Best Attractions in Madagascar

Madagascar is the country and the people of Madagascar are called Malagasy. Some article refers to them as “Madagascan”. The island of Madagascar is located about 400Km off the southeastern coast of Africa. This country is the fourth largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. It is the biggest island in Indian Ocean. It was once covered with evergreen and deciduous forest. Malagasy people cut trees and hunt animals like everywhere in Africa to survive. Attention!! They do not consider themselves as African! Nowadays, the plateau is particularly denuded and suffers seriously from erosion. Despite the effort to protect environment, more and more species are likely to disappear as there is less and less green forest. It’s time to come and to visit the last paradise before it disappears!

The official language in Madagascar is Malagasy with lot of dialect. It is difficult to understand some of them as they sound very different from the official language. Some people in the big cities and old men in countryside speaks French. France has colonized Madagascar from 1896 to 1960. Official documents are printed in French and Malagasy. The second international language is English.

Here are the Top sights in Madagascar

Madagascar will never finish to surprise! There are so many to do things on the island. As big of 587 041Km2, it is difficult to make a choice of what to see! As an Island Continent, Madagascar has at least three different faces and different ecosystems from one to another region.

#01 Wildlife Activities and Lemurs Tour

There are so many national parks to be visited. You will absolutely see lemur in each of them but you may miss your favorite species. The best place to experience real wildlife is in Masoala National Park and Marojejy National Park. It is recommended to communicate your age/capacity to walk if you expect to visit a National Park as some of them don’t have a path.

#02 Tsingy “Natural Limestones”

The most visited Tsingy is the Tsingy of Bemaraha in Morondava and the tsingy of Ankarana between Nosy Be and Diego Suarez. The red Tsingy in Antsiranana is very spectacular. Others tsingy like the tsingy of Namoroka receive few visitors every year and it is a nice place to live an adventure out of the beten track

#03 Baobab Safari

Madagascar counts six endemic species of baobab : Adansonia grandidieri, Adansonia madagascariensis, adansonia perrieri, adansonia rubrostipa (Adansonia fony ) , Adansonia for, Adansonia suarezensi. Five of them grows up in the south between Morondava and Ampanihy while the suarezensis can be seen in Diego Saurez and next to Ankarana National Park

#04 River Expeditions

The river of Tsiribihina is the top river expedition in Madagascar. You can explore it in 03 days by dugout (locally called pirogue) or motorboat. The dugout is less expensive but do not have enough space to move. The motorboat is noisy but it is safer and you can “even dance” on the boat if you like. Ask for the safety of the river before booking a river expedition tour. Manambolo river expedition is more spectacular but the access requires a big effort on trek with good organization.

#05 Whale watching

The best place to see humpback whale is in Sainte Marie Madagascar between july and September. The season may change from one to another year. Sometimes, it is possible to see them again in October. It is possible to see them in the large of the south west coast between Anakao and Andavadoaka in dry season. The see around Maroantsetra and Masoala is rough and whale watching is not a very good option even if it is sometimes rewarding. Nosy Be, is a good place to dive with whale shark in November/December. !!! SOBEHA TOUR doesn’t include those local activities into the package and you can decide once you are at the hotel. We recommend asking local fishermen if they have seen one around before buying a ticket for a whale watching tour!

#06 Culture Tour

Madagascar culture is hidden by the christianism. The famadihana could be the most popular traditional ceremony of Madagascar. There is also the tsangantsaina and the fitampoha. In the North East of Madagascar, you can attend different kind of Tsaboraha including Famadihana or Fagnokoarana, Rasa Hariana, Tsikafara, etc. In some remote village especially in Masoala, you can go to attend a “Tromba ceremony”. You need a good guide to assist those kind of ceremony as people drinks a lot. There is no special schedule and it can be cancelled at the latest time.

#07 Sport Activity

The most popular sport activities in Madagascar could be the “Morengy” and the “savika”. Morengy has become more and more similar to the Box this last time. It is generally organized in Sunday afternoon in the North of Madagascar. In remote village, it is organized by night under the moonlight. The “savika” is commonly called “the rodeo Malagasy”.

#08 Paragliding

There are few places for paragliding in Madagascar. The best places for such activity are Andringitra, Ampefy and Saint Augustin. Local tour operators take you to the place and you are on your own as there is no insurance, no monitor. Evacuation is done by car as these are remote place. You should think about your insurance if you practice such kind of activity.

#09 Hike and Trekking

You can hike everywhere in Madagascar. You will need a local guide to arrange some equipment and make a plan if you are not habituated to rude condition. Hike activities are proposed inside parks with camping inside or next to the park. You can also ask for a hike from one city to another one like Mandritsara to Maroantsetra or Maroantsetra to Antalaha or Ambalavao to Manakara, etc. For a medium hike, we recommend: the hike of Andringitra, Ranomafana, Marojejy, Maromokotra and Masoala

#10 Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is very limited. So far, the best place to experience it in Madagascar is in the valley of Tsaranoro at Andringitra. It is possible to ask local tour operator from Fianarantsoa to organize it for you with some basic equipment.