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WELCOME TO MADAGASCAR
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MALAGASY
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LEMURS
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CHAMELEON
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ORCHIDS
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Welcome to the island of Madagascar, "the almost own continent"

Today, 18 tribes live scattered all over the island, forming a colorful and exotic mixture of peoples. 25 million people live in very modest conditions.
In order to cope with their hard, meager life, they still use numerous customs and traditions. This cultural wealth can be seen in many different ways while traveling through the country.

The Malagasy have a strong sense of family; family ties are important to them above all else. All world religions are represented in Madagascar, with the majority of the population being Christian. Besides their religious denomination, the Madagascans are still dominated by their natural religion. An important part of daily life is the worship of the ancestors, especially the cult of the dead with the reburial of the dead.
The traveler is rewarded by the extraordinary hospitality of the population, despite all the arbitrariness of the Europeans during the French colonial rule and despite all the poverty.

The capital Antananarivo

also called TANA for short, is located in the Central Highlands, surrounded by picturesque rice fields and high mountain ranges.

Tana is the undisputed center of culture, industry, education trade and politics of Madagascar. The city has a large zoo, which gives you an overview of the flora and fauna of the island. In an attached museum you will get information about the development of the fauna and about ethnology. In the vibrant metropolis you will encounter numerous markets, here the farmers sell their produce daily.

From Tana, adventurous tours and sightseeing are possible.

The capital is the hub for domestic flights to far-flung destinations.

Climate zones

Due to the size of the island and the different land formations you will experience different climate zones, with African and Asian climate characteristics.

In the east of the island, in the region from Sambava to Fort-Dauphin, there are the large rainforest areas, here, due to the monsoon winds from Asia, there is constant hot and humid weather with high rainfall values.

Temperatures reach mid-range values of 25 to 30 degrees.

In the west of the island, in the region from Majunga to Morondava, the climate is very dry and hot, comparable to Africa.

In the central highlands, in the region around Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa, lies the agricultural center with its green rice fields. Here there are strong changes in temperature between day and night. The average temperatures in the southern winter are 10 to 20 degrees, it is dry and hardly rains. In the southern summer, the average values are about 15 to 25 degrees.

In the southwest, in the region with Tuléar in the center, it is hot and dry.

There is no rain for months or even years.

In the north, in the region of DIEGO, it is hot and windy, the temperature averages 25-30 degrees.

Export / Customs regulations

Also for Madagascar applies: no export of precious stones, endemic protected plants, animals and cultural goods. This causes unnecessary trouble and many discussions at the airport controls. For some plants and for cut semi-precious stones, however, there is the possibility of official export. Export certificates must be obtained for this purpose.

Entry formalities

A travel visa must be obtained for Madagascar. Make sure you have a passport valid for at least ½ year and at least 6 months at the end of your trip before submitting it to the consulate.

Photographic material, batteries, computer disks and sound recordings.

These items are very expensive in Madagascar and difficult to obtain. Therefore, take enough for your needs. To charge the batteries you do not need a special adapter, take a standard, in the country the sockets are French.

Health protection

Getting malaria cannot be ruled out as you travel through different climatic zones with warm and humid temperatures. Therefore, consult your family doctor beforehand so that he can recommend and prescribe the appropriate malaria prophylaxis. You can also obtain reliable information from tropical institutes. In any case, you should familiarize yourself with the signs of malaria.

Remember to have your personal first-aid kit.
Tourism in Madagascar is still in its infancy. Be careful when eating, avoid fresh salad and open drinks. Take appropriate medication for stomach and intestinal problems. Please remember sun protection for the head and skin. Due to the often high temperatures you will need a lot of drinking water, which you can buy in closed bottles.

Clothing

Always wear appropriate clothing according to the temperatures.

Also in Madagascar it can get cold and especially rain. During the day, light summer clothing made of tree-full is recommended. In the evening and at night it gets noticeably cooler, so a light sweater or light rain and wind protection should also be in your luggage. Choose footwear suitable for hiking routes, broken-in comfortable hiking shoes.

Accommodation

The hotels offered are not always of the standard we Europeans are used to.

Remember that you are traveling to a third world country, with still little developed tourist amenities that you take for granted in Europe.
In small villages you will stay in simple rooms, only some with shower and toilet. In some national parks there are only simple lodges. It can always happen that a shower is not working or there is no hot water at the moment.

Currency

The former currency unit " Franc Malagasy " has been replaced by the " Ariary ". Similar to the Euro changeover, both currency units still appear.

A first exchange is recommended at the airport upon arrival.
Credit cards are not yet widely accepted. Cash is still a safe means of payment. Euros and dollars are well accepted in banks and major hotels.

When entering Madagascar, you will need to advance your clock by two hours. During daylight saving time, the difference is only one hour.