1. Adventure
Madagascar is a promised for the adventure. We can easily start playing Robinson Crusoé in wonderful lost small islands that look like the far side of the world; being in a western movie with the montain and canyons of the south similar to the Far West; or better, playing Indiana Jones in the West on the river of Tsiribihina.
In Madagascar, those who want to escape from the concrete jungle will always find a sanctuary of the nature. Those who are looking for paradisiacal places will always find a breathtaking and wonderful place in a unique world. In brief, the adventure is everywhere at any time.
2. Lemurs
Lemurs are the first to attract tourists in Madagascar, which made the destination Madagascar famous. Typically endemic of the Big Island, lemurs are animals that will always surprise you. Those cute animals with their melodious song and acrobatics when they go from branch to branch, the show will be an appointment.
Symbol and emblem of Madagascar, there is the Indri Indri, the biggest and the microcebe the smallest, the lemurs of Madagascar are everywhere in the island from north to south, and east to west. In brief, you won’t miss meeting with them throughout you travel Madagascar. This is also the reason of the trip, isn’t it?
3. Culture
Madagascar is rich in culture. Each region and ethnic group has its own customs that make them specific from each other. Born with an African, Arabic, Indonesian root or typically Malagasy; each culture is a discovery. Two of those numerous cultures are classified as cultural world heritage by the UNESCO which are the art Zafimaniry (since 2006) situated in Ambositra and the sacred hill of Ambohimanga (since 2001) keeping a big part of the history of the Merina kingdom.
Other than those, Malagasy are a population that has a high level of respect over the ancestors, thus the existence of Famadihana also called returning of the dead. Indeed, we can also discover various traditional festivities (Fitampoha, Malagasy new year, various cults…); fascinating Bara graves, traditional house in English style and old buildings in colonial style. In brief, many cultures that are transmitted from generation to generation.
4. Baobabs
One of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Madagascar but also one of the most popular, the baobabs of Madagascar amaze the world. Madagascar holds the world record of baobabs because it has seven endemic species against just one in Africa. As a fibre wood, baobabs were not really needed, reason why is has been saved from the deforestation. We can’t either build house with it or make coal, so the baobabs live in peace thus the youngest of them in the Big Island are around hundreds of years old.
The destination Morondava is the most perfect place to find baobabs. In the place, there are baobabs in different shapes and states. You can find black baobab, baobabs in love, sacred baobabs, male and female baobabs, baobabs in erection and not circoncire; baobabs with an elephant nose but especially the legendary baobabs alley, the most photographed site of Madagascar. Every day, there is always someone taking a picture of the beautiful sunset on the baobabs alley in Morondava.
5. Whales
During the austral winter, the whales leave the north hemisphere to go the south and the can take advantage the warm stream of the Indian Ocean. A tourist attraction that is magnificent and spectacular, the whales goes next to the coast of the Big Island from July to October.
This is also the season of love for the whales thus they get to the coast of the Madagascar to seduce or to give birth. During the seduction season, the show will be an appointment. Indeed, to get attention of the females, the males do some hallucinating choreographies with their melodious song.
Saint Marie is the most taken destination in Madagascar for the purpose of observing the whales. But also, be aware that whales will be present around all coast of the Island like in Nosy Be, Fort-Dauphim, Toliary, Maroantsetra or still Sambava.
6. Gastronomy
Madagascar is also known by its typical cooking at 100% natural. Excellent and simple, the taste of the local products combined with the know-how of Malagasy people give a result that you can’t compare. Rice and still rice, in the morning, midday and evening; this is the base of the Malagasy food. The zebu are the emblem of the country, thus beef is also everywhere in the Malagasy kitchen including the royal dishes of the simplest menu.
Some examples of the menu that you should definitely try during traveling in Madagascar: « Crabe sy Henakisoa » crab with pork, « Hen’omby ritra » beef with tomato sauce and garclics; « Ron’akoho sy Sakamalaho » chicken boiled with ginger; rice with coconut…
Madagascar is a fertile land, so during you trip, the fruits and vegetables can be found everywhere, like rice, somewhere in the south, the
foie gras, pure honey, good cheese with excellent wine. Also, don’t forget that in the coast, from North to South and East to West, the seafoodare in an unlimited quantity.
And if you want to go further in the culinary Malagasy adventure, go to the capital and visit the « Table d’hôte de Mariette » to taste the « Tatao » or the seven royal dishes. In the old days, the dish was served to the king during the festivities or during the royal washing of royal ancestor’s relics.
7. Mora Mora
Will you follow the proper Malagasy rhythm and have fun without felling limited by time. Take time to appreciate your traveling, to enjoy every second and welcome the world of “Mora Mora”. In the peaceful country, the “Mora Mora” is the perfect term to define the rhythm of the Malagasy who are not limited by time. Peaceful, cool, many ways to translate the term “Mora Mora”. In brief, the term means: take one’s time while being far from the rush and stress.
8. Beach
Having a large coast, Madagascar has many beautiful beaches and some of them are classified in the top 10 of the most beautiful beaches in the whole wide world. If you are looking for a seaside journey, peaceful and far from the rest of the world, in the big island you will have a wide choice.
First, we have the most famous like Nosy Be, Sainte Marie, Ifaty or even better, Anakao, There are also the most beautiful like Nosy Iranja, Evahatra, Ambatomilo, Salary. And finally we have the most paradisiacal, wild and barely visited, in brief, destinations that are still unknown and they are just waiting to be discovered, like Manafiafy, Ankasy in the South, Nosy Mitsio in the north-west, Nosy Ankao in the north-east, the peninsula of Masoala in the East, or still, Anjajavy in the west of Madagascar.
9. Population
If you travel in Madagascar, it’s not just the lemurs, the baobabs of the beaches to see; the local population is another new world to discover. With the rich culture and customs, the meeting with the Malagasy during you trip will be fulfilled with emotion.
18 ethnic groups having each their own cultures and their way of living, each stage of the trip is a whole new atmosphere. Despite the fact that Madagascar is classified as a poor country, the local population is friendly and always smiling.
The deep looks of Malagasy grandfathers or grandmothers, the magnificent face of the pretty girls wearing traditional make up, the joy of the kids who will tell you “Bonjour Vazaha”; all of that will melt your heart and will make your trip unforgettable, immortalized with magnificent pictures.
10. Photo
Madagascar is a dream destination for the amateur or professional photographers. The most photographed destinations of Madagascar are the Baobabs alley, the archipelago of Nosy Be, the Indri Indri of the national park of Andasibe and the whales in Sainte Marie.
But apart from those destinations, don’t miss taking photos showing the daily life of the population like in the village of Zafimaniry or in the village of fishers. Also don’t forget to immortalize the pretty faces of the girls of the North with their slimes permanently stuck on their faces while wearing traditional make up.
For the fans of landscapes, the destination RN7 in the south of Madagascar will satisfy you with contrast between Indonesian landscape in the highland and African landscape and Far West in the South.
For the photographer specialized in wildlife, we advise you the biggest and the vastest park of Madagascar which is the national park of Masoala.