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Introduction to
Madagascar holidays
Madagascar
island, the world's 4th largest island, measuring 1571 km in length and
571 km across.
Because of its isolation most of its wildlife, half its
birds, and most of its plants exist nowhere else in the world.
Almost
everything is
strangely
different, on
the Madagascar
island, wildlife,
the famous Madagascar hissing Cockroach, the trees, the fauna, the rock
formations,
everything you'll see
and touch on your Madagascar holiday
is seldom found
anywhere else. The
only place in
the world where you can see lemurs dancing with their babies in the wild.
The
Madagascar
island also
has its share of beautiful beaches and magnificent
untouched
coral reefs
enticing scuba divers and snorkellers into the warm tropical Indian Ocean waters.
Madagascar island is a big country where you can return again & again and
never see the same thing twice. As soon as the road network is
restored we intend to start self drive tours of Madagascar.
This makes Madagascar holidays not only
unique
but
a compellingly
destination
to explore.
For those who are looking for something new and different in a holiday,
a
Madagascar holiday is for you. From exploring the unusual features,
forests, wildlife, cultures and
customs
to a relaxing beach holiday in the tropical sunshine.
Madagascar has a great deal to offer you.
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SELFTOURS
have qualified to become
SATSA Members
Offering you peace of mind that you are dealing with a recognised and
approved tour designer
click the image for more details
Designers of Madagascar holidays in association with Airlink & Air
Madagascar |
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Airlink :
With Airlink's daily flights from
Johannesburg to Antananarivo, Madagascar is now readily accessible.
With over 27 connections throughout Southern Africa, spread your
wings with Airlink.
www.flyairlink.com |
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Air
Madagascar :
As soon as you board our aircraft, you will experience the legendary
reception and hospitality of the Malagasy people. Thanks to our large
network with more than 40 destinations, Air Madagascar offers you
perfect connections to all the main big cities and holiday spots in
Madagascar. Weekly flights from Johannesburg on Tuesday, Thursdays &
Saturdays
www.airmadagascar.com
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Travel to the Madagascar
Island
and
Be
one of the few to explore this new & exciting
mystical
island
holiday
destination.
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Nosy Be Island -
8 day package with selection of hotels, ex
Johannesburg. |
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St Marie Island
- 8 day package with selection of hotels, ex
Johannesburg. |
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Pangalanes
Tour - 10 day Adventure
Package - Antananarivo - Perinet Forest -
Pangalanes Canal - Sainte Marie Island (east
coast) |
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Tsingy Tour - 12
day Adventure Package - Diego Suarez - Amber
Mountains -
Ankarana - Nosy Be Island (northern Madagascar) |
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7 day
Scuba Diving Nosy Be Madagascar off Nosy Sakatia
Island |
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10
day Adventure Canoe Package - Antananarivo
- 4 day canoe trip on Tsiribihina
river - Kirindy forest - Morondava (west coast) |
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2 x 9 day Adventure
Quad Bike tour Packages in Northern
Madagascar.
3 days on Quad bikes or 2 days on Quad bikes and
Nosy Be Island |
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Sailing aboard the
56 foot catamaran "Marquises" - Double
cabins en-suite.
12 days - 7 nts sailing, 3 nts Nosy Be, 1 nt
Antananarivo |
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Travel
Madagascar, for an experience of a lifetime on this fascinating island of
Madagascar.
WHY?
Because you are going to have a hand in designing your travel to Madagascar
with
SELFTOURS
assistance.
Travel Madagascar Holidays. |
Read what some
of our passed guests have to say about our Madagascar vacations.
Or visit our
guest book for the full stories
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Sent:
Tuesday, June 04, 2008 8:05 AM
Johan Vosloo
from South Africa wrote:
(Now here is a tough story with a happy ending !!... ED
.....)
Last year I planned an island holiday but was not really
sure where to go, I bumped into your website and landed
on the lap of Carina, she was so enthusiastic, I had no
option but to go with her ideas MADAGASCAR
was the destination.
I
later lost interest as out of the blue I was involved in
a divorce and had no further interest in the holiday,
now already paid for. Everything that could go
wrong, did go wrong, a divorce, the flight from JHB
delayed for 24 hours you name it.
Carina kept things going and my spirit up, she convinced
me to do the island thing. In Johannesburg I was the
only passenger on that doomed flight who had contact
with my travel agent that evening, stranded in
Johannesburg and all the other passengers looked at me.
Carina gave me her cell phone number and we were in
communication all evening until the matter was resolved
and all the passengers put up in a hotel in
Johannesburg. I am back home with very good memories and
excellent photographs.
Carina kept things going, we all enjoyed a fabulous
holiday and to cap it all, Carina even arranged for a
refund from African Encounters for all our wasted costs
as result of the delayed flight.
Carina is tops and there is no reason why I or anyone
else should seek assistance anywhere else than at
Selftours cc.
All the compliments to Carina and Selftours cc.
THANKS CARINA
John Vosloo |
Thursday,
May 04, 2006 10:55 AM
Ari & Victoria Bethlehem wrote:
Hi
Carina,
I hope this email finds you well.
We
have returned from our trip to RSA and Madagascar.
We had an amazing time. The accommodation on Nosy
Be was great. The food at the hotel was awesome.
Some of the best seafood I have ever eaten. There
was lots to do on the island and we had fantastic
weather. I would recommend it to anyone looking
for a different holiday, but a relaxing island one
at that too.
Thank
you for all your help in organising our trip. I
will pass your details one to all that I know.
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Date : 28/11/2008
- AND what do Travel Agents have to say
about Selftours -
Thanks Shan!
Once again Self tours with impeccable service! Between you and Clayton
I am impressed. I don’t think I will ever book Madagascar anywhere
else ever again!
Kind Regards,
Cindy
Cindy Stocken
International Travel Consultant
Campus Square Student Flights
Flight Centre Limited
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Date: 2005-09-29 14:05:31
Brett Lund wrote:
Hi Steve
........... >Madagascar< ...........
Our trip was really amazing - Madagascar is a beautiful
place, and Isle Sainte Marie is a jewel. I enjoyed
being in Perinet, it a really beautiful place too
and the Indri calling was a truly magical moment.
Thanks a lot for all your help - you really did a
great job, I respect your input ENORMOUSLY!
Cheers
Brett
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MADAGASCAR popular Holiday areas |
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| Antananarivo
- or Tana as it is affectionately know, is
the capitol of Madagascar with a population of 3 million
people. Tana is
situated in the centre of the island in the highlands 4060
feet above sea level. It is Madagascar's largest city and
is the administrative, communications, and economic centre
of
Madagascar.
Built on the hillsides and ridges of 12 sacred hills and
surrounded with rice paddy fields, Tana is an interesting
place to spend a few days either at the beginning or end
of your holiday. Since it is also the location of the country's
major international airport, most visitors will find themselves
at least passing through the city. There is a Lemur
park with a shop & restaurant just 30 minutes outside
Tana which is an ideal park to visit if you are laid over
for several hours awaiting your connecting flight.
The Artisans Market is also worth a visit where you can
'Haggle' for bargains amongst the colourful local traders.
Silk and leather goods abound but do beware of the coloured
gems which are usually just coloured glass, or a afternoon
city tour covering the palace and other historical land
marks.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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Sainte Marie
Island - Lies off the north eastern
coast of the main island of Madagascar.
Sainte
Marie Island is just 7 kilometres off the coast at its
nearest point, and 1 hours
flying time from Tana. It is a long thin tropical island approximately
60
km in length and less than 7 km wide with the small island
of Ile aux Nattes just off the southern tip.
The
island has a colourful past as a Pirate's haven (1680
to 1720) with secluded beaches, soft white sand, warm weather,
swaying palms and lush vegetation. Sainte Marie has for
three centuries remained the perfect example of a pristine
lush green tropical island.
The
islands can be visited all year round except during February
as this is Sainte Marie's cyclones season.
Scuba Diving: Safe from sharks, the lagoon of Sainte
Marie island is endowed with significant coralline growth.
Its underwater fauna is preserved as a natural heritage
and first-class diving site in the Indian ocean. These and
the many corals can be explored by both scuba divers and
amateurs with little more than a mask, snorkel and a set
of fins.
Whales:
The channel between Sainte-Marie and Madagascar is a hot
spot for whale watching. Between July through to September
substantial groups of humpback whales (Megaptera) migrate
from the Antarctic to this idyllic breeding place. These
quiet giants find conditions here that are favourable for
the growth of their young and well suited to their courtship
and acrobatic games before the big return toward the cold
seas.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General |

Diving |
Whales
& Fishing |
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Nosy Be island
- meaning
the "Big Island" in the
Nosy Be Archipelago. Also know as the perfume island
due to the large cultivations and processing of Ylang Ylang.
Situated off the North West coast of Madagascar, with a
surface area of approx 280 sq km. including numerous smaller
surrounding islands.
It is a volcanic island with eleven extinct volcanoes which
now act as natural water reservoirs for both cultivation
and human consumption. Some are also home to crocodiles.
The highest peak, Mount
Passot rises to 450m. It’s tropical climate and classical
‘Indian Ocean holiday island’ appeal makes it a leading sea,
sun & sand destination. It boasts 12 months of sunshine,
exuberant tropical vegetation, with beautiful beaches washed
by the warm waters
of the Mozambique Channel, .
Scuba Diving: A popular attraction as there are many
coral reef to explore with several scuba diving operation
on the island.
A day excursion to Nosy Komba, the Lemur island,
where lemurs and villagers live in harmony. Then on
to nearby Nosy Tanikely where you can relax on a
beautiful beach, take a small hike up to the light house
or snorkel right off the beach. A tasty picnic lunch
is served on the beach under the watchful eye of the friendly
but curious lemur colony. Nosy Tanikely's beautiful
coral has been declared a marine sanctuary. This tour
is a must.
There’s
also the Lokobe Reserve nature trail, on southeast Nosy
Be. The islands can be visited all year except during February,
as then the rains peak. Yacht charter packages
are available.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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Diving
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Runtime
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Morondava - Situated
centrally on
the west coast of Madagascar at the mouth of the Morondava
River and washed by the warm waters of the Mozambique Channel,
Morondava is accessed by direct flights from Antananarivo
and Fort Dauphin.
Reminiscent
of a 'wild west' movie set, Morondava is the centre of the
Sakalava kingdom and their tombs. The Morondava basin is
baobab country and is the gateway to many of the wonders
of the western region including the Kirindy Forest, the
Avenue of the Baobabs, the Tsingy de Bemaraha, Belo Sur
Mer, and famous for
its river rafting expeditions.
Morondava
offers sandy streets and vast seashores rocked by the passage
of schooners and pirogues with their sails filled by the
wind. Fishing is the main activity of Morondava, pulsating
with the ancient rhythms of the Vezo fishermen. Shrimp is
called pink gold here, sustaining many families since the
opening of a processing factory.
Tailor-made action-packed
river expeditions for the adventurous
can range from one to several days to suit you. Canoeing
down the meandering rivers of the region is the ideal avenue
to reach natural unspoiled places, and makes for wonderfully
civilized camping. How much closer can you get to
nature?
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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| Fort
Dauphin - When
one thinks of Fort Dauphin one things of Berenty Private
Lemur Reserve and its diverse Madagascar wildlife. Fort Dauphin is situated in the south
east corner and enjoys direct flights from Johannesburg
due to the South African mining operation in the area.
Two main attraction are both Berenty and Lokora beach.
Lokora: Excursions to Lokora beach is by fast motor
boat travelling east through very scenic natural botanical
gardens in a semi swamp land running parallel, but inland,
to the coast line. A short hike over the hill with breath
taking views leads you down to Lokora beach. En route view large
elephant ear plants, insect eating plants, village culture,
outstanding views. Lunch is served on a lovely beach
next to a local fishing village. A great day of experiences.
Berenty: The
2
hour drive
up from Fort Dauphin introduces you to the strange Spiny
forest trees, and
large
Baobabs.
Almost
all trees in this area are heavily encrusted with spines
& thorns to ensure their survival in the dry climate.
The
reserve
borders
the Mandare river
and is
the world’s largest Lemur reserve, and home to six different
species of Lemurs.
The famous dancing Lemurs, the Sifaka, are common in the park.
You
can choose to drive up from Fort Dauphin for the day, or,
if you decide to spend the night you can also enjoy spotting
the nocturnal Lemurs after dark. Binoculars and
a
torch are a recommended accessory.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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Runtime
= 69 seconds
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Perinet Rainforest - The
12 000 hectare rainforest of Perinet is situated
approximately
3 hours east of
Antananarivo making it one
of the
country’s most popular
Madagascar wildlife reserve.
Be
in the rainforest as close to daybreak as possible as the
animals are most active in the early morning. The trails
are not difficult to manage and most of the forest guides speak
English.
Perinet holds a large variety of rare rainforest plants
and animals including eleven species of lemur (most notably
the baboon-sized Indri with its haunting call and elusive
habits), the
large
parsons
chameleon,
the blue boa constrictor,
a large variety of tropical birds,
Orchids, and other epiphytes festoon the trees.
Suggestion: Consider our
Pangalanes canal tour - by road down to Perinet
then boat trip up the canal (loads of culture, wildlife &
scenery along the canal), then crossing to the Pirate island
of Sainte Marie for that relaxation in the sun.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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Runtime
= 39 seconds
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Diego
Suarez - The northern tip of Madagascar
which saw conflict in both the world wars as can be witnessed
from the artillery emplacements to the entrance to the bay
and in the British, French and Malagasy war cemetery's.
Diego is situated on the second largest bay in the world
and a strategic safe deep harbour to shipping with dry docks
and other shipping services.
Red Tsingy, a
more delicate and very unusual version on the Grey limestone
Tsingy, found uniquely in several areas of Madagascar -
the red Tsingy are made of sandstone and present beautiful
forms.
Amber Mountain is a long-extinct volcano
covered by primary tropical rainforest, including craters
and waterfalls. A bewildering array of animals and plants
have specially adapted to thrive in this moist 'island' of
biological diversity. Lemurs, birds, chameleons, geckos,
and truly immense rain forest trees, are among some of the natural
wonders you will encounter.
Suggestion: consider the best of both - our
Diego Suarez Tsingy tour runs down through the Tsingy &
forests to Nosy Be for some final beach relaxation.
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To
see the bigger picture, view our slide show below.
Allow a little time for the images to download |

General
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Runtime
= 62 seconds
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Talk to us at Selftours and lets see how we can help you
fit an adventurous Mystical Madagascar vacation into your budget |
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Other areas on the Madagascar Island to consider |
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Tsara Guesthouse: **
Fianarantsoa
A small Madagascar hotel integrated in an old
traditional building of the highlands. The main house is a restored
church. Comfortable rooms and great cuisine.

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Ifaty Beach, Saint Augustin Bay & Tulear:
The southwest desert corner:
There's plenty to see in this
remote, low-key area: coral reefs, spiny bush and rare birds are the
main attractions. Seaside hotels at Ifaty Beach and St Augustin Bay
offer scuba diving and snorkelling, as well as trips to Nosy Ve marine
reserve islet, off remote Anakao. The Nosy Ve excursions are
wonderful for beach and snorkelling enthusiasts. At Ifaty especially,
the unprotected 'spiny desert' never fails to enthral Wild ringtail
lemurs live near Saint Augustin Bay, where a visit to the Sarodrano Cave
is a must. Inland from Tulear, the ornate burial tombs of Andranovory
are of the country's most impressive. |
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Ankarafantsika
Forest Station:
Two hours
south of Mahajanga is one of Madagascar's
top wildlife hotspots. Easy trails into
tropical dry deciduous forest over gentle
terrain. Accessible all year round. Abundant
lemurs live in these forests and it is
the best place in western Madagascar for
bird watching.
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TRAVEL MADAGASCAR
ISLAND HOLIDAY
TIPS |
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Visas:
Travel in Madagascar. Visas can be obtained on arrival at Antananarivo
Airport. Madagascar Visa cost as at Dec 2008 are, Euros 70 or US $ 100
per person.
Malagasy consulates in Johannesburg/South Africa or Durban issue one month
visas for any passport holder. A valid passport is required.
Currency: As soon as you have cleared through customs, change some
money into Ariary / Malagasy Francs (FMG) at the airport Bureau de Charge. Since the 01
August 2003 the government changed the local currency from Malagasy Franc (FMG)
to the Ariary. Please be warned that the new Ariary is worth five times the FMG
amount. Both currencies are shown on the notes. Ariary / FMG can be
converted back into Euros prior to leaving Madagascar. Do not take
South African Rand to Madagascar. Credit cards
MasterCard is rarely
accepted, recommend you take a Visa Card as most hotels happily accept
Visa.
Tipping: be careful not to be persuaded or
bullied into over tipping. The average porter at the airport only
earns approximately 20000 Ariaries a week (about US $12) They have been
known to ask for 10000 Ariaries just to push your trolley.
When to go:
This depends on your interest. Nature enthusiasts should go from late August
to January. Certain parts of western Madagascar are not accessible in summer
(December - March) after rains. Avoid the northeast in February,
Cyclones may occur in January to March. July to September is also good for
whale
watching on the east coast.
Time
zone:
GMT + 3 hours
Power
supply: 220 Volt - European round two-prong plugs.
Health requirements: No immunizations are necessary. Malaria prophylactics are
essential. Drink only bottled water or take water purification tablets.
Travel insurance is recommended (medical cover).
Customs allowance: 500 cigarettes and 1 litre of alcohol.
What
to pack: Comfortable, casual and light clothing. Well-worn
walking shoes or sneakers/trainers are essential. Pack warm clothing for winter
nights. Take insect repellent and protective wear for the tropical sun and
rain. If visiting Perinet Lemur forest a Dry Mac is recommended as the
rainy season is all year round and it can be chilly in the evenings.
If planning and evening hike in the forests to spot nocturnal animals a head
mounted torch is an excellent accessory. A small back pack is always
ideal for carrying your small personal items. A small basic medical
kit is a wise idea, especially if you are intending to travel through
Forests and unpopulated areas far from major towns. Should you need to
purchase medicines from a chemist the packet will most likely be printed in
French, this can be frustrating if you are non French speaking. Rather
car a supply of headache pills etc with you. When travelling all
medication should be carried in the original packaging for identification
purposes if checked by customs.
Luggage allowance: 20 kg & 1 item of hand luggage.
Language: Malagasy is the first language; French the business
language and English is spoken by some people in the tourism industry. An
English to French phrase book could be your best companion if you are not
familiar with speaking French.
Getting there: Air Madagascar currently operates
two
flights per week between Antananarivo/ Madagascar and Johannesburg/South
Africa. (Tuesdays and Saturdays). Flight duration is three hours. South
African Airlink operates flights on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday.
Getting around: The most comfortable method is to fly to domestic
destinations. Air Madagascar serves 60 domestic airports. There are
overland routes run by a few operators but due to the road conditions these
can take a few days rather than a few hours and would involve over night stops. Airport transfers are
arranged by Selftours to and from your hotel. The Malagasy transport
department has put rebuilding roads on their priority list and Selftours
hopes to start self drive tours one day in the future.
Traditions, customs and taboos: There are many taboos and
traditions in Madagascar and if your guide asks you not to point your finger
or photograph a tombs etc, please respect there wishes. If in doubt
always ask permission before taking photographs.
Standards : Travellers to Madagascar must
understand that Madagascar is fairly new to the international tourist
market, hence the Madagascar hotel accommodation standard, though good, may not be up to the
same international accommodation standards that you would expect in South
Africa or Europe. We at Selftours believe that this only adds to the
mystic of the island of Madagascar.
All suggested quotes are
subject to airline code share agreements applying at the time of
departure,
foreign exchange fluctuations and availability of both flights and
accommodation.
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