Why and when visit Madagascar?

Without a doubt, Madagascar is a splendid and raw destination that would surely blow your mind away. Once you arrived there, you will realize that it is not expensive to enjoy touring around. Your budget can significantly create a great impact.

The place is not so populated, but you’ll get to see countless adorable lemurs and fascinating landscapes. It is not known to many, but you can explore limitless extraordinary sceneries here that you won’t be able to find in other destinations.

Nevertheless, getting to this majestic landscape is not easy. It is essential to know that direct flights are limited to only a few major destinations and less-visited nations. Indeed, the majority of these destinations merely offer a restricted amount of flights per week.

What makes Madagascar a wonderful destination?

Madagascar is worth visiting because you can live an extreme, exotic, and marvelous holiday experience. This country is undoubtedly a mystical gem that is rare, making it quite difficult to grasp.

Aside from its enthralling beauty and unbelievable flora and fauna, this country is where you can uncover the best honeymoon sanctuaries and incredible beach holiday spots.

While it is still underdeveloped, we can safely say that it is definitely brimful with possibilities.  

When to visit Madagascar?

The perfect time to travel around Madagascar largely depends on your preferred destination and your interests. From November to March, it’s going to be a hot and wet summer. Extreme cyclones commonly hit the east coast, so travelling during this season can be strenuous.  

From April to October, the country experiences dry and cool periods. This is deemed the perfect time to stroll around the country as you can enjoy bright, mild, and warm nights.

Meanwhile, sometime around June to September makes the best whale-watching adventure in Madagascar. To better enjoy wildlife, the ideal month is in November. It is the season when reptiles, amphibians, fabulous fossa and birds begin wooing, mating, and reproducing.

If you’re into snorkeling and diving, August and October are the perfect months to explore all these activities.

Is it Costly to Travel to Madagascar?

Your vacation to Madagascar can be costly or less expensive, depending on your preference and plans. In general, travellers on a budget prefer to stay in hostels, take self-guided or shared excursions, use public transports, dine in street food stalls, and limit nightlife activities to get by. To enjoy all these, you’ll usually need at least 35 US dollars per day.

However, if you prefer to stay in Airbnb’s or budget hotels, stroll around some islands, take some guided tours, dine out every mealtime, enjoy an endless nightlife experience, and take mini buses between major cities, then be prepared to spend at least 85 US dollars per day.

For those with a luxury budget, at least 320 US dollars per day is needed for you to delight in a 4-star hotel stay, dine out at any preferred restaurant, take taxis everywhere, take domestic flights, hire private cars and drivers, and take as many tours as you wish.

As for the currency, the best currency to bring with you when traveling to Madagascar is the Euros. This is because you can easily have this currency changed at the airport.

The local currency is called Ariary. Take note that credit card facilities are limited here. In general, Visa Cards are accepted at hotels. Meanwhile, South African Rand is not accepted in this country.

Some of the Best Places to Visit in Madagascar

Ile Sainte Marie

The clear and calm waters of this island make it the best destination for snorkeling. During summer and early autumn, wandering humpback whales visit this island. This place is famous for being one of the chart-topping tourist spots in the country. It is situated on the east coast.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Also referred to as the Lemur Island, this place is well-known for the Indri Lemur. The Indri Lemur is sought after because it can create a sound similar to a growling devil bat that reverberates across the forest.

Nosy Be

This is just a small island; however, it does not fail to lure tourists into keeping coming back. The serene and clear greenish-blue water and seafood diners are what make this destination a favorite spot for many foreign nationals.

The Avenue of the Baobabs

Baobabs are popular for growing massively by up to 98 feet in height and 36 feet in width. These are also renowned for having a long lifetime that could extend up to a thousand years. Surprisingly, as much as a thousand gallons of water could be stored in one Baobab even when the climate is dry.

Some of the Best Things to Do in Madagascar

• Get on long drives to see spectacular panoramas of gorges and mountains, valleys, and opulent rainforests.
• Explore the Ranomafana National Park. Aside from lemurs, you can also see chameleons, countless types of birds, giraffe beetles, and other wildlife creatures.
• Go whale watching. The best time to do so is sometime around June and November. You’ll get to see limitless humpback whales that move from Antarctica to Madagascar to reproduce in this period.
• Sign up for scuba diving. You don’t need to be a professional scuba diver. In fact, even if it is your first time to take the plunge, everyone is welcome to explore the world of scuba diving. There are so many awesome scuba diving opportunities in this country.

Discover the best things to do in Madagascar in our article.

The Madagascar Airport

There are a total of eleven airports that have scheduled flights in Madagascar. The largest one is the Ivato/Antananarivo (TNR) Airport, with available flights to a total of 19 destinations in seven nations.

Local Time Information in Madagascar

Universal Time Coordinated
GMT / UTC
UTC+3 hours
No Daylight Saving Time