ENTRY FORMALITIES
A visa is required to enter the territory of Madagascar. You can get a visa at the Consulate of Madagascar in your country, or more easily, upon arrival at the international airport of Madagascar. Please check if your passport is still valid (at least 6 months before expiry date). With a valid passport and return flight ticket you can easily obtain a visa at the airport of  Antananarivo: it costs 57 € per person regardless of nationality. (subject to change). Please note that, to get a visa at the airport, you do not need to bring photographs.

CUSTOMS
In Madagascar it is forbidden to export rough gemstones, protected endemic plants or animals, and valuable cultural monuments or woods. It is possible to get an official export permit for some polished gemstones and some plants, but it may take a few days to get it. So if you want to buy polished ammonites, fossilised wood, solitary games or other similar items, it is highly recommended to ask for export papers or at least an official invoice when you buy it at the handicraft market, to avoid any problem with customs.

MONEY
Ariary (AR) is now the local currency being used in  Madagascar, in place of Franc Malgache (FMG). Many people still refer to the Franc Malagasy (FMG) when selling or buying something, as they are used to it, but all payment must be done in Ariary (1 AR = 5 FMG). To check the updated rates, please have a look at the official website of the Central Bank of Madagascar: http://www.banque-centrale.mg/sommaire_cours_s.htm

Upon arrival, it is recommended to change money at airport banks. They are always open at each international flight arrival and their rates are similar to the rates of the banks in town. Please note that only EUR, USD & GBP can be exchanged.
 

Credit cards (the most useful credit card is VISA CARD) are only accepted in large hotels, restaurants and some shops, mainly in  Antananarivo. In the other big cities, you can get cash from Automatic Cash Machines (ATM) only with VISA CARDS. There’s now also an ATM at the airport in  Antananarivo. Don’t rely on ATM machines only; they are often out of order. Keep some cash in Euro for emergencies.

Travellers Cheques (TC) such as Thomas Cook, American Express etc. are also not recommended, as many banks refuse to accept them. But if you really want to bring Travellers Cheques then bring only TC of EUR 50 or USD 50 face value, and do not forget to also bring the invoice or receipt of where you bought the TC. In some provinces, it may take you up to a few hours to change Travellers Cheques; the rate is also generally higher than when exchanging cash and some banks charge you commission.

HEALTH AND HYGIENE
There is a risk of catching Malaria in Madagascar. It is therefore highly recommended to ask your doctor’s advice about anti-Malaria drugs before leaving your country. Bring a good mosquito repellent with you! Please also bring sunscreen to avoid sunburn; the sun in Madagascar can be very harsh.

When visiting Madagascar you do not need any vaccinations unless you have been to certain African countries where there is a danger of contracting yellow fever); vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory. We also recommend vaccination against Hepatitis A. As medical cures and medicines are only available at hospitals in big cities, it is recommended that you bring your own basic First Aid kit with you.

Tourism in Madagascar is still in its early stage! Do not eat raw vegetables and do not drink unstamped bottles of water. Please remember to protect your head and skin against sun burn: always use sun creams.

TIME DIFFERENCE
Adjust your clock upon arrival at the airport: add 2 hours during summertime and 3 hours during wintertime to GMT.

WEATHER AND SEASONS
There are only two seasons in Madagascar: Dry season and wet season. Wet season lasts in most areas for 5 months (from December to April). In eastern Madagascar it rains quite often all year long, whereas it rarely rains in western Madagascar.

On the central parts of Madagascar, winter nights are so cold that the temperature may go down to +5°C. It may even go down to around freezing point in Antsirabe. Please bring warm clothes if you travel to Madagascar  between May and September. From November till March, it is hot in southern and western Madagascar. The temperature in the coastal regions is generally higher than that in inland Antananarivo.

COMMUNICATION
Phone:
It is possible to call abroad from any public phone: you just need to buy phone cards from a Telma (Telecom Malagasy) office. Some cities are now covered by the local mobile phone network, and even some small towns like Moramanga and a small island like Tsarabanjina in the north western Madagascar are covered. There are two mobile phone operators in Madagascar: ORANGE (dial 032) and former Madacom, now CELTEL (dial 033).

If you want to bring your own cell phone, be sure to have international roaming turned on so that you can be reached whenever you are in the big cities of Madagascar. It is also a good idea to buy a local SIM card at some shops, supermarkets or the airport. Expect to pay about EUR 5 for a SIM card that includes only a small amount of credit. Communication by phone in Madagascar is quite expensive and the clarity of the telephone lines is sometimes worse than in other countries.

Cybercafé/Internet:
There are a few Cybercafés in each big city in Madagascar. The Paositra Malagasy (Malagasy Post) also offers an Internet connection at their offices. It is very cheap but the connection speed is slow, unless you are lucky and find one of the few places which offer ADSL (broadband).

LUGGAGE
It may happen that your luggage gets lost in the airport of Paris during transit flight luggage handling. If this should happen, your bags or suitcases will arrive in Madagascar a few days later. It is therefore recommended to put your very important items and some clothes, if possible, in your hand luggage. From Paris or Milan and on your connecting flights, you are sometimes allowed to have 30 kg of luggage allowance. Be warned: sometimes the airlines have a maximum baggage allowance of 20 kg. We recommend you check your ticket. The luggage allowance on domestic flights is also 20 kg only (15 kg on Twin Otter flights), but the tariff for excess luggage is cheap in Madagascar.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Please make sure that you have put your passport, air tickets, money and credit card and all the other travel documents in your hand luggage or carry it on your person.

CLOTHES
During winter time, warm clothes and windbreakers are recommended, especially in the Highlands, whereas light clothes made of cotton are needed all year long in western Madagascar and during the hot season. You should always bring raincoats when visiting the humid eastern part of Madagascar and its rainforests.

SHOES
Light mountain boots are recommended when visiting national parks, especially the rainforest parks. Waterproof sandals are recommended for beaches. In other places, you can wear almost any shoes.

VERY IMPORTANT
Do not forget to bring a torch for nocturnal visits of parks and for any electricity failures.

FILMS AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Films, battery and photography kits are expensive in Madagascar and specific films like APS or slide films are very rare. You should buy them in your own country.

ELECTRICITY
In Madagascar, the two-pronged plug and the European standard socket are the most used with a tension of 220 volts (but it may go down to 170 volts in some areas at peak times).

BEHAVIOUR AND TABOO
Gratuities.
It has become a habit to tip someone who served you but it is not obligatory. Here are some ideas of the gratuities which are expected:
- Around 4 € per day (about 10’000 Ariary) for a guide or a guide/driver.
- Around 2 € (about 5000 Ariary) for a park guide, depending on your satisfaction.
- Around 5% of the bill at the restaurant
- 200 Ariary per bag for a porter.
As Euro coins cannot be changed into local money in Madagascar, it is advisable to tip in Ariary.

Beggars.
There are a few beggars in some villages and mainly in the big cities, especially in Antananarivo. If you do not want to give something to them, then neither speak to nor look at them. But if you wish to give something to beggars, buy something to eat or pens or balls and give them only to the children.

Taboo.
In Madagascar, there are different local beliefs and taboos, known as Fady, related mainly to tombs or other revered places. Please respect those sacred places or tombs: your driver or guide will instruct you on how to have the proper respect and on what you should not do during your trip.

The best updated and trustworthy guidebooks on Madagascar are probably the latest editions of the Lonely Planet guidebook and the books by Hillary Bradt.

 

LANGUAGES
The two main languages spoken in Madagascar are French and the native language Malagash.

Please click here to view our basic English-Malagash Dictionary.