 3 stars). Three-star hotels with a very acceptable standard are already available for 20-30 euros, but the standards are usually below the European ones. For Malagasy standards, however, a 3-star hotel offers very good comfort with clean rooms and good service, as well as often a restaurant. In the smaller towns in particular, you shouldn't necessarily expect TV, telephone and internet in the room. In many places there are tastefully furnished facilities built with local materials with small bungalows that have a great flair (e.g. the Isalo Ranch in the Isalo Mountains of the same name, the hotel Chez Maggie in Morondava or also the Eulophiella Lodge in Andasibe / Perinet).
health
Vaccinations: It is definitely advisable to refresh the vaccinations that are also recommended in Germany, i.e. polio, tetanus and diphtheria. Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations should also be considered. Hepatitis B is recommended if you stay longer in the country, travel a lot overland or have close contact with the population. In this case, a Hepatis A / B combination vaccination is the best choice. Rabies may be necessary if you are in the “outback” and contact with animals is likely there. Medical help and treatment with immunoglobulins in the event of a bite will probably no longer be possible in good time due to poor medical care. A yellow fever vaccination is only necessary if you are entering from a yellow fever country, e.g. Kenya. In this case, however, it will be required upon entry and must be proven.
malaria: As in many tropical and subtropical countries, there is unfortunately also a malaria problem in Madagascar. In the winter months from April to October only a few or no Anopheles mosquitoes can be found in the highlands (including in the capital Tana). In the lowlands, in the jungle and on the coasts, however, there is an increased risk of malaria all year round. In Madagascar, “Plasmodium Falciparum”, the pathogen causing the more dangerous “Malaria tropica”, is transmitted almost exclusively. Unfortunately, there is extensive resistance to the "cheaper" prophylaxis drugs (e.g. chloroquine). So you are either dependent on taking comparatively expensive medication (e.g. mefloquine or malarone) or only protecting yourself against mosquito bites as best as possible (repellent, suitable clothing, malaria net) and carrying appropriate medication for emergency therapy. Unfortunately, a new drug that contains the active ingredient artemisinin is not yet readily available, but it is said to have a high prophylactic effect with few side effects.
Medical care: In larger cities and, of course, in the capital Tana, medical care is quite acceptable, but it still cannot be compared with the high standards of equipment and diagnostics that are known from Europe. The supply of medication or medical help can be very problematic, especially in smaller towns and villages. Here you should consider the most important clinical pictures in advance (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, inflammation, malaria etc.) and bring your own "medicine cabinet" with you.
Drinking water: As in many warm regions of the world, it is not recommended to drink tap water. Whether even brushing your teeth with this water is already too much is discussed, everyone can make their own experiences here. If you want to be on the safe side, the use of industrially bottled water is recommended in any case.
Swimming: Due to the schistosomiasis contamination of many freshwater bodies, bathing is not recommended. Exceptions can possibly be fast flowing waters (also with cloudy water), e.g. many rivers or extremely clear waters. The snail, which acts as a host for the cercaria, cannot survive here. If you want to be on the safe side, you either don't go into the water at all or only briefly and then dry yourself quickly and thoroughly, then the pathogen does not have enough time to pierce its skin.
pest
Madagascar is one of the regions of the world to which it is again and again today Plague outbreaks comes. The epidemics occur annually mainly between September and April.[1]
The north of the island is particularly affected, the dangerous bacterium "Yersinia pestis" is transmitted from Plague flea (Xenopsylla cheopis), which can be found in the fur of rodents, especially rats but also cats. One of the causes of the plague epidemics is the uncontrolled deforestation, which drives the rats into the settlements and houses, where they infect the residents.
The Symptoms fever, chills, headache, drowsiness and later also impaired consciousness are responsible for the outbreak of the plague. They appear a few hours to a few days after infection. In the further course of the disease, a distinction is made between bubonic plague (bubonic plague) and the more dangerous pulmonary plague.
Treated becomes the plague with ten days of antibiotic therapy, preferably with streptomycin. Early detection is extremely important, because of the high risk of infection, sick people should be isolated immediately and contact persons should be treated with antibiotics as a preventative measure. Without treatment, the disease is almost always fatal; with antibiotic therapy, mortality is reduced to 15 percent (WHO). In Madagascar, however, antibiotic-resistant strains of the plague pathogen have also been found in the past[1].
Even if the World Health Organization recently had a worrying development reported the disease in Madagascar,[1] is that valid riskto fall ill with the plague as a tourist than low. In the event of possible contact with rodents (hunting vacation), antibodies against fleas (repellents) should be carried and used.
 | These medical notices have been carefully researched, but they are made no guarantee. A conversation with the person in charge Family doctor or one travel medical or tropical medical advice center is recommended in case of health problems or uncertainties. Also note: Note on health issues |
climate
The climate of Madagascar is tropical and influenced by the south equatorial current. The average annual temperature is 25 ° C. However, the temperatures are higher on the coasts than in the highlands inland, where they can drop below freezing point. Summer and winter correspond to the tropical rainy and dry seasons. The distribution of precipitation runs from east to southwest and is steadily decreasing. 500 mm / year are possible on the west coast, while quantities of up to 4000 mm / year can occur on the east coast.
Practical advice
There are small internet cafés everywhere. The connections are stable and fast. WLAN is also offered. The prices for its use are very low. There are public telephone booths in larger towns. Prepaid cards for mobile phone calls (national, international) can be bought anywhere.
literature
- : Journey through Madagascar. Stürtz publishing house, 2014 (2nd updated), ISBN 9783800342167 , P. 136. Photo and text volume
Web links
- PRIORI Antananarivo - PRIORI in Antananarivo has a lot of information pages on all aspects of Madagascar
- Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar - D-14612 Falkenseee, Seepromenade 92 Phone: 49 / 3322-2314-0 Fax: 49 / 3322-2314-29 E-mail: [email protected]
- Swiss Consulate General
- The culture, information and travel center for Madagascar in Switzerland
- ↑ 1,01,11,2World Health Organization: Weekly epidemiological record No. 20, 2015, 90, pp. 250ff