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.
SEYCHELLES
Punctual as never before leaves from Ivato Airport (Madagascar), at 2.50 pm my plane no. HM 754 of the Air Seychelles Company in the direction of Seychelles International Airport, on Mahè Island, (price of the multi-route ticket including taxes from Ivato (Madagascar) to Mahè (Seychelles) and from Mahè (Seychelles) to Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (Mauritius): Euro 413.86). The price includes lunch.
To be able to set foot in the Seychelles, for tourism, up to a maximum of 30 days, it is necessary to have a Visa which is issued free of charge directly at the airport. In theory, they ask you for a return or onward flight ticket, they didn't ask me.
Keep in mind that almost all 85,000 Seychelles inhabitants speak 3 languages: Creole, French and English.
In the Seychells, almost all year round, being close to the equator, the night temperatures are almost equal to the daytime ones, which are between 25 ° and 30 °.
Keep in mind that all hotels and many restaurants and shops in the Seychelles accept Euros and therefore there is no reason to change a large amount of currency. However, the currency exchange counter is located on the far right for those leaving the baggage claim hall.
I spent the nights on Mahè Island in the Seychelles at the Charlette Residence (booked by email), located in Turtle Bay, Au Cap, located in the south-eastern part of the island about 7 km south of the airport. It does not have single and double rooms, but only two-room apartments with kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, terrace and garden. Very clean and spacious. The cost is only 40 Euros per night, which makes it one of the cheapest accommodations on the island. The price also includes transport to and from the airport. The Owner is very helpful. There is also free wifi and air conditioning. The only flaw is that the Guesthouse is located in an area where there are no beaches and clubs, but 100 meters away. from the same there is the bus stop that run from 5.00 to 19.00 every day and reach any place on the island which is very small (the perimeter is about 60 km.). The price for a ride to any part of the island is SCR 5. You pay directly to the driver when you board and the ticket is issued. Banknotes of 50 SCR or higher are not accepted. The frequency of the buses is very high and the stops are many and are announced with a call button. Almost all the drivers run as if they were in a racetrack. Driving is on the left.
Keep in mind that the small capital Victoria is deserted on Saturday afternoons and Sundays as all shops, supermarkets and restaurants are closed and it looks very seedy.
MAURITIUS
Punctual as never before from the Seychelles International Airport, on Mahè Island, at 9.45 am my plane no. HM 55 of the Air Seychelles Company to Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (Mauritius), (multi-route ticket price including taxes from Ivato (Madagascar) to Mahè (Seychelles) and from Mahè (Seychelles) to Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (Mauritius) : Euro 413.86).
In order to set foot in Mauritius, for tourism, up to a maximum of 90 days, it is not necessary to have a visa. It is possible, however, that they ask you for a return or onward flight ticket and in fact they asked me for it.
Keep in mind that almost all the inhabitants of Mauritius speak Creole and French. Many also English.
Keep in mind that almost all hotels and many restaurants and shops in the Seychelles accept Euros and therefore there is no reason to change a large amount of currency. However, the currency exchange counter is located just before exiting the baggage claim hall.
Keep in mind that in the cities of Mauritius, after sunset and on Sunday, there is no one around anymore, also because public lighting is practically non-existent.
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport is located in the south east of the island, about 12 km south of the city of Mahebourg.
I spent the nights on the main island of Mauritius at the Nice Place Tourist Residence (booked through booking;), located in the center of Mahebourg, 400 meters away. from the Bus Station, about 12 km north of the airport. It does not have single and double rooms, but only studios with kitchen, bathroom, bedroom. The cost is only 21 Euros per night (if you book on the spot you pay much less), which makes it one of the cheapest accommodations on the whole island. Furthermore, the price includes transport from the airport and not to the airport. The Indian family who run it are very helpful. There is also free wifi. You can pay both in Euros and in Mauritian Rupee.
Buses run from 5.00 to 19.00 every day and reach any place on the island. You pay directly to the attendant, after the bus has left, who issues the ticket. The frequency of the buses is very high and the stops are many and are booked with a call button. However, the drivers do pick up passengers everywhere. Almost all the drivers run as if they were in a racetrack. Driving is on the left.
Buses to Blue Bay leave from the Mahebourg bus station, approximately every half hour. The trip lasts a short half hour. The cost of the ticket is 24 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. There are numerous stops between Mahebourg and Blue Bay.
Buses to the capital Port Louis leave from the Mahebourg bus station, approximately every half hour. The journey takes about 1 to 2 hours depending on whether it is direct or not. The cost of the ticket is 38 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. The ride ends at Victoria Square Bus Station in the south west of Port Louis.
In Port Louis, the Victoria Square Bus Station in south-west Port Louis, which serves destinations south-east of the Island, is approximately 1.5km from Immigration Square, which serves destinations north of the island. Island.
Many of the buses heading to the north of the island, which also stop at the botanical gardens of Pamplemousses, depart from the Port Louis Immigration Square Bus Station every half hour. The journey lasts a short half hour. The cost of the ticket to Pamplemousses is 30 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.
The botanical gardens of Pamplemousses, the second most important in the world, are beautiful to see. They are open every day from 8.30 to 17.30. The cost of admission is 200,000 Rs.
From Pamplemousses, to reach Gran Baie, it seemed obvious to me to get on the main road and wait for a bus that ran north. But then thanks to the locals I realized that I had to wait for the bus on a side street. They pass approximately every half hour. The journey takes a good half hour. The cost of the ticket is 31 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.
From Gran Baie, to reach the Port Louis Immigration Square Bus Station, the quickest solution is to take the Express Bus, which leaves from the center, in front of the public beach, every half hour. The journey takes less than an hour. There are no intermediate stops.The cost of the ticket is 38 Rs. You pay the driver when you get on.
Admission to Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is free.
If you want to reach the Eureka historic building in Moka, you must take a bus to Sebastopol from the Victoria Square Bus Station and ask the driver to stop at the entrance to the Moka village, at the crossroads for Eureka. The journey takes less than half an hour. The cost of the ticket is 27 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.
From the aforementioned junction you have to walk about 400 meters. slightly uphill to reach the historic Eureka building in Moka.
The historic Eureka building in Moka is open every day from 9.00 to 17.00, until 15.00 on Sunday. The entrance costs Rs 300, which also allows you to access the waterfalls, which can be reached in about 15 minutes by following the steep path with stairs that starts from the back of the house and descends into the woods. The same becomes slippery in case of rain.
From Port Louis, if you want to reach Mahébourg, you have to take the express bus n. 198 which leaves every 30 minutes from a crossroads located 200 meters away. west of Victoria Square. The journey takes about 2 hours as the bus makes numerous stops in different countries. The cost of the ticket is 37 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. The last race is at 6.15 pm
If you want to reach Souillac from Mahébourg, you have to take a direct bus from the Bus Station to Riv des Galets. This bus, after a scant hour and 30 minutes, also stops at the Souillac Bus Station, the largest town on the southern coast of the island. The cost of the ticket is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: every 30 minutes.
If you want to reach Baie du Cap from Mahébourg, you have to take from the Bus Station, a direct bus to Baie du Cap. This bus leaves approximately every hour and takes about 40 minutes. But if you want to shorten the time you can take a minibus which costs 30 Rs. You pay the driver before getting off.
If you want to reach Le Morne from Baie du Cap, you must take a direct bus to Quattre Bornes and ask the driver to stop at the junction for Le Morne. The cost of the ticket is 24 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: every 30 minutes. Journey time 20 minutes.
If you want to climb the Rocky Mountain of Le Morne Brabant mt. 556, whose landscape has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, keep in mind that from the junction where the bus leaves you at the foot of the mountain, there is 1.5 km to cover on foot on a flat dirt road. Then keep in mind that the hike to the top lasts over 2 hours and becomes quite challenging in the second part. The landscape from the summit is sublime.
If you want to reach Tamarin from Le Morne, you must take a bus from Baie du Cap to Quattre Bornes and ask the driver to stop in Tamarin. The cost of the ticket is 31 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: every 30 minutes. Journey time approximately 45 minutes.
If you want to reach Chamarel, a small village in the mountains, from Tamarin, you have to take a bus, coming from Quattre Bornes. The cost of the ticket is 31 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 60 minutes. Duration of the trip 1 hour short. Keep in mind that the last bus leaving Chamarel leaves at 5.00 pm.
If you want to reach Flic en Flac from Chamarel, you have to take a bus, to Quattre Bornes and get off at Cascavelle where you have to take another bus coming from Port Louis and directed to Flic en Flac. The cost of the ticket to Cascavelle is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 60 minutes. Duration of the trip about 1 hour.
The cost of the ticket from Cascavelle to Flic en Flac is 12 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 20 minutes. Journey time around 15 minutes.
If you want to reach Port Louis from Flic en Flac, you have to take a bus that passes on the road adjacent to the beach. The cost of the ticket is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 20 minutes. Duration of the trip 1 hour short.
Note that this bus arrives at Immigration Square Bus Station, but if you are interested you can also get off earlier at any point on Kennedy Street.
From Port Louis, if you want to reach Mahébourg, you have to take the express bus n. 198 which leaves every 30 minutes from a crossroads located 200 meters. west of Victoria Square. The journey takes about 2 hours as the bus makes numerous stops in different countries. The cost of the ticket is 37 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. The last race is at 6.15 pm
If you want to reach Trou d'Eau Douce from Mahébourg, you have to take a Bus, to Center de Flacq and get off at Bramsthan, cross the road and take another bus coming from Center de Flacq and going to Trou d'Eau Douce. The cost of the ticket to Bramsthan is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 30 minutes. Duration of the trip about 1 hour.
The cost of the ticket from Bramsthan to Trou d'Eau Douce is 20 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 30 minutes. Journey time around 20 minutes.
If you want to reach Center de Flacq from Trou d'Eau Douce, you have to take a bus that passes on the road adjacent to the beach and the church. The cost of the ticket is 25 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Frequency: approximately every 30 minutes. Journey time approximately 30 minutes.
If you want to reach Curepipe from the Center de Flacq bus station, located in front of the Central Market, take a bus to Curepipe North Station which leaves every half hour. The cost of the ticket is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Journey time around 60 minutes.
Buses to Mahebourg leave from the South Terminal of Curepipe, approximately every half hour. The journey takes approximately 1. The cost of the ticket is 34 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.
From Mahebourg Bus Station, to reach Sir Sewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport, located in Plaine Magnien, 12 km southwest of Mahebourg, take a bus heading south or west. Many of these even stop in front of the terminal, others near the roundabout at 300 meters. of the same. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes. The cost of the ticket is 24 Rs. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left.
MADAGASCAR
With a delay of about an hour, my plane leaves from Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (Mauritius), at 18.50 my plane no. MD191 of the Air Madagascar Company in the direction of the International Airport of Ivato (Madagascar), (price of the multi-leg ticket including taxes from Mauritius to Ivato (Madagascar) and from Ivato (Madagascar) to Moroni (Comoros): Euro 412.00) .
The journey takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.
On the plane they offer you dinner.
Arrival at 7.30 pm, 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. If like me you are in transit and you stop in Madagascar for only one night, it is convenient to spend it at the Le Cosmos Hotel (AR 47,000 per night), located just 500 meters away. from the airport and therefore can be easily reached on foot, along the main road that runs towards the capital. There is a sidewalk. The Hotel is on the right.
To leave Madagascar you need to fill out a simple form.
COMOROS
Delayed by about an hour Punctually leaves from the international airport of Ivato (Madagascar), at 8.30 my plane n. MD150 of the Air Madagascar Company to Prince Saïd Ibrahim International Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore), (multi-route ticket price including taxes from Mauritius to Ivato (Madagascar) and from Ivato (Madagascar) to Moroni (Comoros)): Euro 412.00).
The journey lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
On the plane they offer you breakfast.
Arrival at 10.00 am at Ivato International Airport (Madagascar). There is a time zone time compared to Italy.
The small Prince Saïd Ibrahim Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore) consists of 2 adjacent terminals, one for domestic flights and one for international flights.
The money exchange counter which offers exchange rates similar to those offered by the counters located in the center of Moroni, is located in the small Check in Hall. It is not always open though
In order to set foot in the Comoros, for tourism up to 30 days, it is necessary to be in possession of a Visa which is issued directly at the airport and costs 30 Euros. The rest is given in Euros or, if requested, in Comorian Francs. 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.
Keep in mind that a good 70% of the population in addition to speaking Comorian speaks French but that very few speak English.
Prince Saïd Ibrahim Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore) is located 20 km north of the center of the Moroni capital. To reach it, you need to leave the Terminal and walk for about 200 meters. until you reach the main road. Frequent Taxi Brousse and collective taxis pass here, offering more or less the same rates.
If from Prince Saïd Ibrahim Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore), instead, you are headed to Lac Salè, located north of the island, you need to take a Taxi Brousse, coming from Moroni and heading to Mitsamiouli. The cost of the ride is 500 Cf. It is paid to the attendant after the vehicle has left. Journey time approximately 45 minutes. It stops on demand everywhere.
Frequent shared taxis also travel this route at similar rates. Once in front of the Mitsamiouli Market, take a collective taxi heading north which can leave you right in front of the Sale. It starts when it is full or even super full. The cost of the ride is 300 Cf. It is paid to the driver before getting off. Journey time approximately 45 minutes. It stops on demand everywhere.
A Brousse taxi from Mitsamiouli to Ntsaouéni, I paid 200 Cf.
While a collective taxi from Ntsaouéni to Itsandra I paid 500 Cf.
In Itsandra I slept at the Amal Pension, at a cost of 20,000 Cf or 10 Euros per night for a double room with private bathroom, Wifi included but available only outside the room. This accommodation can also be booked by email. You can also pay in Euros. It is located on the main road 3 km north of the center of Moroni.
Keep in mind that Brousse taxis to Mbéni depart from the northern outskirts of Moroni, near the Palace Hotel. The ride lasts about 1 hour at a price of 750 Cf. It starts when full, but apart from Friday afternoon, the rides are frequent.
Keep in mind that the Brousse taxis to Foumboni leave from the southern outskirts of Moroni, in the Cartala terminal. The ride takes about 1 hour and a half for the price of 750 Cf. It starts when it is full, but apart from Friday afternoon, the rides are frequent.
To move to Moroni and Itsandra from 5.00 in the morning until about 11.00 pm, collective taxis are used. There are plenty of them and they cost from 150 to 250 Cf depending on the length of the route and the taxi driver you find.
Keep in mind that to reach from Itsandra, Prince Saïd Ibrahim International Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore), just take any Brousse taxi or collective taxi heading north and ask the driver to stop in front of the airport. The ride takes about half an hour. The fare is 200 Cf. The rides are very frequent from the morning after 5.00, except on Friday afternoon, dedicated to prayer.
To leave the Comoros you need to fill in a form.
At the time of my trip to Prince Saïd Ibrahim International Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore), the metal detector did not work and, moreover, the control of my backpack was incredibly superficial;
FRANCE
Delayed by about half an hour, my Airplane no. Leaves from Prince Saïd Ibrahim International Airport (Moroni - Grande Comore) at 10.00 am. MD151 of the Air Madagascar Company in the direction of the International Airport of Ivato (Madagascar), (price of the multi-route ticket 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).
At the 2D terminal of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France, I rent a car (price obtained online on the rentalcars website: Euoro 33.00 for one day).
50 km south of Paris is the beautiful Chateau de Fontainebleau, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Admission to its beautiful gardens is free. You pay 12 Euros only for the visit of the interior of the Castle.
In Paris, there are incredibly no direct public transport connections between Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy en France and Paris Beauvais Airport and so I reached it using the means of transport already described in the very first phase of this story.
Punctual as never before from Paris Beauvais International Airport at 9.55 pm my plane no. FR4234 of the Ryanair Company in the direction of Orio al Serio International Airport, (return ticket price including taxes: Euro 53.22), where I arrive at 11.30 pm thus ending my trip.
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
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