MADAGASCAR REPORT TRAVEL.

 

FRANCE

 

Punctual as never before leaves from Orio al Serio at 19.50 my plane n. FR4235 of the Ryanair Company in the direction of Paris Beauvais International Airport, (return ticket price including taxes: Euro 53.22).

 

Punctual arrival at 9.30 pm at Paris Beauvais International Airport.

 

In Paris, there are incredibly no direct public transport links between Paris Beauvais Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France.

 

And therefore it is necessary to first take the bus that connects Paris Beauvais Airport with Porte Maillot in Paris. The ticket price is Euro 17.00 one way, if you buy on the spot or Euro 15.90 if you buy through the internet. The duration of the trip is 1 hour and 15 minutes without traffic up to over 2 and a half hours with heavy traffic;

 

From Porte Maillot, you need to reach the metro by walking for about 300 meters and then take yellow line 1 in the direction of Chateau de Vincennes and get off at the Palais Royal Musee du Louvre stop, where you need to take pink line 7 in the direction of La Courneuve 8 Mai 1945 and get off at Gare de l'Est stop. The fare costs € 1.90. Use the machines that are also prepared with the Italian language. Keep in mind that this metro ride takes around 30 minutes.

 

The metro timetables are as follows. Keep in mind that the departure from its terminus is always indicated as the time of the first / last race. So if you take the metro at an intermediate stop the time of the last / first ride is even several minutes longer. Every day the metro starts its first run at 5:30 am on all lines. Every day, except Saturdays and days before holidays, the metro makes its last run around 00:30 in the night. Saturdays and days before holidays, the opening hours are extended by about an hour (01:30). The approximately, when indicated, is because each line (there are 14) is different from each other, therefore it goes from 00:23 (last run of lines 8-9) until 01:02 (line 14) .

 

Metro timetable summary:

Opening: every day at 05:30

Approximate closing: Saturday and the day before holidays 01:30; other days 00:30

 

Exit the Gare de l’Est and go in front of the same where there is the bus stop for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France. Approximately every half hour, from 5.30 to 23.00, take the RATP bus n. 350. The cost of the ticket is 6 Euros if paid to the driver or 3 metro tickets. Duration of the ride 1 hour poor. Approximately every half hour, from 0.30 to 17.30, take the Noctilien bus n. 140 or 143. The cost of the ticket is 8 Euros if paid to the driver or 4 metro tickets. Duration of the ride 1 hour poor. These buses stop at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

 

This is the cheapest solution to reach Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France, but then there are a myriad of solutions including the train.

 

Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France is also open at night and the best Terminal to sleep in is 2E.

 

MADAGASCAR

 

Punctual as never before from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France, Terminal 2C, at 3.40 pm my plane no. MD51 of the Air Madagascar Company in the direction of Ivato International Airport (Madagascar), (multi-route ticket price including taxes from Charles de Gaulle to Roissy en France to Ivato (Madagascar) and from Moroni (Comoros) to Charles de Gaulle to Roissy en France, with a stopover in Ivato (Madagascar): Euro 910.00).

 

The trip takes about 11 hours.

 

Punctual arrival at 03.35 am at Ivato International Airport (Madagascar). There is a time zone time compared to Italy.

 

The small Ivato Airport (Madagascar) consists of 2 adjacent terminals, one for domestic flights and one for international flights.

 

The currency exchange counter, which offers exchange rates similar to those offered by the counters located in the center of Antananarivo, is located on the far left for those leaving the baggage claim hall. Ignore other desks that offer unfavorable rates.

 

To be able to set foot in Madagascar, for tourism, it is necessary to have a visa that is issued directly at the airport and that can be paid in Ariary, Euro, American Dollars or Pounds. The change is given in Euros if you pay for it in Euros. The multi-entry visa does not exist and therefore every time you enter the country you have to pay even if you stay less than 1 day. The visa takes up a whole page of the passport in addition to the entry stamp that is affixed to another page of the passport. You don't just pay if you're in transit, of course.

Here are the prices of the visa:

 

Cost of a tourist visa for a stay up to 30 days:

80,000 AR

27 euros

30 USD

£ 25

 

Cost of a tourist visa for a stay of up to 60 days:

100,000 AR

35 Euros

40 USD

£ 35

 

Cost of a tourist visa for a stay of up to 90 days:

140,000 AR

45 euros

50 USD

£ 45

 

Keep in mind that a good 70% of the population in addition to speaking Malagasy speaks French but that very few speak English.

 

Ivato Airport is located 12 km north of the center of Antananarivo. The taxi costs 30,000 ar during the day and 40,000 ar after sunset. The cheapest solution, however, is to take the Adema Shuttle which departs approximately every hour from the stop located at the domestic flights terminal and continues to the Soarana Race in central Antananarivo, leaving passengers in front of the hotels. There is also space for large luggage on it. The journey takes about 1 hour and costs 10,000 ar. You pay directly to the driver. If, like me, you are headed from the airport to the Gare Routiere d’Ambodivona, then the driver can drop you off at the roundabout located 1 km from it.

 

To go to the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, I took a taxi - well, from the Gare Routiere d'Ambodivona. The cost of the ride is 1,000 ar. You pay the employee, after the vehicle has left, logically only when all the posts have been occupied. But on this route this operation happens very quickly. The journey takes approximately 1 hour. It often happens that a guy helps you find the right vehicle for your destination in the midst of total confusion and for this service he asks for a variable tip. I gave him 1,000 ar even though he wanted a lot more.

 

The taxi - well, it leaves you under the hill which is reached with a scant 1km uphill walk. Above the hill is the Rova Fortified Palace, whose entrance costs 10,000 ar plus 600 ar for the camera. For those who want a guide there is an additional cost to pay logically.

 

The taxi - well to return to Antananarivo (Gare Routiere d’Ambodivona), I paid 800 ar.

 

I paid 45,000 ar for hiring a taxi for half a day that would allow me to see the best of Antananarivo.

 

To reach the towns south of Antananarivo, you need to go to the Gare Routiere de Fasan'ny Karana, located 4 km south of the city.

 

I paid 20,000 ar for the Brousse taxi to Antsirabe, as I relied on an intermediary who helped me find the right vehicle, but in theory the right price would be 10,000 ar. It starts when full, but seats sell out very quickly on this route. The trip takes about 4 hours. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

Brousse taxis from Antananarivo arrive at the North Brousse taxi station, located 2.5km north of Antsirabe city center.

 

I spent the night in Antsirabe at the Njato Hotel, which does not have single rooms. A double instead costs 22,000 ar. This Hotel is located not far from the North Brousse taxi station.

 

To reach Morondava, you have to go to the North Brousse taxi station, located 2.5 km north of the center of Antsirabe.

 

I paid 50,000 ar for the Brousse taxi to Morondava, as I relied on an intermediary who helped me find the right vehicle, but in theory the right price would be 30,000 ar. It starts when it is full. The journey takes approximately 12 hours. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

There are a myriad of checkpoints on the roads of Madagascar, but these are fast and never interest passengers but only the driver who is required to show the vehicle registration document to the policeman.

 

The Brousse di Morondava taxi station is located in the center, on a dirt side street, about 200 meters away. from the Rue Principale;

 

I spent the nights in Morondava at the Zoom Hotel, located in Rte de la Plage, right in the center. It does not have single rooms. A double with a fan costs 30,000 ar per night. A double with air conditioning costs 45,000 ar per night.

 

In Madagascar, at least in low-category hotels, you are not asked for an identity document. You just pay.

 

Through the hotel I rented a car with driver which cost me 160,000 ar a day, but it was not an off-road vehicle even though we traveled the dirt roads.

 

From Morondava, to reach the Kirindy Forest, it is necessary to get a private vehicle as I did as the last 5 km are not served by public transport and also calculating that there are an average of only 5 visitors a day it is very difficult to ask for a pass to someone. However, the road is 80% unpaved but passable with a normal car in the dry season. The trip lasts 3 hours and on the way back, at sunset, it is a must to stop at the Allèe des Baobabs, the symbolic image of Madagascar.

 

In the Kirindy Forest, it is not easy to see the fauna, but you will almost certainly be able to spot both the White Lemur and the Brown Lemur. There are different types of excursions, but in any case all of them do not present difficulties as the forest has a flat terrain. The least demanding is 2 hours and costs 35,000 ar in addition to the cost of the obligatory guide of 30,000 ar which you can share with other travelers if you are lucky enough to find them.

 

I paid 60,000 ar for the Brousse taxi for the Rèserve d’Anja, a few km after Ambalavao, by contacting the company "Mafio" the day before. It only starts early in the morning when it is full. The journey takes approximately 20 hours. Legroom can be scarce, depending on your vehicle and seat, and stops to stretch your legs are rare. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

I arrive at 4.00 in the morning at the Rèserve d’Anja, a few km after Ambalavao and at 5.30 I already find a guide who takes me to see the ring-tailed Lemurs. Here there are so many, just below the mountain. The guide also speaks Italian.

 

However, in the Rèserve d’Anja there are different types of excursions, some of which are very demanding. The least demanding is 1 hour and costs 10,000 ar, like all the others. The cost of the compulsory guide varies from 24,000 ar for the 1 hour excursion up, which can be shared with other travelers if you are lucky enough to find them.

 

Adjacent to the entrance to the Rèserve d'Anja, passes the paved road that connects Antananarivo with Toilara and therefore it is not so difficult to find a taxi brousse for the center of Ambalavao, even if contrary to popular belief it is more likely to find a place on a taxi brousse heading east to the neighboring village which then returns to Ambalavao, compared to a taxi brousse coming from the west. The journey takes about 20 minutes. The cost of the ride is 1,000 ar. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

In Ambalavao, in addition to seeing the decadent colonial architecture of the main street and the adjacent market, it is nice to go to the hill located just under 1 km from the center to attend the market for cows, some of which have a hump. The race with the tuc tuc to reach it costs 1,300 ar.

 

The Taxi Station - Brousse of Ambalavao, is located at 200 meters. of the Cathedral.

 

The Brousse taxi to Fianarantsoa, ​​the 2nd largest city in Madagascar, I paid for 3,000 ar. It starts very frequently when full. The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

The Taxi Station - Brousse di Fianarantsoa, ​​is located in the lower Ville.

 

The best to see in Fianarantsoa is the Haute Ville, with its Cathedral, its small alleys, its stairs and the stupendous views over the Basse Ville and the adjacent Mountains.

 

To reach Haute Ville from the Taxi Station - Brousse, it is advisable to take a taxi. I paid 4,000 ar for it, bargaining heavily.

 

To return to the Taxi Station - Brousse, I took a Taxi - Be instead, from the square in front of the Cathedral. I paid 400 ar. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

The Brousse taxi to Ambositra, the City of Crafts, I paid 9,000 ar. It starts quite frequently when full. The trip takes about 4 hours. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

In Ambositra, inbound and southbound Brousse taxis stop on the main road south of the center.

 

The Brousse taxi to Antsirabe, the City of Pousse - Pousse, I paid 7,000 ar. It starts quite frequently when full. The trip takes about 4 hours. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

In theory, the Brousse taxis coming from the south should stop at the South Station, located on the southern outskirts of the city, but in my case it was going north and so I got dropped off on the main road east of the center about 1 km from the Cathedral of Antsirabe, which I then reached on foot.

 

The most important attraction to see in Antsirabe, in addition to the markets, are the Baths, which are very old. An impromptu guide accompanied me on the visit for about 1 hour speaking a little in French and a little in English for the price of 3,000 ar (I bargained).

 

To reach the capital Antananarivo, it is necessary to go to the north taxi station Brousse, located 2.5 km north of the center of Antsirabe, which I reached by climbing on a Pousse - Pousse, paying 2,000 ar.

 

The Brousse taxi to the capital Antananarivo, I paid 10,000 ar. It starts quite frequently when full. The trip takes about 4 hours. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.

 

In theory, the Taxi Brousse coming from the south should stop at the Gare Routiere de Fasan'ny Karana, located 4 km south of the city, but in my case the same continued towards the center of Antananarivo and finished its run in the Tsarabue district , 700 mt. approximately southwest of the Independence Ave.

 

I therefore slept in that neighborhood at the Mbola Namana Hotel at the price of 30,000 ar per night. . It does not have single rooms.

 

Ivato Airport is located 12 km north of the center of Antananarivo. The taxi costs 30,000 ar during the day and 40,000 ar after sunset. The cheapest solution, however, is to take the Adema Shuttle which departs every hour from the Soarana Race in central Antananarivo and reaches the end of national flights. There is also space for large luggage on it. Keep in mind that this shuttle loads all travelers in front of each hotel and therefore the journey can take up to 2 hours and 30 minutes and costs 10,000 ar. You pay directly to the driver.

 

To leave Madagascar you need to fill out a simple form.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2017/09/viaggio-in-madagascar-seychelles.html