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All what to know before coming to visit Madagascar

VISA
The entry and stay with a single entry visa is issued to tourists by the diplomatic Representations and consular, or at the airport of unloading on payment of the corresponding right :
– Free for a stay of 30 days
– 70€ (cash) for a stay of 60 days
– 100€ (cash) for a stay of 90 days
– 105€ (cash) for a stay of a month convertible

VACCINATION
No vaccination is required from travellers unless they passed through an infected area. Anti-malaria prophylaxis and an injection of gamma-globulin hepatitis are nevertheless recommended, as well as prevention against cholera and yellow fever. About epidemics that occur from time to time in the world, Malagasy authorities have the same level of information and responsiveness than their colleagues from abroad.

LANGUAGES
The uniqueness of the language, Malagasy, difference between many other countries Madagascar. However, he knows more or less marked dialectal variants. The french and the English have the status of official languages, with an advantage for the french use.
CURRENCY
Madagascar has returned to its traditional currency, the Ariary, en 2005. The Malagasy currency is not convertible, It is advisable not to do the Exchange only as needed.

CLIMATE
We generally distinguish the Highlands to the mild climate, the hot, dry West, the rainy East Coast, the hot and humid North, and semi-arid South. Precipitation are descending Northeast (3500 mm in Maroantsetra) South- West (less than 500mm in the Tuléar region) with many shades between these two extremes. The dry season or winter period runs from April to October, and in the summer from November to March.
DUTY FREE
The shops under customs control of Antananarivo-Ivato airport is very well provided, and have very competitive prices. A few other points of sale in Duty Free exist in the capital, in certain provincial airports open to international flights, as well as in the shopping malls of certain large hotels. Items are already zero-rated at checkout. Presentation of the return ticket and an identity document is required.

COME AND MOVE
The plane : International connections
Madagascar is served by several airlines.
• On the European axis, by :
AIR MADAGASCAR
AIR FRANCE- KLM
CORSAIR
AIR ITALY
• On the Asia axis (Bangkok, Gangzhou) by :
AIR MADAGASCAR
• On the International Regional Network (Southern Africa, East Africa, Indian Ocean Islands) by:
AIR MADAGASCAR
AIR FRANCE
AIR AUSTRAL
AIR MAURITIUS
AIR LINK
KENYA AIRWAYS
COMORES AVIATION

In addition to Antananarivo, the following locations are served by international flights :
Diego Suarez, Nosy Be, Majunga, Toliara, Fort Dauphin, Tamatave, Sainte Marie.
For more information on lines and frequencies, see schedule of companies.

Domestic routes
Because of its size and the lack of channels of surface, Madagascar has one of the densest inside networks in the world. One of the peculiarities of its operation is to offer the best connections with international flights.
Next regular lines of AIR MADAGASCAR, several companies operate flights on demand. All these companies can perform medical evacuation flights.

Maritime cruises
Madagascar is ideally placed to be the crossroads of cruise tourism in this area of the Indian Ocean. In addition to being able to offer a wide choice of stopovers, She is on the road to three great routes : the first, in cross from Durban, who would use the new to Fort Dauphin Ehoala port. The second coming of the Kenya and the East African coast, and the third loop between the Islands.
The cruise is a tourism that benefits directly to the people and local operators. For example each pass to Tamatave of Romantica mobilizes all spheres, snipers shoot pushes restaurateurs through the merchants of the Bazaar and the hundreds of guides. This boat with a capacity of 1776 people belongs to the Costa company and is based in Réunion. He regularly programs Maurice, Madagascar (Tamatave, Diego Suarez, Nosy Be), and the Seychelles.

ROAD TRANSPORT
The taxi-brousse remains the backbone of road links. On the major thoroughfare choice can often be done between 3 types of vehicles : Great coaches nicknamed "Boeing" by users, the cars of average capacity, and Japanese minibuses.

CAR RENTAL
The offer goes from sedans to the minibuses through the off-road. The Park is of good quality, some rental companies being representatives of large international companies. In general the rental is done with driver. Some agencies accept rentals without driver subject to the payment of a deposit.
All purpose useful, the license is valid in Madagascar.

URBAN TRANSPORT
The capital Antananarivo and its outskirts are served by a dense network of public transport. However, it is not easy for the visitors to use. Taxis are recognisable by their cream colour and their Lantern. In the major cities of the coast the sprout shoots significantly shrink rickshaws, faster but less picturesque.

AVOID PURCHASES
Don't become traffickers through ignorance or simple want to exotic ! The Convention on international trade in endangered species of fauna and flora (CITES) is very strict about it. In accordance with its annex I, commercial export of several living species is prohibited, whose : lemurs, the dugong, different turtles (radiee, to spur, sea or), boas, the small Chameleon of Bemaraha and the Red frog Antongila, species of Euphorbiaceae, of didiéracéeses, of anxiety. There are also items classified National Heritage like the aloalo, the components of Windows Zafimaniry, old documents.

SPECIFIC EXEMPT PURCHASES
The traveler can freely take :
• 2kg of vanilla,
• 250g of hallmarked jewelry. The authorization can go up to 1kg subject to justification of the currencies brought,
• 4 different items made from crocodile skin purchased from approved retailers, upon presentation of invoices and authorizations initialed by the forestry administration.

BANKS
Bank branches are present in the main cities of the country. They are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the majority of them are equipped with an ATM accepting international VISA and MASTERCARD cards.. Money transfers are also possible through Western Union network agencies.

CHANGE
Banks and Exchange Offices in town, in airports, or in the shopping malls of large hotels, are the only ones authorized to carry out foreign exchange transactions. Avoid undeclared currency traders operating in certain streets.

ELECTRICITY
It is generally at 220 volts. Off-grid hotels, or who plan ahead in terms of untimely outages have their own generator. Solar energy also has its fans. Bring a battery-powered device for extreme cases…

WORKING DAYS AND HOLIDAYS
In General, offices open from Monday morning to Friday evening. The schedules of
The administration goes from 8 h to 16 h.
Public holidays are traditionally :
• The 01 January (New Year's Day)
• The 08 March (only for women)
• The 29 March (Commemoration of the events of 1947)
• Easter Monday
• The 01 May
• Ascension Thursday
• Pentecost Monday
• The 26 June (National Holiday)
• The 01 November (Toussaint)
• The 25 December (Christmas)

PRACTICAL TIMES
Most administrations offer continuous services, Posts and Telecommunications ensuring availability on Saturday mornings. Shops close during the break- lunch, except for department stores open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and sometimes Sunday morning.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
For professional shots in Parks and Reserves, an authorization issued by Madagascar National Parks is necessary. Before taking photos of people, kindly ask them for permission.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
To call a landline number from abroad, faire :
International code+261+20+area code+the correspondent’s number
To call a mobile phone from abroad, do :
261+the number of the correspondent without 0
To call from Madagascar abroad, do :
00+country code + area code + correspondent number
Madagascar is connected to very high-speed Internet and access is widespread in large hotels. For the general public, there are numerous cybercafes, particularly in the capital..

HOW TO AVOID CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS?
• Never despise the “FADY” (forbidden) nor try to circumvent them with foreign logic
• The familiarity does not exist in Malagasy grammar. Only use familiarity with someone if close ties have already been established with them.
• Do not photograph a person without their consent.
• Never speak too loudly, nor show anger
• Slipping a few words of Malagasy into a conversation is always appreciated
• Benefit fully from hospitality, while knowing how to remain a stranger

HOW TO DRESS?
• Malagasy is generally modest, even if a mother of traditional culture will not feel embarrassed to breastfeed in public.
• In winter on the Central Lands, bring some warm clothes in reserve

WHAT TO EAT , WHAT TO DRINK?
• International cuisine is omnipresent in hotels and restaurants. Malagasy cuisine has its great classics like romazava, a broth made from an amalgam of bredes, or le ravitoto, crushed cassava leaves with pork. It’s a cuisine full of flavors, but certain dishes require moderation so as not to offend unaccustomed organisms.
• It is not recommended to drink tap water. Natural bottled water is a safe staple drink for all types of stays.

CHILDREN AND DISABLED PEOPLE?
Very few sites or hotels have facilities reserved for children, or accommodations for people with reduced mobility. This is also the case for transport. Therefore, notify your Agency in advance so that all arrangements can be made..

BARGAINING AND TIPING
• Bargaining is a traditional practice still in force at the market, with taxis (since they are not equipped with a meter), rickshaws, and when we request a service menu. The principle is to arrive at a happy medium acceptable to both parties..
• In hotels, restaurants et sites, the fact of leaving a tip and its amount are left to the entire discretion of the customer.

VISIT NATIONAL PARKS
There is a Visitor Code of Conduct. Here are some extracts :
• Don’t leave trash behind,
• Take plastics with you, metal, the glasses,
• Do not leave the established paths,
• Only camp in authorized places,
• To preserve the forest, know how to reduce your comfort requirements,
• Do not take anything, leave the forest its plants, his animals, its insects,
• Do not feed animals, avoid disturbing them with violent acts or too much noise,
• Don’t buy your souvenirs just anywhere, because you don't know the origin.
Failure to comply with the regulations may result in sanctions against the visitor or the organizer of their visit..

HIKERS AND ENTHUSIASTS OF NATURE TOURISM
They provide the appropriate and good walking shoes clothing, not to mention ointments or sprays against insect bites. For the bivouac, review the panoply of the perfect camper : sleeping bag, flashlight, emergency kit, water bottle and water purification tablets, Swiss army knife and a spirit "Crusoe.".