Madagascar

[Member #4716]

But TigerdeJade recommends highly Tamatave. Can anyone else offer their opinion on the safety of Tamatave? Also, I have read that sex tourism is not tolerated in Nosey Be BECAUSE it is a tourist destination and that the definition there of sex tourism is very wide, vague, and subjective. Can anyone confirms these points?

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted an update lately, been going through the whole passport drama with it having been stolen and all. To answer your question DonOmar I was yelling "Mpangalatra! For what seemed like 3 minutes and spraying my (what I sadly found to be) medium Thai food spicy pepper spray at the thieves through the window and crack in the door which opened up as they rammed my hotel room door down.

Well, I must say, fine females have been much further than second priority in my mind as of late, although I am heading to Morondava soon, or so it seems, which I'm excited about as it's an area I've no experience with thus far.

Forgot to mention, I met a French expat in Ambanja a few weeks ago, before I was robbed. He had half a hand, and told me that in the almost 2 decades he's been living here he's seen it become more and more dangerous. The young people today are getting more and more crazy. I gave him my fake pepper spray (which at the time I didn't know was fake) because I had an extra. I've been desperately trying to call him ever since but his number's not working.

To anyone thinking of coming here I have some advice. Spend as little time in Tana as possible, it makes India and China seem like the Swiss Alps by comparison. The grade of gasoline they use here is absolutely horrible and I've been coughing terribly since here in Tana getting my new passport. Nosy Be is the safest place with the easiest and finest females on offer, the most beautiful accommodations and amenities. Mahajanga is a nice second, though dry, hot, and not nearly as nice a beach. It's safe from everyone I've talked to. From all of the people and Malagasy I've talked to Tana, Diego, Tamatave, and Tulear are very dangerous, especially for foreigners. In my personal opinion if you stay in an more expensive hotel you with good security you shouldn't have a problem, though I keep hearing bad things about Diego (lots of young kids pretending to be Jamaicans with guns).

I can highly suggest Nosy Be. There you have fine females who have made it their mission in life to please foreigners. It is more expensive for your typical P4P but you certainly get your money's worth in safety and ease. Since tourism is the thing the economy there revolves around police make it a point to protect foreigners. I thought the women in Tamatave were very attractive but from everyone has their own taste and from what I've heard from everyone I've spoken with it's very dangerous, especially at night. I myself was threatened and basically robbed by a cyclo pousse close to nighttime.

I can't thank you guys enough for all your support and kind advice. Keep posting and most importantly, stay safe!

[Member #4178]

they rammed my hotel room door down.

Spend as little time in Tana as possible,

Very important info as I am planning to be in Tana any day now. Based on your warnings I bought an Expandable Baton from steel.

http://siegelsuniforms.com/monadnock...pandable-baton

And vibration sensor alarm to put on door at night.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Way-Bike...-/281242812816

Hope to submit "on the ground report" very soon. Neet to understand how thous expats stays in Mada more the 3 months as the visa is limited.

[CoverOne]

I don't get it. Did you open the door or what? Did they break the door or you just open it for them?

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted an update lately, been going through the whole passport drama with it having been stolen and all. To answer your question DonOmar I was yelling "Mpangalatra! For what seemed like 3 minutes and spraying my (what I sadly found to be) medium Thai food spicy pepper spray at the thieves through the window and crack in the door which opened up as they rammed my hotel room door down.

Well, I must say, fine females have been much further than second priority in my mind as of late, although I am heading to Morondava soon, or so it seems, which I'm excited about as it's an area I've no experience with thus far.

Forgot to mention, I met a French expat in Ambanja a few weeks ago, before I was robbed. He had half a hand, and told me that in the almost 2 decades he's been living here he's seen it become more and more dangerous. The young people today are getting more and more crazy. I gave him my fake pepper spray (which at the time I didn't know was fake) because I had an extra. I've been desperately trying to call him ever since but his number's not working.

To anyone thinking of coming here I have some advice. Spend as little time in Tana as possible, it makes India and China seem like the Swiss Alps by comparison. The grade of gasoline they use here is absolutely horrible and I've been coughing terribly since here in Tana getting my new passport. Nosy Be is the safest place with the easiest and finest females on offer, the most beautiful accommodations and amenities. Mahajanga is a nice second, though dry, hot, and not nearly as nice a beach. It's safe from everyone I've talked to. From all of the people and Malagasy I've talked to Tana, Diego, Tamatave, and Tulear are very dangerous, especially for foreigners. In my personal opinion if you stay in an more expensive hotel you with good security you shouldn't have a problem, though I keep hearing bad things about Diego (lots of young kids pretending to be Jamaicans with guns).

I can highly suggest Nosy Be. There you have fine females who have made it their mission in life to please foreigners. It is more expensive for your typical P4P but you certainly get your money's worth in safety and ease. Since tourism is the thing the economy there revolves around police make it a point to protect foreigners. I thought the women in Tamatave were very attractive but from everyone has their own taste and from what I've heard from everyone I've spoken with it's very dangerous, especially at night. I myself was threatened and basically robbed by a cyclo pousse close to nighttime.

I can't thank you guys enough for all your support and kind advice. Keep posting and most importantly, stay safe!

[Member #4178]

I am planning for next month to fly to Mada via Pattaya. That seems odd but from Europe I have 450 usd to BKK one way.

The I will book a return ticket from BKK to Tana via Nairobi (Kenya airways) for 920 usd.

So why not directly to Mada? Because from my country no Kenya-airways or air Mad and I want to travel in Asia after Mada. (at Dry season).

I will also get a stop over in Nairobi so I can visit Mombasa again.

I got some friends from Tana using facebook. How? Well I registered to Afro and copy the name of girls into facebook search and bingo.

I am thinking about Tana and ÎLE Sainte-Marie via Taxi Bruss. (no more domestic flight).

I download the new 2016 lonely planet book for Mada from here:

https://kat.cr/lonely-planet-madagas...t12675510.html

[Amadeuss]

What do you need a 'wingman' for? Is that the way you do it in Pattaya? Just asking'.

Agree.

If you not a men, stay back home behind mama's kitchensink. Its not Pattaya. Its not Angeles.

[OneRose]

What do you need a 'wingman' for? Is that the way you do it in Pattaya? Just asking'.

Nope, in Pattaya I did it always alone but in Madagascar I don't know the culture or the way things work. So it would be great to have someone, at least at the start of the trip, to discover the country together.

[Golfinho]

Hi!

I'm still looking for a wingman for the first part of July. I am opened to travel somewhere else on the island if it's worth it.e

What do you need a 'wingman' for? Is that the way you do it in Pattaya? Just asking'.

[OneRose]

Hi!

I'm still looking for a wingman for the first part of July. I am opened to travel somewhere else on the island if it's worth it.

PM me,

Onerose

[Yachtie]

Great to read about everyone's different and mostly really great experiences. Here in Antsohihy I just got the full on fucked vazaha experience. Got stupid and cheap and saw a nice room for 10,000 ariary, well of course two hooded guys came knocking the door down at 1 AM, I thought I was done for. Found out the hard way that the pepper spray I bought was about as hot as medium spicy thai food, anyways, the guys were pretty well covered up so it probably wouldn't have worked even if it was the real stuff. Got hit two times on the top of the head with a baton and I consider myself very lucky. I thank my lucky blood vessels that so much blood squirted out on the 2nd hit the guy left me and went looking for more valuable things than a bloodied and pissed scared vazaha. The damage: A nice new haircut and stitches and my money and passport stolen. Lucky I cached my cards before going to sleep. Learned a very valuable lesson; don't be cheap in the land that is already cheap. And also, Antsohihy, never again! I think I'm the only vazaha here and it's a poor town so that probably explains a lot. Also I think the hotel was in on it, I was screaming MPangalatra! (Thief!) for what seemed like 3 minutes, of course no body came till after I was pouring blood everywhere. Also since my time with the police today I've learned that Ambanja isn't all roses and flowers either. More dangerous with guns according to them. Pay attention, make sure you know the security where you're staying, and keep a stash of your valuables hidden somewhere! If I could do it all over again I'd just throw my cash all over the room and hide under the bed. Sad, sad times.

Mmmm well when I leave in a few weeks I shall have spent five months of the last twelve enjoying pussy in North West Mada, I have to leave as I am now reduced to rowing a small toy inflatable tender after having had both outboard engines and the yachts RIB tender stolen, on both occasions they swam some distance to gain access, I slept through the thefts being in a near alcoholic coma after fine nights of partying fortunately the thieves chose not to enter the yachts accommodation, lucky me. Mada is on the lowest rung of per capita income and is the only country where the annual income has been in free-fall for several years so maybe that explains some of the desperation folks will go to. The local expat french have a joke: What did the Malagasy use for lighting before candles? Electricity!

[Golfinho]

In 2013 I stayed at Plazza Sur and pulled FLs and waitresses from Bo Beach next door but P.S. La Boeuf is the vazaha watering hole and there are various local semi-outdoor bars along that street.

Since change of ownership at Boeuf, most of the Vazaha clientele has drifted up the street to Camelos.

[Tungsten2]

JP -.

I spent one night in Morombe only. Took a pirogue from Mangily as the winds were good; took two days but can take twice as long. We stopped at Andovadoaka to eat which I remember as just a beach and a lot of huts. It was daytime so hard to tell but you'd definitely need to keep busy during the day.

Morombe is two sandy roads. There are a few colonial buildings including La Croix De Sud where I stayed, but can't imagine it was ever a popular posting for ambitious French civil servants. I arranged to take the crew out for drinks so they could show me round but as they were leaving at first light next day they turned up at 6. 30 which was way earlier than I wanted. The only bar that looks like it wouldn't fall down if you leant against it is Eclipse. Has cold beer too. At 7. 30 pm on a Tuesday the streets were rammed with kids just milling around, too poor or too young to drink. The guys called a woman over for me but she told them she was scared of vazaha because we are pale as ghosts! I had mild sunstroke from the trip and walked out at 9. 30 just as a vazaha was walking in. No idea if I missed a great evening, but word would get around very quickly if you stayed a while. I got the TB back to Tulear next day (20 hours) partly because I was running out of time but also because out in la brousse their French isn't that good and my accent completely flummoxed them. There is an ATM there.

[Tungsten2]

DO, Last report was meant for you. As a Mtwapa veteran you're more likely to be underwhelmed than spooked in Tulear.

[Tungsten2]

JP.

I've only ever spent a couple of days at a time in Tulear en route to Anakao, Mangily & Morombe and I'm still not sure if I like it. There's a fair bit of hassle from posse posse guys and kids begging but for such an obviously poor place there are some surprisingly good restaurants.

In 2013 I stayed at Plazza Sur and pulled FLs and waitresses from Bo Beach next door but P.S. Is now a boarding house for the Chinese only (although I didn't see any in town) and BB is now La Blu and has pushed out the FLs and the daytime drinkers. La Boeuf is the vazaha watering hole and there are various local semi-outdoor bars along that street. Za Za was still supposedly closed for refurbishment in April but Tam Tam wasn't so busy. I remember watching some old French guys flirting with girls at Boeuf and slapping their arses plus another guy walking into the night with his arm around 3 girls' shoulders and thinking they all seemed pretty happy there. Maybe I should spend a week there.

[Joe Perez]

Sorry man 3 posts and already robbed? The most annoying is passport for sure and creditcards. I can only say that in Tulear I felt perfectly safe. I spoke to a lot of expats, Nobody heard of having been robbed. Years ago there was a frenchman shot as he was riding a quad outside Tulear. In fact I took cyclo pousse many times at night in Tulear, but only from Tata Zsombe uphill to Hotel Central in old centre ville, which is indeed deserted at night. I heard of rumours of people having been robbed by cyclo pousse but couldn t verify. I think you have been very unfortunate, and probably the hotel or whatever room you rented somebody was involved for sure. In Mangily I stayed at a bungalow, ,the area was quite open, it was guarded at night, the only thing I ve heard was years ago some armed bandits tried to rob the compressor of a local dive shop. Other than that nothing in terms of crime. An old africa traveller told me some tricks, always hide your cash in the room at least in 3 to 4 spots also passport and cards and smartphone. Security of the room, most doorlocks and doors are really dingy, what you can try if the door opens to inside use the good old plastic doorjam for 2 euros, that shoud keep anybody from entering the room easily, one will definitely go in my travel kit. I never bother with pepper spray, better not resist, let them take some cash you have stashed away, but this sounds like an inside job for me, in Kenya its very common to be robbed by the hotel staff, that's why I never bother using a hotel safe useless....

Hi Neddy,

I personally met people get robbed and beaten in nighttime while taking pouzze pouzze. This in 3 cases, both with tourists and residents.

[Neddy69]

Great to read about everyone's different and mostly really great experiences. Here in Antsohihy I just got the full on fucked vazaha experience. Got stupid and cheap and saw a nice room for 10,000 ariary, well of course two hooded guys came knocking the door down at 1 AM, I thought I was done for. Found out the hard way that the pepper spray I bought was about as hot as medium spicy thai food, anyways, the guys were pretty well covered up so it probably wouldn't have worked even if it was the real stuff. Got hit two times on the top of the head with a baton and I consider myself very lucky. I thank my lucky blood vessels that so much blood squirted out on the 2nd hit the guy left me and went looking for more valuable things than a bloodied and pissed scared vazaha. The damage: A nice new haircut and stitches and my money and passport stolen. Lucky I cached my cards before going to sleep. Learned a very valuable lesson; don't be cheap in the land that is already cheap. And also, Antsohihy, never again! I think I'm the only vazaha here and it's a poor town so that probably explains a lot. Also I think the hotel was in on it, I was screaming MPangalatra! (Thief!) for what seemed like 3 minutes, of course no body came till after I was pouring blood everywhere. Also since my time with the police today I've learned that Ambanja isn't all roses and flowers either. More dangerous with guns according to them. Pay attention, make sure you know the security where you're staying, and keep a stash of your valuables hidden somewhere! If I could do it all over again I'd just throw my cash all over the room and hide under the bed. Sad, sad times.

Sorry man 3 posts and already robbed? The most annoying is passport for sure and creditcards. I can only say that in Tulear I felt perfectly safe. I spoke to a lot of expats, Nobody heard of having been robbed. Years ago there was a frenchman shot as he was riding a quad outside Tulear. In fact I took cyclo pousse many times at night in Tulear, but only from Tata Zsombe uphill to Hotel Central in old centre ville, which is indeed deserted at night. I heard of rumours of people having been robbed by cyclo pousse but couldn t verify. I think you have been very unfortunate, and probably the hotel or whatever room you rented somebody was involved for sure. In Mangily I stayed at a bungalow, ,the area was quite open, it was guarded at night, the only thing I ve heard was years ago some armed bandits tried to rob the compressor of a local dive shop. Other than that nothing in terms of crime. An old africa traveller told me some tricks, always hide your cash in the room at least in 3 to 4 spots also passport and cards and smartphone. Security of the room, most doorlocks and doors are really dingy, what you can try if the door opens to inside use the good old plastic doorjam for 2 euros, that shoud keep anybody from entering the room easily, one will definitely go in my travel kit. I never bother with pepper spray, better not resist, let them take some cash you have stashed away, but this sounds like an inside job for me, in Kenya its very common to be robbed by the hotel staff, that's why I never bother using a hotel safe useless. In Gambia a girl stole 300 euros from my room, but my fault I did not hide the money well enough. I also try to travel with as little cash as possible, I rather pull out cash with my visa whenever possible, even if that means bad rate of exchange, ATMs are really everywhere. To be robbed in the room is really unfortunate always take rooms inspect security, Iron bars in front of the windows or at least 1st floor. Usually all hotels lock everything up at night. In Fianarantsoa I can highly recommend the Dragon the Or. Its run by a chinese Kung Fu man. They lock everything up Iron Bars etc. In Tana I used the Relais de Normandie.

Hope you are well.

Neddy.

Who has been robbed a few times mostly by chicas. 2 Laptops 3 Smartphones and about 600 euros in cash, so don't feel bad, its part of the african travel costs to budget for hehe.
Mada I was only stolen a cheap nokia phone and Air Mada still owes me 200 euros, so my cheapest african holiday....