Madagascar

[Trevor2522]

Thanks for your answers Gabrielsilva. The North & North-East are very remote so I would be interested to know how you get around there. Does buying 2 seats (for 1 person) in a taxi-brousse improve comfort? I don't have problems posting here but it's wise to copy your post in case of loss. Here are some links to maps of the ethnic groups.

http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/madagascar11.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Et...gascar_Map.png

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/people/ethnic_groups.html

[GabrielSilva]

I do not know yet if the others have gone through to be honest I have never experienced in this site anything similar, since I came back from Madagascar I have noticed that this site has become more unstable at least with my reports. Let us hope it works this time!

Covering the last topics :

All hotels are girl friendly if you show respect and do not disturb the other guests or personel!

The best girls is up to what you like like colour of skin, features, there are about 18 ethnical groups in Madagascar!

In general I find all malagasy women friendly and low profile, around the capital there is a predominence of Merina with their typical Micronesian features, this means Asian features, quite sweet faces slim body types they are the majority of the population around the capital and the high plateau territories, they have been the rulers of Madagascar for the last centuries with few exceptions!

Most women employed in the governmental and civil services are from this group especially AIR MADAGASCAR and national TV.

If you like darker afro types you better head for the coast line from West to East and North, there you may find different groups like the SAKALAVA, TSIMIHETY, BETSIMISARAKA etc!

I personally find the BETSIMISARAKA women very gentle, tender, lovingful and understanding, they seem to get very well along with us VAZAHA (foreigners)! I am married to a TSIMIHETY. But my wife has some Betsimisaraka friends all married to french nationals up in the north in Sambava and Antalaha and they all seem quite happy with each other and some have even got kids!

About the police they are not as annoying as in other countries, they might check up your pappers when you drive, like your drivers license. No big hassle try always to be gentle with them if you drive if they have a checkpoint. Show them your pappers they usually never ask you for money. But I think they are doing you a service by being on the road. You never know one day you might need them for any kind of reason. Your car can breakdown they can assist you. If you buy them a drink and some cigarettes are always welcomed!

I do not see this as a bribe, but just some appreciation for guarding the road from potential robbers! Unusual at the north, but is more likely to happen inthe center and southern parts of the country especially around TOLIARA and FORT DAUPHIN beware this areas!

I will come back tomorrow for the other topics, hope this one goes through!

Grretings from Sweden.

Gab

[GabrielSilva]

Hi,

Something strange is going on here. I tried for 4 different times submit aninfo that someone here asked for I take my time and when I am about to submit it it does not go through implying that I amnot logged into the site, despite my name is no bar above saying that I am logged in. Go understand this!

I have notice since they changed the layout of this site the whole thing seems more unstable somehow!

Gab

[Tomasb]

The New York Times travel section of Sunday December 19th had an interesting travel article about Mad. Including the cover photo of a beach. Obviously, it did not cover our hobby but it had some good tips on dining, hotels, beaches, and viewing the different wildlife.

[Latin]

There is a club (Tahiti) next to the Hotel Diamant in Antsirabe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hKJyFHCpMc

Easy pick-ups most nights.

Thank you Vahaza be this is not my favourite option but if I can't find anything on the day this is a good option!

Veloma

[GabrielSilva]

Hi Trevor,

I have tried 3 times to provide you with the info you needed and I am quite frustrated that something has gone wrong whike trying to post it or submit it. The hole thing seems very unstable! I shall wait until tomorrow to see if the info went through otherwise I shall write again but this is rather annoying!

Greetings,

Gab

[Trevor2522]

Hi everybody!

I came recently from Madagascar stayed around 32 days mostly in the northern part of the country as well as in the capital Antananarivo.

If any of you need fresh info about anything that I might know just go ahead, I'll be pleased to help!

Greetings, Gab

Oh boy, you asked for it now. But thanks!

1) Good base hotel in Tana for a few nights' transit / orientation?

2) Cost of flights to the North? Or duration / hardship of overland travel?

3) Girl-friendly hotel in Antsiranana (Diego Suarez)?

4) Where are the girls with best attitude & service?

5) Any police interference? Bribes paid? Threats from girls to call police in order to extort more money?

[GabrielSilva]

Hi everybody!

I came recently from Madagascar stayed around 32 days mostly in the northern part of the country as well as in the capital Antananarivo.

If any of you needs any fresh info about anything that I might know just go ahead, I ll be pleased to help!

Greetings,

Gab

[Vahaza Be]

I'm coming back after one year, now I'll be in Tana and Tamatave but with relatives so so way to have some fun unless I take a few hours to visit a massage shop in Tana.

But I'll be a few days in Antsirabe could you advice me on the right place to go? Is there a possibility to have fun in the big hotels with therm during massage? Or do you know some good and sexy massage in town? Any contact is appreciated?

Next stop will be longer and in Tulear-Ifaty-Anakao area here I know some place to go like zaza club, but if you have any good contact of a semy pro or a girl who need some money from time to time let me know here or in PM.

Thank you.

Latin

There is a club (Tahiti) next to the Hotel Diamant in Antsirabe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hKJyFHCpMc

Easy pick-ups most nights.

[Latin]

I'm coming back after one year, now I'll be in Tana and Tamatave but with relatives so so way to have some fun unless I take a few hours to visit a massage shop in Tana.

But I'll be a few days in Antsirabe could you advice me on the right place to go? Is there a possibility to have fun in the big hotels with therm during massage? Or do you know some good and sexy massage in town? Any contact is appreciated?

Next stop will be longer and in Tulear-Ifaty-Anakao area here I know some place to go like zaza club, but if you have any good contact of a semy pro or a girl who need some money from time to time let me know here or in PM.

Thank you.

Latin

[Vahaza Be]

@Trevor2522

18 km from Diego is a fine beach -- Ramena Beach
http://www.madacamp.com/Ramena_Beach

Haven't tried Telma yet. I have other, better options in Tana via the University, but the ad link looks pretty promising.

Age can be hard to judge sometimes in Mad, but stay away from anyone who looks too young, and your chances of being hassled will go way down. Always carry a xerox copy of your passport and little bribe money just in case -- as little as a 10,000 ariary note (~$5) can sometimes fix things.

[Mrayers]

P.S. The Ice Club was a dead link.

Sorry about that. It was working as recently as last month.

I think they have a Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/iceclub

But I don't use FB, so I can't check that either.

[Trevor2522]

i use orange for phone and laptop-based internet -- which is slloowww!! fiber optics and broadband are finally in mad, but only for business and govt so far as i can tell. sim shops are found all over tana. vb

http://www.telma.mg/particuliers/internet/3g.htm

telma claims to have some 3g internet coverage through their mobile phone network which drops to edge speeds elsewhere. unfortunately they didn't reply to my email in french asking for coverage maps and shops. have you tried telma? they seem more progressive than orange.

on the legal side, have there been any more reports of police hassling vazah with local girlfriends, as occurred in nosy be in december 2008 (for french tv)? i like the idea of picking up girls in nosy be along the beach (which diego doesn't have) but it's in the international spotlight and tourism has raised prices for everything in nb.

[Vahaza Be]

Sure, try the Midi, Express or Tribune -- your ad could be in English.
Here's a media link, newspapers at the bottom:
http://www.abyznewslinks.com/madag.htm

You could also wait until you get there to take out the ad and have a mobile phone number for immediate contact. BTW, Tana girls will travel, and some come down from Diego to party and make $.

Diego and Nosy Be are close enough to bounce back and forth. Guaranteed good times at both. Take a nap

ATMs are available just about everywhere now, but most only w/d with Visa. Only BNI will do Mastercard too. Small towns = small amounts. You can withdraw 400,000 ariary (~200 $) at a time in the cities, and repeat it 2 or 3 times in a row for more cash.

[Trevor2522]

You could also post an ad at the University (ask the taxi to take you to Ankatso and the Universite) for a female English speaking guide.

How about placing an advert (en Francais) in a newspaper in advance? Which one might take foreign or PayPal payments?

Diego Suarez in the north has lots of ex-pats of all stripes.

I have to say the girl-pics I've seen from Antsiranana impressed me the most for height and looks. Given the difficulty and expense of moving around the island, one might be inclined to remain in a well-chosen provincial spot. Downsides are Diego is always hot and nightlife starts very late.

Are provincial ATMs reliable and fair-value? Hopefully they haven't copied the venal Thais in imposing $5 per foreign transaction? What is the maximum amount I can try for each time? Thanks again.

P.S. The Ice Club was a dead link.