Madagaskar - 10 dagen - Nature Lovers Tour (2023)

FAQs

Why is Madagascar worth visiting? ›

It has gorgeous turquoise water, incredible coral reefs, paper-white beach sand and lush mangroves. Madagascar beaches boast a tropical climate and Nosy Be is well-known for its beauty, warm ocean water, down-to-earth locals, active nightlife and vibrant culture.

The island harbors lush rain forests, tropical dry forests, plateaus and deserts. Its more than 3,000 miles of coastline and over 250 islands are home to some of the world's largest coral reef systems and most extensive mangrove areas in the Western Indian Ocean.

Overview. Madagascar is one of the world's highest priority countries for biodiversity conservation due to its exceptional species richness, high number of unique plant and animal species; and the magnitude of threats facing these ecologically, culturally, and economically valuable resources.

The Extent of Madagascar's Deforestation Problem

Between 2000 and 2016, it is estimated that over 3 million hectares of forest were lost. This had led to an estimated loss of 61 species of lemurs, and a further 78 are listed as threatened. A further 28 are critically endangered, at risk of imminent extinction.

The tropical island is unfortunately prone to natural disasters, as shown by the destruction of Cyclone Freddy in early 2023. Cyclone season is usually from November to April and hits the island hard, particularly in the coastal areas. Check the forecast ahead of time and try to avoid traveling during this season.

Violent clashes and crimes occur in regional areas, notably in southern, western and northern Madagascar. Avoid travelling on your own and at night and get local security advice before you travel to these areas. Political demonstrations can turn violent, and civil unrest can erupt without warning.

Despite a wealth of abundant and diverse natural resources, Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries.

But, perhaps more importantly, Madagascar offers insights into different personalities, and explores the themes of friendship, forgiveness, and teamwork as the animals learn how to work together to solve problems.

OVEREXPLOITATION OF LIVING RESOURCES

Madagascar's native species have been aggressively hunted and collected by people desperately seeking to provide for their families.

Madagascar is the world's second-largest island country and is located in the Indian Ocean. It is situated about 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa, across the Mozambique Channel. The country is famous for its lemurs, chameleons, beautiful orchids, and baobab trees.

What are the dangers in Madagascar? ›

Violent crime, such as armed carjacking, banditry, mugging, home invasion, and kidnapping can occur at any time.

Increased population growth is also the primary cause of deforestation in Africa and certainly in Madagascar. Most of the deforestation in low income countries is carried out via slash and burn. Slash and burn is an agricultural technique that involves the cutting and burning of forests to create fields (Klein, 2002).

Madagascar's environmental degradation is severe. Perhaps 90% of Madagascar's forests are gone while 25-30% of the country burns every year from agricultural fires. Soil erosion robs the country's agricultural capacity and further impoverishes rural populations.

All travelers to Madagascar need a visa. Tourist visas are valid for up to 90 days. Business visas are valid for up to 5 years. Business visas for stays longer than 90 days must be obtained through the Madagascar embassy in the US.

Seek local advice and guidance before visiting beaches. You should remain vigilant when visiting beaches to the South and North of Toliara (Tuléar) as there have been attacks and robberies. Avoid visiting isolated and remote beaches, especially alone.

Courses or boosters usually advised: Diphtheria; Hepatitis A; Poliomyelitis; Tetanus. Other vaccines to consider: Hepatitis B; Rabies; Typhoid. Selectively advised vaccines - only for those individuals at highest risk: Cholera.

Madagascar is generally safe for solo female travellers. The country is known for its friendly locals and stunning landscapes, and the majority of visitors have a positive experience. However, as with any destination, it is important to take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety.

The two “national” accompanying dishes are romazava, a meat stew with green leafy vegetables that have a very distinctive taste (brèdes) and ravitoto, stewed pork with shredded manioc leaves. Other specialities include eel with pork, pork with butter beans and kitoza (dried and smoked meat or fish).

Examples: Salama (Hello), Manana (to have). E sounds [ei] as in the English word; made, pay. Examples: Veloma (Bye!), teny (language/words), enina (six).

The two national animals of Madagascar are the zebu and the ring-tailed lemur. The lemur is a type of long-limbed arboreal primate found exclusively on the island, while the zebu is a subspecies of cattle originating from India and specifically adapted to endure hotter and drier climates.

What are poor facts about Madagascar? ›

Slash and burn farming techniques and over-farming have led to deforestation on a large scale. Only 10% of Madagascar's original rainforest is still intact. Madagascar's poor infrastructure also negatively affects its economy. Of the more than 30,000 miles of roads in the country, only about 11% are paved.

Madagascan culture is a curious, colourful fusion of influences drawn from seafaring Borneans and Bantu Africans, Arabic and Tamil traders, and French colonisation.

The average monthly income in Madagascar is 41 US Dollar per capita. In the USA, the figure is 5,911 US Dollar. However, the prices of consumer goods are also around 73.1 percent lower than in the USA. If you compare income and price levels, the result is a more expensive life in Madagascar than in the United States.

Poverty rates were highest in the states of Mississippi (19.58%), Louisiana (18.65%), New Mexico (18.55%), West Virginia (17.10%), Kentucky (16.61%), and Arkansas (16.08%), and they were lowest in the states of New Hampshire (7.42%), Maryland (9.02%), Utah (9.13%), Hawaii (9.26%), and Minnesota (9.33%).

Today, the haute ville is mainly residential and viewed as a prestigious area in which to live; many of the city's wealthiest and most influential Malagasy families live there. The part of la haute closest to the Rova contains much of the city's pre-colonial heritage and is considered it's historic part.

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest, followed by the Reformed Protestant Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM). President Ravalomanana is a lay Vice President of FJKM. The Lutheran and Anglican Churches account for most of the remainder of the country's Christians.

Madagascar is the second largest island country in the world - after Indonesia. Madagascar is also the fourth largest island in the world - after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo. 2. Madagascar is an island on the African continent and located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Mozambique and Tanzania.

"Madagascan is more appropriate when referring to the (geographical) origin or location of something (e.g., species) / someone. Malagasy on the other hand refers to more cultural or ethnic issues. E.g., everyone living in Madagascar is Madagascan but not all of them are Malagasy.”

Missing on the island are the many species of large mammals — antelopes, elephants, zebras, camels, giraffes, hyenas, lions and cheetahs — that roam continental Africa today. The only large African mammal that “made it” to Madagascar prior to the arrival of humans several thousand years ago was the hippopotamus.

Eager to expand and anxious to make its conquests secure, France finally annexed Madagascar by force. It officially became a French colony on 6 August 1896. Throughout the colonial period, France exercised total control over the economy, the administration and the army.

What is destroying Madagascar? ›

Population increase

Since the 1940s, the population in Madagascar has rapidly increased, putting pressure on the land available for housing and farming. Thousands of hectares of rainforests have been cut down in order to provide for the increased population.

Romazava ([rumaˈzavə̥]) is the national dish of Madagascar, consisting of greens, zebu meat, tomatoes, and onions, typically accompanied by a portion of rice.

A Malagasy breakfast consists of rice and greens, but a simple petit déjeuner (often referred to as a “Continental breakfast”) is increasingly common, and consists of tea or coffee with French-style baguette bread, usually with butter and/or jam, and occasionally with pastries.

The most popular mineral water is called Eau Vive, but other brands are available. Soft drinks including Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta are also available as well as a ginger beer marketed under the name Stoney Ginger. Malagasy coffee is all right if taken black, but often only condensed milk is available.

Malagasy people in familiar surroundings are warm and friendly and reserved in unfamiliar surroundings. The will probably not start a conversation with strangers. Refusing anything without a proper explination when offered is considered rude.

Armed gangs are known to commit home invasions and kidnappings, and to stalk areas where foreigners congregate. Robberies and break-ins, often violent, occur, especially in and around Antananarivo, but also in rural and isolated areas. Muggings, purse snatchings and pickpocketing also occur.

Madagascar is home to more than 80 species of snakes, none of which are overtly dangerous to humans. The island has no adders, cobras, mambas, pythons, or vipers— only boas and colubrids.

They also have a poverty rate of 97.5%. As a result, many Madagascan nationals often seek employment opportunities in neighbouring countries or abroad due to unemployment, lack of resources and environmental changes in Madagascar. This produces a complex migration pattern both internally and transnationally.

Large animals, called megafauna, went extinct in Madagascar about 1,000 years ago. Humans are believed to have played a major role in their disappearance. A human population boom, supported by the shift from a hunter-gatherer to a pastoralist-herder lifestyle, was a key driver, a new study says.

Although the exact extent of forest loss is not known with certainty, only 10 percent of Madagascar's forests remain. Also, recent estimates suggest that 1-2 percent of Madagascar's remaining forests are destroyed each year, and that a staggering 80-90 percent of Madagascar's land area burns each year.

Why are roads in Madagascar so bad? ›

Malagasy road surfacing is done cheaply with poor materials, and many of the roads are subjected to severe weather conditions each rainy season. Consequently potholes develop rapidly, and a 'fast' road can become a slow one in a matter of a couple of years.

Madagascar is the world's fifth largest island, situated in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Africa. Despite considerable natural resources, however, its population of about 28 million (2020) has one of the world's highest poverty rates.

The Anker Living Income Reference Value for 2020 for rural Madagascar is 512,693 Ar. per month (140 USD)2, with a 95% confidence around it of 451,792 Ar. to 581,885 Ar. This is the estimated monthly cost of a basic but decent standard of living for a typical rural family in Madagascar.

Best known for its lemurs (primitive relatives of monkeys, apes, and humans), colorful chameleons, stunning orchids, and towering baobab trees, Madagascar is home to some of the world's most unique flora and fauna.

The remote island nation is well worth worth the long trip, especially for adventurers and nature lovers. Madagascar is an often-overlooked travel destination perfect for nature lovers.

The cuisine made on the island of Madagascar is generally composed of rice which is always present at every meal, and it is considered as the staple food of the Malagasy people. Rice is always accompanied by meat, fish, pork, zebu or chicken.

Traditionally, Madagascans mainly consumed yams, as well as manioc and sweet potato. Thanks to the temperate climate in the highland areas, almost all fruits and vegetables are grown there, including carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans and asparagus.

Exercise increased caution in Madagascar due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk.

How long can Americans stay in Madagascar? ›

All travelers to Madagascar need a visa. Tourist visas are valid for up to 90 days. Business visas are valid for up to 5 years. Business visas for stays longer than 90 days must be obtained through the Madagascar embassy in the US.

Deforestation and habitat destruction. Agricultural fires. Erosion and soil degradation. Overexploitation of living resources including hunting and over-collection of species from the wild.

Effective August 11, 2022, the Government of Madagascar has ended all COVID-19 testing requirements for entry.

Do you tip in Madagascar? Tipping in Madagascar isn't very common for locals, but as a tourist, it is expected to tip and will always be appreciated. For porters, Ar200 or Ar500 is acceptable, and for restaurants or bars, 10% to 15% will be appreciated.