Madagascar
Africa · Antananarivo · MG
Madagascar is the great island nation of the Indian Ocean, a land that separated from the African mainland millions of years ago and evolved its own extraordinary world of lemurs, baobabs, chameleons and the rainforests that carry them. The capital of Antananarivo climbs its red hills above the rice fields of the high plateau, and the country spreads from the beaches of the northeast to the famous baobab avenue of the west and the spiny desert of the south. The national parks of the island, Andasibe with its indri lemurs, Ranomafana with its bamboo lemurs and the great limestone labyrinth of Tsingy, hold the wildlife that exists nowhere else on earth. The people mix the Asian and the African roots of the island, and the table of the rice, the zebu and the coconut holds the culture. Poor, precious and wonderfully unique, Madagascar is a naturalist's dream and a traveller's adventure.
Overview
Madagascar is a country in Africa. Its capital is Antananarivo and the international dialling code is +261. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Malagasy and French. Local currency is the Malagasy Ariary (MGA). We also list 1 city in Madagascar: Antananarivo.
The Baobab Avenue and the Sunset of the West
The avenue of the baobabs, in the west of the country, is the most famous sight of Madagascar, a dusty track between the enormous, bottle-shaped trees, the great baobabs of the Grandidier species that reach twenty or thirty metres into the sky and hold water in their swollen trunks for the long dry season. The sunsets behind the giants of the avenue turn the whole plain orange and the silhouettes of the trees black for the photographer's classic hour, and the trees, some of them eight hundred years old, stand over the rice fields and the cattle tracks like the survivors of a lost age. The region beyond, the dry forests of the Menabe, holds more of the baobab species and the small, precious reserves of the local wildlife. It is a short, unforgettable stop on the classic trip through the west.
The Lemurs of Andasibe and the Rainforest Tracks
The mountain forest of Andasibe, a few hours from the capital, is the easiest and the most rewarding place in the country to meet the lemurs, and its reserve and the surrounding guides make the night walks and the dawn stalks part of the standard visit. The great indri, the largest of the living lemurs, sings its haunting call through the canopy in the early morning, and the smaller sifakas, the brown and the bamboo lemurs of the forest, leap through the high branches of the valleys. The trails of the reserve run the streams and the giant ferns of the humid forest, and the chameleons, the geckos and the frogs of the nighttime hold the smaller wonders of the forest. The guides of the region, the best in the country, turn every walk into a story of the island's unique natural history.
The Tsingy and the Limestone Canyons of the West
The tsingy of the west, the vast, razor-sharp limestone forests of the Bemaraha plateau, are the most dramatic geological scenery of Madagascar, a maze of pinnacles, deep canyons and the impossible, knife-edged ridges of the eroded rock. The trails of the reserve cross the chasms on the suspended walkways and climb the ladders between the spires, and the reward is the view over a forest of stone that seems to stretch to the horizon. The reserve also guards the lemurs of the gorges, the Decken's sifakas, and the birds and the reptiles of the dry forest that cling to the cracks of the rock. The region, a world heritage site, is reached by the long, rough drive and the river crossing, and its remoteness is part of its power. The tsingy are an experience that stays in the memory for years.
The Rice Fields, the High Plateau and the Capital of the Hills
The high plateau of the centre of the country, where the capital of Antananarivo sits among the terraced rice fields of the valleys, is the rice bowl and the historical heart of the kingdom of the Merina. The capital itself climbs its red hills in a jumble of the old wooden balconies, the brick of the older architecture, the winding lanes of the old town and the grandest palace of the kingdom, the Rova, standing above the city. The markets of the capital, the stalls of the vanilla, the crafts and the everyday trade, and the taxis and the carts of the narrow streets set the loud, friendly pace of the city. The surrounding countryside, the green terraces and the quiet villages of the plateau, is a beautiful, working, ancient landscape.
The Vanilla, the Zebu and the Table of the Island
The table of Madagascar is built on the rice that runs the whole of life in the highlands, eaten at every meal with the meat of the zebu cattle, the staple of the island's ranching and the measure of the old wealth. The vanilla of the northeast, the most prized in the world, scents the sweets and the markets of the country, and the tropical fruits of the coast, the lychees, the mangoes and the bananas, fill the seasons. The rum of the country and the honey of the forests round off the table. The zebu, the cattle with the humped shoulders, are everywhere, in the fields, on the routes of the drovers and on the plates of the restaurants, and the food of the island, simple, generous and unlike anything else, tells the story of the place.
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- Capital
- Antananarivo
- Currency
- Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
- Languages
- Malagasy, French
- Calling code
- +261
- Internet TLD
- mg
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Madagascar.
Which nationalities can enter Madagascar?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Madagascar?
For the origins we track, Madagascar requires a visa for tourism (Australia: visa on arrival, Canada: visa on arrival, France: visa on arrival, Germany: visa on arrival and India: visa on arrival). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Madagascar?
Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Madagascar?
You pay with Malagasy Ariary (MGA) in Madagascar. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Madagascar?
The languages we list for Madagascar are Malagasy and French. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Madagascar?
The dialling code for Madagascar is +261 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Madagascar do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Madagascar: Antananarivo (capital).