Find in this section all the information you may need to plan and organize your trip for Madagascar.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
- Seasons
April-October: dry season
November-March: rainy season
Climate: tropical
June-August: Southern winter with cool temperatures in Antananarivo, Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa (Highlands) – Pack some warm clothes
- Time difference
UTC/GMT+3
- Weather forecast
Formalities
Passport: valid up to 6 months after the return date.
Visa: required – please refer to the diplomatic and consular representation.
Apply online: https://www.evisamadagascar.com
Tourism Visa fees – Short stay:
0-30 days: Euros 27
31-60 days: Euros 33
60-90 days: Euros 46
(These rates are provided for information purposes only and are subject to change.
Please contact the diplomatic and consular representation prior to your trip).
Health
No vaccination is required.
A preventive anti-malarial treatment is recommended.
Recommended vaccines: DTCP (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and poliomyelitis), hepatitis A and B, typhoid, rabies, plague and cholera.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for participants from infection-areas.
Pack a basic kit: disinfectant, antiseptic, Band-Aids, eyewash, antihistamine, antispasmodic drug, antidiarrheal medication, paracetamol, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
Tap water is not drinkable. Always drink sealed bottled water or use water purification tablets.
Change & currencies
Local currency: Ariary (Ar or MGA = Malagasy Ariary)
Notes: Ar 20,000 / 10,000 / 5,000 / 2,000 / 1,000 / 200 and 100
For the exchange rate, please refer to the Central Bank of Madagascar:
www.banque-centrale.mg/index.php?id=m5_1_1
Withdrawal or change at exchange offices or banks (cash dispensers) in major cities.
Safety & Precautions
In Tana
– By foot: watch out thieves and pickpockets by day and night, especially in touristic and high use areas.
– Precautions: remove valuables, keep them in safe and only take what you need with you.
– By the end of the day: even for a short ride, it is highly recommended to take a taxi.
– Street begging: travel responsibly – if you wish to make a donation, contact the associations, NGOs or schools directly.
- Power supply
220 V
- Telephone
Madagascar dialing code: +261
Local telephone companies: Orange (032-), Airtel (033-), Telma (034-)
You can buy a Sim card and top-ups from their agencies/shops.
National and public holidays
January 1st: New Year’s day
March 8th: Women’s Day
March 29th: Commemoration of the 1947 Insurrection martyrs
March – April: Taom-baovao Malagasy (= Malagasy New Year) in Andohalo, Imerimanjaka, Ikianka-Ambohimangakely
April – May: Santabary (for the first rice harvest of the year)
April: Easter
April: Easter Monday
May 1st: Labour Day
May: Ascension Day
May: Pentecost Day
May: Pentecost Monday
June 25th: Id Al-Fitr*
June 26th: National Day
July – September: Famadihana (‘’the turning of the bones”)
June – September: Sambatra (circumcision ceremonies) in the Central Highlands and November – December: in the South-West
August 15th: Assomption
September 1st: Id Adha*
November 1st: All Saints’ Day
December 25th: Christmas Day
*Muslim religious holidays
USEFUL ADRESSES & CONTACTS
Useful links
- Madagascar Embassy in France
4 avenue Raphaël – 75016 Paris – France
Tel: Consular service 06 68 95 67 34 / 06 98 04 46 94 ; Visas 06 47 53 66 88
W: http://www.ambamad-paris.fr
E: infoambamadparis@yahoo.fr/ visamadagascar@yahoo.fr
- Other embassies
http://madagascar-tourisme.com/fr/infos-pratiques/adresses-utiles/
- Apply for online visa: https://www.evisamadagascar.com
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/madagascar/events/
- Pasteur Institute
www.pasteur.fr/fr/centre-medical/preparer-son-voyage/madagascar#vaccinations-recommandes
Touristic information
- National Tourism Board of Madagascar (ONTM)
Lot IBG 29C Antsahavola – Antananarivo
Tel: +261(0)20 22 661 15
E: ontm@moov.mg
- Regional Tourism Board of Analamanga (ORTANA)
Escalier Ranavalona – Antaninarenina – Antananarivo
Tel: +261(0)20 22 270 51 / +261(0)34 20 270 51
W: tourisme-antananarivo.com
E: contact@ortana.mg
- Madagascar National Parks (MNP)
Ambatobe – Antananarivo
Tel: +261(0)34 49 415 38 / +261(0)34 49 418 83
W: parcs-madagascar.com
E: contact@madagascar.national.parks.mg
Banks
Within walking distance to the hotel:
- Accès Banque
Immeuble Bir Hackeim – Lot IBG 21 Ter – Antsahavola
Tel: +261(0)20 22 322 34 / +261(0)20 22 224 61
+261(0)32 03 030 25 / +261(0)34 05 015 00 / +261(0)33 15 015 01
W: www.accesbanque.mg
- BFV-SG
_2 rue Ihovana – Tsaralalana
Tel: +261(0)20 22 287 73
_33 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
Tel: +261(0)20 22 276 77
_14 rue Général Rabehevitra – Antaninarenina
Tel: +261(0)20 22 231 25
mon-fri : 8:00 – 16:00
W: bfvsg.mg
- BMOI
_2 rue Ihovana – Tsaralalana
Tel: +261(0)20 22 540 26
_Place de l’Indépendance – Antaninarenina
Tel: +261(0)20 22 346 09
mon-fri: 8:00 – 16:00
W: www.bmoinet.net
- BNI
Place du 19 Mai 1946 – Antsahavola
Tel: +261(0)20 22 224 21 / +261(0)20 22 625 39
mon-fri: 8:00 – 16:00
W: www.bni.mg
- BOA
2 Place de l’Indépendance ou Philibert Tsiranana – Antaninarenina
Tel: +261(0)20 22 391 00 / +261(0)20 22 392 50
W: www.boa.mg
- MCB
Rue des 77 parlementaires français – Antsahavola
Tel: +261(0)20 22 272 62
W: www.mcbmadagascar.com
- SBM (State Bank of Mauritius)
1 rue Andrianary Ratianarivo – Antsahavola
Tel: +261(0)20 22 666 07
W: sbmgroup.mu
Within walking distance to the hotel:
Post offices
- Place Philibert Tsiranana – Antaninarenina (opposite BMOI bank)
- Avenue du 26 Juin 1960 – Analakely (opposite Analakly Market)
W: www.paositramalagasy.mg
Telephone companies
- Telma Shop
_Soarano Railway Station Shop n°5
_Lot IAG Immeuble Mirado 15 rue Ratsimilaho – Antaninarenina
W: www.telma.mg
- Orange
_DMT Kiosk: 26 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
_Ampasamadinika agency: ex-Teillet Labrousse Building
W: www.orange.mg
- Airtel
_Airtel Shop Express: Analakely – Tel: +261(0)33 11 003 09
_Airtel Shop Express: G/F Digital World Center Building – Analakely – Tel: +261(0)33 11 001 02
W: airtel.com
Photo Service
- DMT Photo: 26 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
- DMT Photo: 15 rue Ratsimilaho – Antaninarenina
Convenience stores and supermarkets
- Supermaki – rue Benily – Tsaralalana: convenience store
- Shoprite – 28 Rue Andriajampoinimerina – Analakely: supermarket
- Leader Price – Antaninarenina: supermarket
EMERGENCIES
- Police Emergency: 17 or 117 from a mobile phone
+261(0)20 22 357 09 / +261(0)20 22 357 10
- Fire department: 18 or 118 from a mobile phone
+261(0)20 22 390 30 / +261(0)33 15 500 86
- National Police Force: 19 or 119 from a mobile phone
Within walking distance to the hotel:
Drugstores
- Pharmacie Nouvelle
10 rue Indira Gandhi – Tsaralalana
Tel: +261(0)20 22 207 37
- Pharmacie de l’Océan Indien
18 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
Tel: +261(0)20 22 224 70
- Pharmacie de Tana
2 rue Ratianarivo – Antsahavola
Tel: +261(0)20 22 207 17
- Pharmacie Métropole
7 rue Ratsimilaho – Antaninarenina
Tel: +261(0)20 22 200 25
- Pharmacie de la Pergola
39 rue Ratsimilaho – Antaninarenina
Tel: +261(0)20 22 237 17
TRANSPORTS
Taxis
In Tana
The taxis are usually beige-colored with a ‘Taxi Antananarivo’ sign on top.
No mileage counter – Always negotiate the fare before getting on the taxi.
Land transport
- Cotise Transport – Co-operative
Lines: Tananarive/Tamatave ; Tananarive/Fianarantsoa ; Tananarive/Mahajanga ; Tananarive/Morondava
IVM 12 AT Ter Ambodivona
Tel: +261(0)32 11 027 33 / +261(0)32 11 027 10 / +261(0)32 12 027 00
W: cotisse-transport.com
- Traveline Madagascar
Lines: Tananarive/Tamatave ; Tananarive/Andasibe
Departure: Palm Hotel – rue Ratianarivo / rue Jean Jaurès – Tsaralalana
Tel: +261(0)34 02 340 02
W: www.travelinemadagascar.com
- Transport Première Classe
Lines: Tananarive/Mahajanga ; Tananarive/Ambanja
Departure: Le Grand Mellis Hotel – 3 rue Indira Gandhi – Tsaralalana
Tel: +261(0)32 40 134 76
W: www.malagasycar.com
Airline companies
International flights
- Air Austral
23 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
mon-fri: 8:30-17:00 / sat: 9:00-12:00
Tel: +261(0)20 22 303 31
W: air-austral.com
E: tananarive@air-austral.com
- Air France
_Tour Zital, 5/F – Route des Hydrocarbures – Ankorondrano
mon-fri: 8:30-17:00 / sat: 8:30-12:30
Tel: +261(0)20 23 230 23
_Air France – Ivato
Tel: +261(0)261 22589 40
W: airfrance.com
E: mail.cto.tnr@airfrance.fr
- Air Madagascar
31 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
mon-fri: 7:30-17:00 / sat: 8:00-11:00
Tel: Madagascar Call center: +261(0)20 22 510 00 / +261(0)20 22 222 22 / +261(0)20 22 288 65
Tel: France & Europe Centre Call center: +33(0)1 42 66 00 00
W: airmadagascar.com
E: agence.analakely@airmadagascar.com
- Air Mauritius
Enceinte Tana Water Front – Ambodivona
Tel: +261(0)32 05 620 36
W: airmauritius.com
E: contact-mada@airmauritius.com
- Corsair
1 avenue de l’Indépendance – Hall Gare Soarano
mon-fri 8:30-17:00 / sat: 8:30-12:00
Tel: +261(0)20 22 633 36
W: corsair.fr
E: corsair@corsair.mg
- Ethiopian Airlines
ex-SICAM Building – Analakely
Tel: +261(0)22 307 34 / +261(0)34 07 637 96 / +261(0)33 14 315 42
W: ethiopianairlines.com
E: ravim@ethiopianairlines.com
- Turkish Airlines
Tel: +261(0)32 11 522 26
W: turkishairlines.com
- Airline companies represented by Rogers Aviation :
Rue des 77 parlementaires français – Antsahavola
mon-fri 8:30-17:30 / sat: 8:30-12:00
Tel: +261(0)20 22 359 90 / +261(0)20 22 622 52 / +261(0)34 49 359 90
E: contact@rogers-aviation.mg / eshan@rogers-aviation.mg
- Air Asia
- Air Mauritius
- Air Seychelles
- Kenya Airways
- SA Airlink
- South African Airways
Domestic flights
- Air Madagascar
31 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
mon-fri: 7 :30-16 :30 / sat: 8 :00-11 :00
Tel: Madagascar Call center: +261 20 22 510 00 / +261 20 22 222 22 / +261 20 22 288 65
W: airmadagascar.com
E: agence.analakely@airmadagascar.com
- Madagasikara Airways
_Ankorondrano agency – Zoom – Ankorondrano
Tel: +261(0)20 22 236 12 / +261(0)32 05 970 03 / +261(0)34 05 970 03
_La City agency – Ivandry
Tel: +261(0)20 22 493 69 / +261(0)32 05 970 07
W: madagasikaraairways.com
E: ankoay@madagasikaraairways.com
- Tsaradia
c/o Air Madagascar – 31 avenue de l’Indépendance – Analakely
mon-fri: 7 :30-16 :30 / sat: 8 :00-11 :00
Tel: Madagascar Call center: +261 20 23 444 44 – mon-fri: 7 :30-19 :00
W: tsaradia.com