Madagascar

[Neddy69]

I personally like Dragon the'Or. Clean very quiet room for 35.000 AR. Right smack in Lower town. Plumbings a bit run down. But scalding hot water good pressure. And a very good firm mattress. And no noise... Also good Resto. Try the wok viande avec riz.

Dragon the'Or.

Fianarantsoa 301, Madagascar.

+261 32 02 301 31.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/58xZaMHqD2F6tqS89

Also very good location. Good rooms for 50 k AR Hotel Vannie.

Vannie Htel.

Descemle the Isaha, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.

+261 34 09 301 99.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tam8DCi3KD3rZAXZ8

Food. Very good and fresh croissants. Breakfast Victoria patisserie.

Victoria Htel.

Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.

+261 20 75 507 05.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GUVBTAJF2LwK5Yr99

Hands down good resto with 2 locations Petit bouffe.

Hotel Restaurant Petite Bouffe.

Rue Ichouard Smadja, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/aYprmAWkEBvSLdNt8

In upper town good Wifi nice resto good patisserie upscale atmosphere Zomatel

Zomatel
Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
+261 20 75 507 97
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cWsJ7kGktdPs472n9

La Buse

Whose boite report will follow soon. FCE to Manakara still down. Don't come here now for a train ride. Except you catch a place on an overcrowded Draisine with attached jury rigged freight car. A sight to behold...

[Neddy69]

Arrived to ivato and asked 2 for month visa and got refused.

Earlier this year I got 2 month in Ivato. Now not.

Took a flight to Nosy and ask police about visa extension. They said I need to bring documents no issue.

Taxi from airport to helle ville was 5 k for Expert using a trick. Then 3 k Taxi Collective to main action ambatoloaka.

My route this time is two month Nosy plus Ambanja and Ambilombe.

Why I cancel Toliara? I was tuning for route efficiency and whether. Toliara too hot now.

From now I report on girls only.

Good decision. Nosy Be should be still good even during rainy season. My mate lives here all year round. They don't seem to like your passport. LOL. But no problem to get extension in Nosy Be. Even me I am happy now to be stuck in Fianar. Probably best climate right now in the whole of mada. Girls? They are there. Like everywhere else.

Tulear now you have to go into hiding from 1100 o'clock till 1600.

Here 18 to 25 centigrade. As pleasant as it gets. Enjoy.

La Buse.

[Neddy69]

Hi Tailpipe, Neddy69 and other seniors;.

Do you recommend to change Euros to Ariary at Tana airport (or any other fx shop at the city) and then deposit the Ariaries to MVola (of Telma) etc? I assume this method costs only about 1% MVola commission. Is there any other
commission (around 2. 5%) during the exchange process?

I have both Visa & MC cards from my banks that are first converting Euros to US Dollars, and then to the required currency (MGA etc.).

So using a debit card (or a credit card) does not sound a good solution for me.

(BTW, I RTTF) Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Forget the cash. Bad exchange rate. Use a multicurrency card like Revolut. You can switch all major currencies ie. Deposit dollars. And pull out Ariary from the ATM at midmarket rates. IMO cash I use only in countries with a black market rate like Angola, Ethiopia or Nigeria.

Get rid of these useless bankcards. Most merchants accept cash only anyway. Its not Kenya where you can use Mpesa at every street corner.

La Buse.

Always take a couple of 100 euro notes emergency cash. ATM at the airport are sometimes empty or people upon arrival are pulling all the cash out..I always change 100 euros cash to have enough money to get taxi to town...

[Pagani35]

Hi Tailpipe, Neddy69 and other seniors;.

Do you recommend to change Euros to Ariary at Tana airport (or any other fx shop at the city) and then deposit the Ariaries to MVola (of Telma) etc? I assume this method costs only about 1% MVola commission. Is there any other commission (around 2. 5%) during the exchange process?

I have both Visa & MC cards from my banks that are first converting Euros to US Dollars, and then to the required currency (MGA etc.).

So using a debit card (or a credit card) does not sound a good solution for me.

(BTW, I RTTF) Thanks in advance for your contributions.

[Neddy69]

I sort of resigned myself to spend Christmas in this town. The great thing is the very pleasant climate. Gentle hills with houses tucked on steep hills. Basically you can divide Fianar in 3 parts. The lower town which includes the business district with the bustling markets. Not the nicest place to be in. Loads of beggars ply their trade including small kids in ragged clothing. Mangy street dogs. Noise. Open overflowing smelly sewers.

The upper part of town including the town hall some banks and some good restos and the usually wide avenue built by the French colonisers is a lot nicer.

On top of it all is the Old town. Haute ville. Very pleasant great vistas over the valley with a smattering if christian churches perched on top of the hill. Est. 1859.

I'll follow on a night live report and recommended lodgings and eateries soon.

I've seen a few beauties but in general Betsileos are rather on the uglier side. Short stocky.

La Buse.

[Member #4673]

Arrived to ivato and asked 2 for month visa and got refused.

Earlier this year I got 2 month in Ivato. Now not.

Took a flight to Nosy and ask police about visa extension. They said I need to bring documents no issue.

Taxi from airport to helle ville was 5 k for Expert using a trick. Then 3 k Taxi Collective to main action ambatoloaka.

My route this time is two month Nosy plus Ambanja and Ambilombe.

Why I cancel Toliara? I was tuning for route efficiency and whether. Toliara too hot now.

From now I report on girls only.

[Neddy69]

One single transaction.

We all live in different countries. I for instance can't apply for the Visa card you use that allows you to withdraw at the Visa exchange rate. If I would use my usual Visa card I would have to pay 6 EUR on top of the Visa exchange rate for every 100 EUR I withdraw.

Before leaving I applied for 4 extra Master / Visacards claiming to offer near zero % commission for foreign ATM withdrawels to see what results they would yield in Madagascar. A Revolut Visacard and 3 Mastercards, N26, Transferwise and Monese.

I personally prefere using Monese. They will offer you 200 EUR free withdrawels at the Mastercard exchange rate, if you upgrade to classic 4,95 EUR/month they will allow you to withdraw an additional 800 EUR and unlimited withdrawells if you upgrade to premium 14,95 EUR/month. You can upgrade and downgrade whenever you like.

N26 has the same mastercard exchange rate as Monese and a very similar pricing plan but you are on a yearly plan. I only travel 1 to 2 months a year so I prefer Monese.

Revolut has been less interesting for me. They add about 1% to the Visa exchange rate whatever plan you may be on and Visa is about 0,3% less favorable than Mastercard but it is a Visacard so you have more ATM's you can withdraw from. Revolut is my backup card.

At the end of the day there isn't that much difference between all of them. They where all better than exchanging cash at the official bureaux de change.

I got a Revolut visa now too. Visa worked anywhere. But of course the fees are steep and the exchange rate is bad too. Revolut should cut the fees two thirds in comparison of a cash withdrawal with my regular Visa. Good enough for me.

La Buse.

Who enjoys a the du vanille at Chez Immanoela. Great view. Pleasant climate. No traffic noise. No pollution.

[TailPipe]

Tailpipe, when you say you could withdraw 800 k was that in a single transaction or two in a row?

SE.

One single transaction.

I'm impressed. Get a Visa Credit Card. Works anytime. Anyplace. Always draw 800k from BMOI or BNI. Except the ATM is empty...

We all live in different countries. I for instance can't apply for the Visa card you use that allows you to withdraw at the Visa exchange rate. If I would use my usual Visa card I would have to pay 6 EUR on top of the Visa exchange rate for every 100 EUR I withdraw.

Before leaving I applied for 4 extra Master / Visacards claiming to offer near zero % commission for foreign ATM withdrawels to see what results they would yield in Madagascar. A Revolut Visacard and 3 Mastercards, N26, Transferwise and Monese.

I personally prefere using Monese. They will offer you 200 EUR free withdrawels at the Mastercard exchange rate, if you upgrade to classic 4,95 EUR/month they will allow you to withdraw an additional 800 EUR and unlimited withdrawells if you upgrade to premium 14,95 EUR/month. You can upgrade and downgrade whenever you like.

N26 has the same mastercard exchange rate as Monese and a very similar pricing plan but you are on a yearly plan. I only travel 1 to 2 months a year so I prefer Monese.

Revolut has been less interesting for me. They add about 1% to the Visa exchange rate whatever plan you may be on and Visa is about 0,3% less favorable than Mastercard but it is a Visacard so you have more ATM's you can withdraw from. Revolut is my backup card.

At the end of the day there isn't that much difference between all of them. They where all better than exchanging cash at the official bureaux de change.

[SouthEaster]

Tailpipe, when you say you could withdraw 800 k was that in a single transaction or two in a row?

SE.

[Neddy69]

I have been able to withdraw from Societe Generale, BNI and a third bank with my Mastercard, MCB Mauritius Commercial Bank. Sometimes I have not even been able to withdraw 400 k but today I could withdraw 800 k from the BNI in Ambatoloaka.

I'm impressed. Get a Visa Credit Card. Works anytime. Anyplace. Always draw 800k from BMOI or BNI. Except the ATM is empty...

La Buse.

Who's on the piss with a polish Ex Legionnaire at Anchre the Or. Belongs to ancien guy de Infanterie de Marine Francaise.

[TailPipe]

The only bank I have found to be reliable in Mada for MC is BFV-SocGen. BNI says it does but I have never been able to get money out of a BNI ATM with my MC. On another (down) note Bank of Africa is starting to charge a fee for ATM withdrawal. 10200 Ariary. Needless to say I went elsewhere. This was in Hellville. Maybe not country wide yet? Let's hope it doesn't spread. It's not much but it is nonsense when you can only withdraw 400000 at a time!

I have been able to withdraw from Societe Generale, BNI and a third bank with my Mastercard, MCB Mauritius Commercial Bank. Sometimes I have not even been able to withdraw 400 k but today I could withdraw 800 k from the BNI in Ambatoloaka.

[Neddy69]

You did follow my Google-Map updates with pictures from 4 weeks ago? All this places added there.

Perhaps you did carry the printout? Hahaha.

No? When did you do an update? In fact I found it on my own walking around. Excellent Ice Cream. As you know I am not german. LOL. No offense. But you know as I know the dumbest people are on german speaking forums. No clue about Africa. Except the senior members in this forum. LOL.

Neddy.

And if you need a print out to find places... See above... For that I hv Google maps... And to find girls.... Well I find them by walking around in the evening.... Saw a hot 8+....

[Amadeuss]

Ya. New Hotel. Yax.. Found a super resto uphill. Called Petit bouffe.

e.

You did follow my Google-Map updates with pictures from 4 weeks ago? All this places added there.

Perhaps you did carry the printout? Hahaha.

[Neddy69]

I wonder what the gasy boite beside it is? Jax is on the corner. Next to it I only saw the ST hotel / bar which, if I remember well, was called 'New Hotel'.

Little side note about The Jax club. The owner told me some German guys would show up at his place with printed out copies from a sex site as if they where holding the Bradt Sex Guide, lol.

That former Kung Fu champion has got to be the owner of the 'Dragon the'Or'. Went to eat there a couple of times. Nothing special but a very nice guy.

Ya. New Hotel. LOL. Germans? Ya. Dumb as f. K. They should not be allowed into subsaharan Africa lest they pass the aptitude test. Yes. Dragon. Found a super resto uphill. Called Petit bouffe.

Happy Advent Sunday.

La Buse.

Who will go for a nice Banana split dessert. And later I ll look for a 8+ 2nd dessert DATY. LOL.

BTW. Train is down. Waiting for spare parts. But you can rent the Micheline.

[TailPipe]

Well. After spending almost 2 weeks in Antsirabe due to various health issues. Time to move in the direction of Tulear. Sort of. The travel from Antsirabe to Fianar went fairly painless. Sprinter 6 hours. My intention was to continue next morning to Tulear. New lessons learned. Avoid taking Taxi Brousse on Sundays. Takes too long to fill up. After presenting myself at Sonatra at 0630 I figured a departure around 0800 latest. Well. Fat chance. Here you're being pestered by all kinds of touts want to extract money off you for an imaginary service. After playing the waiting game it looked we were going to depart finally around 0900. It's getting late. Than an malgache Expat family Reunion? Started to raise hell with the driver he took on an unauthorized policeman as passenger crammed in. Than he started to drive like a madman to make up for lost time. End of story of that SNAFU we all ended up close to 1000 hours BACK at the station. Welcome to Mada.

I find Fianar actually very pleasant and cheap. Much milder climate Yesterday evening I checked out Jax. But I also liked the gasy boite besides it. Some fuglies tried to attach themselves. I pass merci.
La Buse.

Who doesn't feel to continue to Tulear right now. Found a cozy guest house run by a former chinese Kung Fu champion. Dirt cheap 35 k.

I wonder what the gasy boite beside it is? Jax is on the corner. Next to it I only saw the ST hotel / bar which, if I remember well, was called 'New Hotel'.

Little side note about The Jax club. The owner told me some German guys would show up at his place with printed out copies from a sex site as if they where holding the Bradt Sex Guide, lol.

That former Kung Fu champion has got to be the owner of the 'Dragon the'Or'. Went to eat there a couple of times. Nothing special but a very nice guy.