Lonely Planet Publications

Contents
On the Road

Highlights

Destination
Madagascar
& Comoros

12

Getting Started

14

Itineraries

18

History

24

The Culture

32

Food & Drink

39

Environment

45

Wildlife

49

Madagascar

69

Antananarivo

70

Orientation
Information
Dangers & Annoyances
Sights & Activities
Walking Tour
Courses
Tours
Sleeping
Eating & Drinking
Entertainment

71
74
75
76
79
80
80
80
83
86

Shopping
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
AROUND ANTANANARIVO
Ilafy
Ambohimanga
Anjozorobe
Lac Mantasoa
Antsahadinta
Ambatolampy & Around
Lac Itasy & Around

Central Madagascar

87
87
88
89
90
90
90
91
91
92
92

93

Antsirabe
95
Around Antsirabe
99
Ambositra
100
Antoetra & Around
102
Ranomafana
102
Parc National
de Ranomafana
103
Fianarantsoa
105
Around Fianarantsoa
109
Ambalavao
109
Parc National dAndringitra 110
Tsaranoro Massif
112

Southern
Madagascar

113

Toliara (Tular)
East of Toliara
North of Toliara
South of Toliara
Fort Dauphin (Taolagnaro)
Around Fort Dauphin
Ambovombe
Rserve Spciale de Cap
Sainte Marie & Faux Cap

Western
Madagascar

115
119
124
126
130
134
138
138

139

MAHAJANGA (MAJUNGA)
History
Orientation
Information
Sights & Activities
Tours

141
141
141
141
141
141

10

CONTENTS

Sleeping
Eating
Entertainment
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
AROUND MAHAJANGA
West of Mahajanga
East of Mahajanga
South of Mahajanga
North of Mahajanga
TSIRIBIHINA RIVER
REGION
Tsiribihina River
Miandrivazo
Belo-sur-Tsiribihina
Parc National des
Tsingy de Bemaraha
MORONDAVA
Orientation
Information
Beaches
Tours
Sleeping
Eating & Drinking
Getting There & Around
AROUND MORONDAVA
Avenue du Baobab
Rserve Forestire
de Kirindy
Parc National Kirindy
Mite & Rserve Spciale
dAndranomena
Belo-sur-Mer

Northern
Madagascar

143
144
144
144
145
145
145
146
146
148
149
149
150
151
151
153
153
153
153
153
154
155
155
156
156
156
157
157

158

NOSY BE
160
Hell-Ville
165
Mt Passot & Crater Lakes 167
Rserve Naturelle
Intgrale de Lokobe
167
Ambatoloaka
167
Madirokely
169
Ambondrona & Belle Vue 170
Djamandjary
170
Ampasimoronjia
171
Andilana
171
ISLANDS OFF NOSY BE
172
Nosy Komba
172
Nosy Tanikely
173
Nosy Sakatia
173
Nosy Mitsio
173

Nosy Iranja
174
SOUTHEAST OF NOSY BE 174
Ambanja
174
Ankify
174
DIEGO SUAREZ
& AROUND
175
Diego Suarez (Antsiranana) 175
Nosy Lonja
180
Road to Ramena
180
Ramena
181
Baie des Sakalava
182
Baie des Dunes & Mer
dmeraude (Emerald Sea) 182
Windsor Castle
183
Joffreville
183
Parc National de Montagne
dAmbre
184
Rserve Spciale
de lAnkrana
186
Ambilobe
188

Eastern
Madagascar

189

ANTANANARIVO TO
TOAMASINA
Moramanga
Parc National
dAndasibe-Mantadia
Andasibe
Lac Alaotra
Parc National
de Zahamena
Ambatondrazaka
Route des Contrebandiers
Brickaville
TOAMASINA (TAMATAVE)
History
Orientation
Information
Tours
Sights & Activities
Sleeping
Eating
Entertainment
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
NORTH OF TOAMASINA
Parc Zoologique Ivoloina
Mahavelona (Foulpointe)
Mahambo
Fenoarivo-Atsinanana
Soanierana-Ivongo

191
191
192
195
196
196
197
197
197
197
199
199
199
199
200
200
201
202
202
203
203
203
204
205
205
206

Manompana
LE SAINTE MARIE
Ambodifotatra
South of Ambodifotatra
North of Ambodifotatra
le aux Nattes
Northeast Coast
THE VANILLA COAST
Parc National de
Mananara-Nord
Nosy Atafana National
Marine Park
Mananara
Mananara to Maroantsetra
Rserve de Nosy Mangabe
Maroantsetra
Masoala Peninsula & Parc
National de Masoala
Cap Est
Antalaha
Sambava
Andapa
Parc National de Marojejy
& Rserve Spciale
dAnjanaharibe-Sud
Iharana (Vohmar)
SOUTH OF TOAMASINA
Canal des Pangalanes
Mananjary
Manakara
Farafangana

Comoros
GRANDE COMORE
Moroni
Itsandra
Hatsambou
Ntsaouni
Mitsamiouli
Trou du Prophete
Bangoi-Kouni & Lac Sal
Mbeni
Chomoni
Iconi
MOHLI
Fomboni
Around Mohli
ANJOUAN
Mutsamudu
Interior Anjouan
Domoni
Moya

206
206
211
213
214
215
216
216
216
217
218
219
219
220
223
225
225
226
227
227
227
228
228
230
231
232

233
235
239
242
243
243
243
243
244
244
244
244
245
247
248
249
252
254
254
254

 Lonely Planet Publications

C O N T E N T S 11

Sima & the West

MAYOTTE
Grande Terre
Petite Terre

255
255
258
262

263

Directory
Accommodation
Activities
Business Hours
Children
Climate Charts
Customs
Dangers & Annoyances
Embassies & Consulates
Festivals & Events
Food
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Holidays
Insurance

263
264
266
266
267
267
267
268
269
269
269
269
270

Internet Access
Legal Matters
Maps
Money
Post
Shopping
Solo Travellers
Telephone & Fax
Time
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Women Travellers

Transport

270
270
270
271
272
272
272
273
274
274
274
274
275
275

276

GETTING THERE & AWAY 276

Entering the Country
276
Air
276

Regional Map Contents

Comoros
(p235)

Northern
Madagascar
(p159)

Western
Madagascar
(p140)

Antananarivo
(pp723)

Central
Madagascar
(p94)

Southern
Madagascar
(p114)

Eastern
Madagascar
(p190)

Sea
Tours
GETTING AROUND
Air
Bicycle
Boat
Bus
Car & Motorcycle
Hitching
Local Transport
Tours
Train

Health

279
279
280
280
280
280
282
282
283
283
285
285

286

BEFORE YOU GO
Insurance
Recommended
Vaccinations
Medical Checklist
Internet Resources
Further Reading
IN TRANSIT
Deep Vein
Thrombosis (DVT)
Jet Lag & Motion Sickness
IN MADAGASCAR
& THE COMOROS
Availability & Cost
of Health Care
Infectious Diseases
Travellers Diarrhoea
Environmental Hazards
Traditional Medicine

286
286
287
287
287
287
287
287
288
288
288
288
291
291
292

Language

293

Glossary

301

The Authors

303

Behind the Scenes

305

Index

311

World Time Zones

318

Legend

320