Nosy Be (2)

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Nosy Be provides a taste of everything that is special to Madagascar - from good seafood and beaches to chameleons and lemurs - so it is ideal for those with limited time looking for a hassle-free holiday.


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It also has several options for real luxury, rare in the rest of Madagascar.

The only significant town is Hell-Ville, where you'll need to go if you require such services as banks or airline offices.


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It has some basic accomodation but no beach; most tourists will want to stay at the better hotels stretching along the west coast,


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The beachfront village of Ambatoloaka in the southwest comprises a couple of dozen hotels and restaurants, so this is the place to stay if you want to be within walking distance of a good choice of places to eat.


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Heading north, the hotels become progressively more isolated and the beaches better.

For an even more remote experience, consider staying on one of the islets surrounding Nosy Be.


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Nosy Be (1)

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The name means "big island" and is pronounced "nossi bay" by the local Sakalava people, although "nooss bay" is nearer the highland pronounciation.


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It is blessed with an almost perfect climate for much of the year.
Fertile and prosperous, with the heady scent of ylang-ylang blossoms giving it the tourist-brochure name of "Perfumed Isle", this is the place to come for a rest-providing you can afford it.


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Compared with the rest of Madagascar, Nosy Be is expensive.
Tourism developed here long before the mainland, so inevitably the island seems touristy to adventurous travellers.


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Since the recent demise of the sugar industry, all available land is being bought up for hotel development.
This, in turn, has pushed prices every higher.


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Antsirabe

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Antsirabe lies 1.500m above sea level.
It was founded in 1872 by Norwegian missionaries attracted by the cool climate and the healing properties of the thermal springs.


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The name means "place of much salt" .
For Madagascar, this is an elegant city.
A broad avenue links the handsome railway station with Hotel des Thermes, an amazing building in both size and architectural style, but sadly recently closed down.


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At the station end is a monolith depicting Madagascar's 18 main ethnic groups.
Antsirabe is the agricultural and industrial centre of Madagascar.
It is also the centre for beer; you can smell the Star Brewery as you enter the town.


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The cool climate allows it to produce apples, pears, plums and other temperate fruit.
Indeed it can get so cold that you will need a sweater in the evening if you are travelling between May and September.


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Saturday is market day in Antsirabe, an echo of Tana before they abolished the zoma but with an even greater cross section of activities.
It's enclosed in a walled area of the city on the hill before the road to Lake Tritriva.



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Antsirabe has a thriving handicrafts sector and it's well worth visiting the workshops to see the skill and ingenuity of the craftsmen.
Local handicrafts and products include jewellery made from zebu horn, toys crafted from old tin cans, wooden carvings, billiard tables, polished minerals, embroidered tablecloths and clothing.
It is also possible to visit local producers to see wine, beer, honey, cheese and sweets being made.


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From Tana to Antsirabe

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It takes about three hours to drive to Antsirabe non stop, but there are numerous suggested pauses and diversions so most people take the best part of a day to do 169 km.


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The photo opportunities are terrific: all along this stretch of road you will see Merina tombs, and can watch the labour-intensive cultivation of rice paddies.


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About 15 km from Tana look for the huge, white replica of the rova across the paddy fields on the right.
This was ex-president Didier Ratsiraka's palace, funded by North Korea.


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Ambatofotsy: an interesting diversion for those with their own vehicle is this lakeside resort just over 20 km south of Tana.


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There's a small nature park here with around 160 plant species, a few lemurs and one or two snakes and other reptiles.
There is also a museum and a couple of places to stay.



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Some 20 km further on is the village of Behenjy (PK 43), which has been a centre for production of fois gras since independence.


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Ambatolanpy: some two hours from Tana, Ambatolanpy and its surrounding villages are famous for their metalwork - mainly cooking pots and kitchen utensils.
Cast aluminium souvenirs are often for sale along the main road.


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The town has a colourful Thursday market and on Sundays there is horseracing at the nearby hippodrome.
This is also the starting point for excursions to Tsinjoarivo, with its summer rova, and the forestry station of Manjakatompo.


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Lemurs' Park

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This free-range "zoo" makes a good day trip, particularly for those on a quick visit who are not able to see lemurs in the wild.


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Bordered by the dramatic River Katsaoka, the 5ha park is divided into areas planted with endemic flora of Madagascar's different zones.
Nine species of lemur live free; many are confiscated pets, and this is the first step towards rehabilitation.

Feeding times are 10.00, 12.00, 14.00 and 16.00.

A few nocturnal species are kept in rather small cages.

The park is 22 km west of Tana on RN1 , crearly signposted on the right-hand side.

A shuttle bus to the park runs from outside Le Glacier in central Tana at 09.00 and 14.00 daily.

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Ambohimanga (3)

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With British help Andrianampoinimerina's son, Radama, went a long way to achieving his father's ambitions to expand his kingdom to the sea.
His wife succeeded him as Queen Ranavalona.
Three more queens followed and, although the capital had by that time been moved to Tana, they built themselves elegant summerhouses next to Andrianampoinimerina's simple royal home.


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These have been renovated and provide a fascinating glimpse of the strong British influence during those times, with very European décor and several gifts sent to the monarchs by Queen Victoria.
French influence is evident too: there are two cannons forged in Jean Laborde's Mantasoa iron foundry.
Here also is the small summerhouse of Prime Minister. 
Understandably cautious about being overheard (he wielded more power than the queens he married), he chose an open design with glazed windows so that spies could be spied first.


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Also within the compound is a mundane-looking concrete pool - the concrete is a recent addition - which was used by the queens for ritual bathing and had to be filled, so they say, by 70 virgins, and a corral where zebu were sacrificed.
An enclosing wall built in 1787 and faced with a rock-hard mixture of sand and egg, completes the tour.


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From a high point above the bath you can get a superb view of the hauts plateaux and Tana in the distance, and on adjacent hill the white mausoleum of the king's ombiasy (witchdoctor).
Ambohimanga is an ideal place for a picnic.
There is no longer a restaurant here, although a hotely by the car park serves Malagasy food.
Visitors with their own transport could try Relais du Rova, situated 5 km away at main turn-off.


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Ambohimanga (2)

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The centrepiece here is the wooden house of the great king Andrianampoinimerina, who  reigned from 1787 to 1810.
This simple one-room building is interesting for the insight it gives into royal daily life of that area. 


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There is a display of cooking utensils - and the stone that surrounded the cooking fire -, weapons and the two beds, the upper one for the king and the lower for one of his 12 wives. The roof is supported by a 10 m rosewood pole.


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A visit here can be full of surprises, as Alistair Marshall recounts:" Remember this is not a museum, it is the king's palace ... he is here. On all my visits there were always several people asking the king for favours. On one memorable occasion I entered his hut to find what seemed like a party in full flow. A man had been possessed by the spirit of a king from the south and he had come to the palace to greet, and be greeted by, king Andrianampoininimerina. The man had gone into a trance and a group of mediums were assisting him. They had found an accordion player and the man was dancing to the king's attention. We were spellbound by all this, but the Malagasy visitors totally ignored what was going on and continued to look round the hut as though nothing was happening !"


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Ambohimanga (1)

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Lying 21 km northeast of Tana, accessed by RN3, Ambohimanga - blue hill -, was for a long time forbidden to Europeans.
From here began the line of kings and queens who were to unite Madagascar into one country, and it was here that they returned for rest and relaxation among the forested slopes of this hill-top village.


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These days tourists find the same tranquillity and spirit of reverence and this World Heritage Site is highly recommended as an easy day trip.
The journey takes about 30 minutes on a good area by taxi or taxi-brousse.


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Ambohimanga has seven gates, though some are all but lost among the thick vegetation.
By the main entrance gate is an enormous stone disc which was formerly rolled in front of the gateway each night.
A few small shops selling drinks and snacks are just inside.


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Climb up the stairs to the ceremonial courtyard shaded by two giant fig trees.
Ambohimanga still retains its spiritual significance for the Malagasy people.
On the slope to the left of the entrance to the compound is a sacrificial stone.


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Melted candle wax and traces of blood show that is still used for offerings, particularly in cases of infertility.
Rituals involving the placing of seven small stones in the "male" or "female" hole will ensure the birth of a baby boy or girl.


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Tana, Croc Farm

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Situated ten minutes from the airport, this French-owned place is worth a visit.

As its name suggests, it is a working farm, raising crocodiles for leather, meat and other products.


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But the 3 ha park is also a zoo home to some 80 animal species.


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Crocs of every size are top of the bill with many hundreds in residence.


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Visit during feeding time to see the most activity.
Croc Farm also informs visitors about the threats faced by the few wild crocs left in Madagascar and local superstitions surrounding them.


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For an unusual culinary experience, try grilled crocodile in vanilla sauce - or cooked some other way - at the restaurant Coco d'Iles Taverne (non-croc dishes also available) overlooking the main lake.


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Other animals on display include lemurs, fossa, chameleons, tortoises and parrots.


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