Madagascar
Island
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Selftours
Travel Shop, having visited Madagascar on several occasions, have
explored the various adventure holidays and different hotels available
are now one of the leading tour designers of Madagascar holiday tours.
Selftours Travel Shop has been designing Madagascar tours for over 17 years. We have built up our own experienced team
of ground handlers in Antananarivo, Diego Suarez, Nosy Be & St
Marie, to assist where necessary. |
MADAGASCAR HOLIDAY
PACKAGES Travel on a Madagascar Island Adventure Holiday and be one of the few to explore this new & exciting mystical island. |
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MADAGASCAR ATTRACTIONS See some suggested destinations below |
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MADAGASCAR HOLIDAY
TRAVEL TIPS Below are a few tips to make your holiday that much more comfortable |
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Visas
- Travel in Madagascar.
Madagascar has recently reintroduce visa requirements. Visas
can be obtained on arrival and cost approx Euros
25per person. It is recommended that you obtain an
amount of Euros in cash from your bankers before departure. A valid passport is naturally
with a minimum of at least 2 clean pages.
Currency - As soon as you have cleared through customs, change some money into Ariary at the airport Bureau de Charge. Any currency not used can be converted back into Euros prior to leaving Madagascar at the airport Bureau de Charge. 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 Ariary a week (about US $12) They have been known to ask for 10000 Ariary just to push your trolley. At tip of 1000 Aries would be considered reasonable. 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 on the East coast. 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 as it covers medical, injury, lost luggage, flights cancellation etc. Ask Selftours for more info. Customs allowance - 500 cigarettes and 1 litre of alcohol. What to pack - Comfortable, casual and light clothing, a fleece track suit is an ideal all-round item, warm, keeps any bugs away from you, does not get crumpled in a suit case and is always presentable. 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 an evening walk 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, canals 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 carry 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. For chronic medication you may be asked for a copy of your doctors prescription as proof that you are authorised to carry such drugs. Luggage allowance - 20 kg & 1 item of hand luggage. Language - Malagasy is the first language; French the business language and English is spoken by many people in the tourism industry. An English to French phrase book could be your best companion if you are not familiar with speaking French. If not sold out, Exclusive Books, in Jhb Airport duty free area stock them. Getting there - Airlink in South Africa currently offer a Sunday flight directly from Johannesburg to Nosy Be Island in the North. (main tourist area) With selected Wednesday flights in busy periods. A daily flight operates from Johannesburg to the capital Antananarivo. Flight duration is three hours. 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. Selftours does not recommend self-drive as the infrastructure is not yet in place, petrol station etc. 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. |