In September 2019, I quit my corporate job and hopped on a plane from Washington, DC to Antananarivo, Madagascar. I gave myself a month to backpack across the country, believing it was more than enough time to explore every corner of this transfixing island nation. Boy, was I wrong. As I soon found out, Madagascar is simultaneously wondrous and maddening. Not even a full month can do “the eighth continent” justice. Here are 7 Madagascar survival tips based on the lessons I learned along the way:
1. Prepare for long stretches on the road
This first Madagascar survival tip is particularly salient for any tall travelers. On paper, Madagascar doesn’t seem that big. It’s a bit smaller than Texas and roughly the same size as France. However, the roads are awful and rail options are very limited. In addition, the country’s main (read: paved) highways radiate outward from the capital, Antananarivo, in a spoke-and-wheel system. So, unless you have the funds to fly to and from each of your destinations (which, even then, usually requires a transfer in the capital), you’ll need to budget a significant amount of time to spend on the road, often backtracking to the capital.
The good news is that budget travelers have no shortage of cheap options to traverse the island. The largely informal network of taxi-brousse (shared vans used by ordinary Malagasies) connects all the main towns. These range from the relatively luxe Cotisse to dilapidated minivans stuffed to the brim with passengers. For more remote destinations, you’ll need to book a tour (which can be accomplished relatively cheaply for solo travelers) or catch a much rougher camion-brousse.
2. Learn basic French (or Malagasy)
Most of the little tourism that Madagascar receives is from its former colonial overlord. As such, much of Malagasy tourist infrastructure is geared towards the French. This extends from the charming (baguettes and jam at breakfast) to the challenging (a dearth of English-speakers). Perhaps the most salient Madagascar survival tip, it really is necessary to come to Madagascar armed with at least a basic grasp of French (or Malagasy, if you want some extra brownie points).
A few months before my trip, I began doing some serious practice on Duolingo. I kept at it until I felt confident I could navigate normal tourist interactions in French. I recommend this strategy because 1) it’s free, and 2) Duolingo does not offer Malagasy (at the time of writing). Even if you don’t feel 100% confident in your French skills, the sink-or-swim aspect of traveling across Madagascar will bring out your latent abilities. Between broken French and hand signals, you’ll be able to get by. Which brings me to my next point…
3. Get a phone plan and be ready to make some calls
This is essential. While Madagascar can be traveled cheaply, the usual online backpacker resources like hostelworld.com are not super useful (booking.com is the exception). This is because hotels, guesthouses, and tourism operators in Madagascar tend to lack a strong web presence. Those that do have websites are often not set up to handle payment transactions, making pre-booking challenging.
Instead, Malagasy businesses are well-equipped to handle business over the phone. This was the only way to reach some guesthouses and make arrangements ahead of time. (This is useful if your taxi-brousse is dropping you off in the dead of night.) Phone calls are also preferred since simple queries can extend across multiple days over email due to internet outages and lax correspondence. Of course, making phone calls comes with the caveat of needing to understand the other party and make yourself understood. This is a challenge in any foreign language.
Malagasy phone plans are cheap and easy to obtain. At Ivato Airport, the main arrival point for almost all international visitors, all the major phone carriers have offices and can help set you up with a SIM card and plan.
4. Come armed with mosquito repellent and sunscreen
This is one Madagascar survival tip that should not be ignored. Malaria is a serious concern in Madagascar. The ubiquity of bed nets is a testament to this. (You should consider intact bed nets a precondition to any worthy accommodation.) On top of that, the mosquitoes are vicious and repellent is tough to find outside of large towns. (However, western brands like OFF! are available in large supermarkets in major towns, if you’re in a pinch.) It’s best to bring enough of your preferred brand to last the length of your trip. Pants and long-sleeve shirts are also lifesavers come dusk.
It’s a fact that the sun is stronger in the Southern Hemisphere. Because Madagascar’s attractions are mostly outdoors, sunscreen is a must. I personally had trouble finding sunblock (crème solaire in French) outside of the major cities. Even when I could find it, the Malagasy varieties were ineffective. Like sunscreen, aloe vera gel is available in larger cities, but rare elsewhere. Plan accordingly. Bring enough sunscreen to last your trip and use it liberally. Don’t be like me and have to stay in the shade to recover from sunburns, resulting in losing a day of your trip.
5. Carry more cash than you think you need
In a country where credit card acceptance is low, cash is king. Madagascar uses the Ariary as its currency. The largest note is 20,000 Ariary, which equals about $5 USD at the time of writing. As such, your wallet will often be fatter than you would like with Malagasy money.
Since many places lack ATMs entirely, it is advised to always “top up” before leaving the larger towns. This avoids the uncomfortable situation of being out of cash and miles away from the nearest ATM. It is especially important to plan to withdraw ahead of time to pay for any large expenditures like tours. These costs can sometimes exceed the withdrawal limit of Malagasy ATMs. In my experience, many Malagasy ATMs had withdrawal limits between 50,000 and 200,000 Ariary. This effectively limited my withdrawals to well below what my bank would allow. At times, this forced me to use multiple machines or make multiple transactions.
Note: Mobile payments are commonplace in Madagascar, but this is not something that I personally used. If you have any experience using these as a traveler, I would love to hear about it!
6. Connect with locals
The Malagasy stand out as some of the friendliest people I have encountered during my travels. They are honest, always willing to help, and feel immense pride in showing off their country. Furthermore, they greatly appreciate any visitor who goes the extra mile to learn basic Malagasy phrases.
The warmth of the Malagasy people is evident even across language barriers. I found this out firsthand when I hitchhiked with, and later befriended, a Malagasy family. None of the family spoke English, and only the daughters spoke French. I traveled with them for two days. It helps that Madagascar is one of precious few countries that has a positive perception of Americans. This is due largely to the efforts of the Peace Corps, which has one of its largest footprints in Madagascar. Its volunteers make great impacts in education and agriculture while living in the communities they serve.
Even waitstaff will subtly guide you in the right direction when it comes to ordering food at restaurants. For instance, when I initially ordered steak in a restaurant in remote Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, the waitress replied, “non monsieur, I prefer the shrimp.” I accepted her recommendation but my tourmates pressed ahead with their steak orders. When the food emerged, I received a nicely arranged shrimp plate while my compatriots got unappetizing bowls of beef porridge. This happened to me a couple of times over the course of my month in Madagascar. Moral of the story: listen to the locals.
7. Make peace with leaving your comfort zone
The final Madagascar survival tip relates more to the mindset a traveler should have. I’ll be candid—Madagascar can be challenging. You will get dirty. You will eat some uninspiring food. Things will get lost in translation. But all of these minor inconveniences pale in comparison to the payoff—traversing and triumphing over a rugged, varied, and often breathtaking land.
Budget travel in Madagascar entails some degree of discomfort. But it’s all a tradeoff. The twelve hours spent in a cramped van seem minor when standing at the foot of a giant baobab tree. That annoying mosquito bite fades from mind once you spot a wild lemur at close range. And all the trouble it took to reach that beach melts away the minute you wade into the warm, crystalline water. So eat that mountainous helping of rice, survive that long haul taxi-brousse, and swat away those mosquitoes. You can’t get to the heart of Madagascar without leaving your comfort zone.
Conclusion
Hopefully these 7 Madagascar survival tips help you navigate the eighth continent should you decide to visit soon. If you’ve recently visited Madagascar or plan to in the near future, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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