Tonga Soa, welcome to Madagascar!

Currency: Malagasy franc, Mgf. 1 FRF = 960 Mgf, 1 USD = 5300 Mgf, best exchange rate is offered by B.T.M.

Visa: available upon arrival at the fee 145 FRF

Departure tax: 120 FRF or 120.000,- Mgf, to be paid before entering check-in area at Ivato Airport

Transfer: airport Ivato is in app. distance 15 km from the city of Antananarivo. Reasonable fare is 8 USD per one way per vehicle, to be negotiated upon arrival.

Capital: Antananarivo (always referred to as Tana)

adagascar is anything, but not a paradise. Rain-forests are reduced to mere 20% of original extend, endemic species are endangered, population groves extremely fast and half of them is under 15 years. In spite of gloomy expectations you will meet there surprisingly nice and peaceful people, amazing landscapes and splendid opportunity for adventure of any kind.

o reach Madagascar, you need a plane, with some exemption, such as hitch-hiking yachts from Reunion. But anyhow, you have to fly to Reunion at least, or get a lift from another island and so on ... Not very fast, indeed, but I met a guy in Tana, who managed this. By misterious coincidence he was of American orgin, and, a few years ago, he had taught English in Czechia. Small world ... But stick to your favourite travel agency and buy an airline ticket.

fficial language is Malagasy and French. You have very little chance to make yourself understand with English, especially in rural areas. Time has different value there, so do not haste to arrange anything in half an hour. No way. Do not shout and do not make angry face, just relax, smile and insist. That is the best and successful policy.

fficial currency is Malagasy Franc, T-shirt, ball-pen, food etc. How much of what you pay depends on your skills and needs of a seller. For example my brand new socks raised zero attraction, as nobody wears such an unnecessary item on the whole island. You will meet cash in various forms: coins starting from 1 MGF, ending with banknote with astonishing nominal value 25 000 MGF. One franc seems useless to a newcomer, but when you see a man selling rusty nails and pieces of metal tubes on village market, you will find that, on Madagascar, transactions involve entire monetary scale.

ncoming tourist should be conscious of a fact, that people on Madagascar are very poor, and he or she should behave accordingly, while tipping, giving to beggars and so on. Average income of factory worker is 200 USD per annum. Beggars are ubiquitous in Tana, and all look very desperate. On the other hand every franc you give them threatens to doom dozens of others. Very small sum for us might be immense for others.

apital Tana is apt to cause a great deal of depression to a sensitive soul. If you take enough courage to dive into it's narrow streets, you will find interesting places and nice people, and who knows, maybe you start to love it, though with kind of strange feelings. If you are not scared to dig bars during the night, well, it is a great experience. You will find cool music, nice chicks, but also dark street full of small kids sleeping on streets ans begging till late. Be careful, do not wear fancy tourist dress, do not carry a lot of cash and do take precautions (available in every grocer's shop). Anyhow, it is good idea to leave Tana as soon as possible after arrival, and explore it in a few days before you leave for home, as you would get more tolerant opinion after seing more of Madagascar.

o leave Tana, you can use your feet (rather slow), railway (very slow), plane (just about fine) or a car (most common). Air tickets are available worldwide, but be sure to reconfirm all flights the very instant you arrive, not to be denied reservation. Car is to be rented with a driver. 110 USD per day per a van seems to be very reasonable price, provided it includes transportation, driver and gasoline. Be sure to get written contract from the company and keep advance payments as low as possible. I succesfully hitch-hiked on short distance, but usually you have to pay for a lift. Since private cars are rare, most common vehicle is a lorry.

ut the most common way to travel over the island is taxi-brousse. It is usually a pick-up for maximum eight passengers, which contains up to twenty of those plus luggage. Driver steers and is to manage the police patrols. They are frequent, with the only purpose to provide extra income to tough men who conduct them. Policemen wear unbelievably varying uniforms, golden rings and necklaces, and have the only wish. To be persuaded, that twenty can be eight. Drivers use Malagasy francs and polite language to make cops blind, but how much is required, I know not. Hence the importance of having own driver.

andscape of Madagascar is amazing. You will find valleys with rice pads, savannahs with termite-hills, baobabs, spiny forest, rain-forests with lemurs and splendid Indian ocean, which is paradise for divers. But beware of sharks. Exempt of reefs near Tuleár on the south-west, you will find them everywhere, or better they will find you. The biggest predator on the land is a man, followed by fossa-fossana. This is stripe civet, no bigger than a small dog. So trekking seems to be safe, as there are no poisonous snakes, too. Hotels are available at various rates, starting from one dollar per night per person, which however offers very low quality. But for 4 USD you get tolerable shelter, provided you do not expect western standard. This is hard to find. One of a few top establishments is hotel Plazza in Tuleár, owned by Mrs. Janette Rivert, charming lady born in Nairobi of Czech descent. She still speaks very well Czech and her hotel is a cosy place, which I highly recommend for your stay. Tuleár itself nice town, which seems to be a capital of pousse-pousse. They offer a lift in two wheeled man powered vehicle and various souvenirs, especially typical Malagasy bracelets. Be tough in negotiation, and bring a few extra T-shirts

here are familiar double prices. You are often asked to pay one and half dollar for a meal, which is offered for fifty cents on the menu, or you would see that entrance fee to national park for foreigners is 20 times higher, than that for locals. On the other hand, you can talk about the price almost everywhere. When talking on meals, do try local stuff. It is always rice with sometning. Make sure this "something" is well boiled or fried. Do not miss "Three Horses Beer", it is fine and reminds of some Czech beers.

f you decide to travel to Madagascar, you have a fair chance to take break from civilisation on this island, and you also would see your own life in different measures. To enjoy your stay well, you need a month of your life. As our time is precious and we have to work for living, it is possible to reduce the stay to at least ten days as I did. Lifetime experience is guaranted.

December 1998

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