Madagascar

[Nemo974]

You mean the police checkpoint at night at the end of rue de l independence doesn't ask for 10 k cadeau any more? LOL.

BTW. Where is a good area for picking up local merina models. I am sure there is other clubs around town where you see no vazaha.

And I want to rent a fully furnished apartment in Tana for a month. I am looking at haute ville. Any other residential area you recommend? Give us the lowdown. As I am crazy enough to love Tana.

Neddy.

Absolutely. There are NO police checkpoint in Tana anymore, neither by day or night. It's a big relief for expats.

If you saty some time in Tana, I prsonnaly don't like Ville Haute as it's noisy by night, dirty, expensive and heavily polluted.

Best neighborhood is Ivandry, far away.

Near LE Glacier, try Faravohitra or Ambandy.

[Liblib]

Girls are easy and will say "Bon soir" or "Ca Va" to you on the street and if you smile or reply then they will latch onto your arm or follow you. Food is not good. So far the best food is supposed to be Baobao Kafe which only opens at 7 pm. Good breakfast or lunch can be had at Tsy Manin. Batu Moch is (relatively) good but it's 24 k-28 k for 'LE petit dejeuner'. For cheap eats I recommend Chez Mama across the street from the Casino because she has Rice and Beef with free filtered water for just 9 k and some other meals. Taxi Be is definitely the place for girls but the last 3 occasions I said 'Trente Mil' (30 k), every girl said OK but in the room they always gave me grief and took a long while (griefing me constantly) to kick out while they complained even after giving another 5 k for "Taxi money". They kept babbling about how it's not normal and it's 50 k. 2 of them refused BJ outright. Is it high season or crazy season? Staying at the Robinson and its fine. Fan and mosquitoes but cheap at 60 k. For better the Ambatoloaka Hotel has a sign in front that says 25 euro, 20 euro, and 60 k. Also the Beluga Hotel is 25 Euro on the beach not far from Robinson.

Is anyone else getting this much trouble from the girls?

Hi!

Chez Pat restaurant has good food and pizza from their wood-fired oven. Right at the beach when you go past Baobab round the corner, 40 meters at the right hand side towards the end of the beach. Zéburger opposite LE Billard has decent snacks and meals. Next to the Casino "Loock Ness". Also good. Right oppsosite another restauarant (plat du jour / daily special 16000 AR, large Sandwiches / Baguettes 10000 AR). Karibo and Indian restaurant, all located at the parking. Yummy. Opposite Ody Hotel you will find "La Palazetto" restaurant. 15 meters from there towards the parking Boutique artisanale "Chez Louisette". Walk inside and you find Guillaume. He offers three different meals a day 17000 AR. Very good, like in the Provence Bakes bread every day! Open from 7/8 am to 3/4 pm. Closed on mondays. Concerning the girls I prefer daytime short time action. 20 to 30 K depending on the girl. Take a walk on the beach after the siesta around 4 or 4:30 pm. You will see a couple of girls walking around looking for vahasas they can offer their massage service. Be careful at night. Make sure your personal belongings are locked away, when you enter your room with a girl. There were a couple of thefts recently. I pay 40 K longtime plus tip 5 K. Sometimes they don't stick to the amount agreed upon beforehand and ask for more. If she is reluctant to leave or gets aggressive, my advice would be to not touch or push her. Call the guard. He will tell her to leave.

[Muzungufotsy]

Girls are easy and will say "Bon soir" or "Ca Va" to you on the street and if you smile or reply then they will latch onto your arm or follow you. Food is not good. So far the best food is supposed to be Baobao Kafe which only opens at 7 pm. Good breakfast or lunch can be had at Tsy Manin. Batu Moch is (relatively) good but it's 24 k-28 k for 'LE petit dejeuner'. For cheap eats I recommend Chez Mama across the street from the Casino because she has Rice and Beef with free filtered water for just 9 k and some other meals. Taxi Be is definitely the place for girls but the last 3 occasions I said 'Trente Mil' (30 k), every girl said OK but in the room they always gave me grief and took a long while (griefing me constantly) to kick out while they complained even after giving another 5 k for "Taxi money". They kept babbling about how it's not normal and it's 50 k. 2 of them refused BJ outright. Is it high season or crazy season? Staying at the Robinson and its fine. Fan and mosquitoes but cheap at 60 k. For better the Ambatoloaka Hotel has a sign in front that says 25 euro, 20 euro, and 60 k. Also the Beluga Hotel is 25 Euro on the beach not far from Robinson.

Is anyone else getting this much trouble from the girls?

No they just see you are vazaha vaovao that s all. .

You should definitely not pay more than 40 k for the night. It s possible to pay less but as a newbie it seems you are not able to do that yet.

Never had a girl who refused BJ to me. She doesn't want BJ then out. Don't be weak.

As for hotels who quote prices in euros I boycott them. Remind the owners it s illegal. It s just a way to get more money from you.

Last but not least a smile means nothing in Madagascar.

[TailPipe]

...not every girl gives blowjob. They are not pattaya hard core hookers...

Than I suppose some won't kiss eather. That would be a pity because more than anything else I appreciate the amazing GFE / value for money you can get in Africa. Although my experiences are limited to 2 trips to The Gambia.

[SouthEaster]

Neddy has a good point. They know you are a tourist and will try to extract extra from you. Stick to your guns and pay what you say. Perhaps get some phone numbers and have them over during the day. Once they know you are a steady income source you may get them calling you, and for the amount you want to pay. Don't forget NB is the most expensive place in the country and the girls know you have lots of cash, even if you don't flash it around. As for no BJ, never had it happen yet, knock on wood!

SE.

[Hollow Man]

You are a tourist. What you expect. A local expat resident pays 30 k short time most time but some times also 40k. I never negotiate in advance. But there is no union tariff. For overnight 40 to 50 k. Some try to take off after a shag.

For food go to La Bidule in Dar. Good breakfast and lunch. And not every girl gives blowjob. They are not pattaya hard core hookers. They are sweet malgache country girls trying to make some money. Treat them well and be happy they don't look at the watch. If you're happy with the service repeat. If not then not.

Good advice. Much thanks Neddy69! I'll start at 30 k but 40-50 should be OK. Wanted to make sure that I don't spoil the market like what's been done in so many other places. Bidule looks good.

[Neddy69]

I've lived in Tana for 5 years and travel for business from time to time to the Coast. Never had a problem, except usual racket by police officers but that stopped since the next president took his office. But of course, residents and tourists live in different worlds and I know there are tourists hunters in Madagascar. Just like pretty much anywhere in the world.

You mean the police checkpoint at night at the end of rue de l independence doesn't ask for 10 k cadeau any more? LOL.

BTW. Where is a good area for picking up local merina models. I am sure there is other clubs around town where you see no vazaha.

And I want to rent a fully furnished apartment in Tana for a month. I am looking at haute ville. Any other residential area you recommend? Give us the lowdown. As I am crazy enough to love Tana.

Neddy.

[Neddy69]

Girls are easy and will say "Bon soir" or "Ca Va" to you on the street and if you smile or reply then they will latch onto your arm or follow you. Food is not good. So far the best food is supposed to be Baobao Kafe which only opens at 7 pm. Good breakfast or lunch can be had at Tsy Manin. Batu Moch is (relatively) good but it's 24 k-28 k for 'LE petit dejeuner'. For cheap eats I recommend Chez Mama across the street from the Casino because she has Rice and Beef with free filtered water for just 9 k and some other meals. Taxi Be is definitely the place for girls but the last 3 occasions I said 'Trente Mil' (30 k), every girl said OK but in the room they always gave me grief and took a long while (griefing me constantly) to kick out while they complained even after giving another 5 k for "Taxi money". They kept babbling about how it's not normal and it's 50 k. 2 of them refused BJ outright. Is it high season or crazy season? Staying at the Robinson and its fine. Fan and mosquitoes but cheap at 60 k. For better the Ambatoloaka Hotel has a sign in front that says 25 euro, 20 euro, and 60 k. Also the Beluga Hotel is 25 Euro on the beach not far from Robinson.

Is anyone else getting this much trouble from the girls?

You are a tourist. What you expect. A local expat resident pays 30 k short time most time but some times also 40k. I never negotiate in advance. But there is no union tariff. For overnight 40 to 50 k. Some try to take off after a shag.

For food go to La Bidule in Dar. Good breakfast and lunch. And not every girl gives blowjob. They are not pattaya hard core hookers. They are sweet malgache country girls trying to make some money. Treat them well and be happy they don't look at the watch. If you're happy with the service repeat. If not then not.

Neddy

Who'll land on isle rouge beginning of October. I paid an unbelievable price on Air France...

[Hollow Man]

Girls are easy and will say "Bon soir" or "Ca Va" to you on the street and if you smile or reply then they will latch onto your arm or follow you. Food is not good. So far the best food is supposed to be Baobao Kafe which only opens at 7 pm. Good breakfast or lunch can be had at Tsy Manin. Batu Moch is (relatively) good but it's 24 k-28 k for 'LE petit dejeuner'. For cheap eats I recommend Chez Mama across the street from the Casino because she has Rice and Beef with free filtered water for just 9 k and some other meals. Taxi Be is definitely the place for girls but the last 3 occasions I said 'Trente Mil' (30 k), every girl said OK but in the room they always gave me grief and took a long while (griefing me constantly) to kick out while they complained even after giving another 5 k for "Taxi money". They kept babbling about how it's not normal and it's 50 k. 2 of them refused BJ outright. Is it high season or crazy season? Staying at the Robinson and its fine. Fan and mosquitoes but cheap at 60 k. For better the Ambatoloaka Hotel has a sign in front that says 25 euro, 20 euro, and 60 k. Also the Beluga Hotel is 25 Euro on the beach not far from Robinson.

Is anyone else getting this much trouble from the girls?

[Nemo974]

I agree with your assessment. If you run around showing loads of cash you might as well paint a big bulls eye on your back. 6 years? You mean you live here or you come and go? That's a difference too. You were lucky then. But statistically you're not getting robbed that often.

A friend of mine lives 35 years in Kenya and has been robbed only three times at gunpoint.

I agree that downtown Tana is a lot safer than downtown Caracas.

Neddy.

I've lived in Tana for 5 years and travel for business from time to time to the Coast. Never had a problem, except usual racket by police officers but that stopped since the next president took his office. But of course, residents and tourists live in different worlds and I know there are tourists hunters in Madagascar. Just like pretty much anywhere in the world.

[SouthEaster]

I have seen the bungalows at Robinson Crusoe and while they may be more "interesting", I'll take the aircon bunker thank you very much. As for business class travel, yeah it is far more comfortable than economy, but not many can afford to spend 3000 dollars on a ticket instead of 800. The expert stayed a week at the Hilton in Frankfurt. Depending on which one that would have been somewhere between 100 and 150 euro a night, yet he wants to spend only 10 in Nosy Be. I have been known to splurge on occasion, but I would rather spend the 1000 euro he blew on the Hilton on pussy and a nice hotel in NB, for a week! In fact you would be hard pressed to spend 100 euro a night in NB for a very good hotel and more pussy than you can handle. And his obsession with not paying for pussy just seems weird. Why take the time and trouble, not to mention the expense, of going to a country where the pussy is so cheap it's almost free, and then deny yourself the benefits of it?

I guess I will never understand it.

[John Clayton]

...Why would someone who fly first class decide to stay in a lower end African hotel...

I can answer that. Because flying economy is so fcking horrible, and a cheap hotel built from sticks in the tropics can actually be better and more interesting than some airconditioned, concrete bunker.

[TailPipe]

New expert has a magnitude more money, increased and higher standard of living but still burning hate to overpricing things.

So my style? It's a bit polarized I just spent a week in Hilton Frankfurt before my trip to Brazil and also took a Condo in Fortaleza and Rio but now in a super cute bungalow for 40 k Ariary in Nosy Be. Should I post a review on Nosy Be?

Thank you for your report on Nosy underneath. Having said that I don't understand the logic of your decisions. Why would someone who fly first class decide to stay in a lower end African hotel. It doesn't make sense unless your flights are paid for.

[TailPipe]

For people who live england is best starling bank they give perfect mastercard exchange rate and not add 2 percent like revolut.

Thank you for the tip. I tried to apply unfortunately I didn't meet their standards.

[TailPipe]

I confirm using n26 black, unlimited ATL withdrawal, no fees, same for local payments, no fees at all, worldwide, tested in mada and in Phil at least.
But in Phil each bank adds a fee to each withdrawal.... For any card I guess.

I'm still still searching for an ideal card myself. You can have a look at carte Max. At first sight it seems withdrawals, opening and usage of the card is completely costless and there are no monthly fees. I didn't check the exchange rate. (Only for French fiscal residents). Another online French bank is Boursorama. Their Visa Ultim is also without cost. There is a catch though. You have to make one transaction monthly with the card. If you do not they will charge you 15€.