Madagascar

[RangeLove]

Thanks a lot for your helpful suggestion, NME! I may consider it. However, I just hate these long rides in a cotisse minivan. How many hours is Majunga-Diego by Cotisse? And by daytime, or at night? I particularly disliked my night rides with Cotisse Tana-Tamatave. Also, even though my primary (and indeed long standing) interest is in visiting Sambava / Antalaha, I am committed to visit Tamatave on the way as well, which complicates my dilemma. So I still hold out for enlightenment on my first two questions regarding comparative fares vs availability of flights for short term booking on Tana-Sambava-Tamatave-Tana.

On Saturdays there is a flight MJN-NOS, but you have to book it in the Air Mad office in Majunga.

That's already closer to Diego.

Strangely this flight can't be found on the website of Air Mad.

Don't forget to check for your flight a few days ahead.

Air Mad tends to change the hours of their flights without notice.

I almost missed my flight MJN-TNR because Air Mad moved up the departure time by 6 hours.

[Amadeuss]

Thanks a lot for your helpful suggestion, NME! I may consider it. However, I just hate these long rides in a cotisse minivan. How many hours is Majunga-Diego by Cotisse? And by daytime, or at night? I particularly disliked my night rides with Cotisse Tana-Tamatave. Also, even though my primary (and indeed long standing) interest is in visiting Sambava / Antalaha, I am committed to visit Tamatave on the way as well, which complicates my dilemma. So I still hold out for enlightenment on my first two questions regarding comparative fares vs availability of flights for short term booking on Tana-Sambava-Tamatave-Tana.

There is no Cotisse from Majunga to Diego. You need to take regular taxi-brousse and have to change bus at least once.

Ticket prices bought in the local AirMad office are about 10 to 20% cheaper then the internet-prices in $. And if a seat is not available in eco class, simply opt for business class. Its only a meagre price difference.

Tamatave-Tana I would not take a flight. This is the most easy Cotisse route.

[Tungsten2]

In a minibus it's around 24 hours. I've done it twice and each time we left around 2 pm although there may be others. The drivers had music blaring every second of the journey.

[SouthEaster]

Doc16: short answer is buying flights in Mada is usually about 20% cheaper. You must decide I you are willing too miss available flights by not booking beforehand. There are not Ambanja-Diego Cotisse minivans.

NME: you never indicated that there WAS a possibility to bribe someone at Ivato to make your problem go away. All you said was "certain countries" are no longer eligible and you were now dealing with a mess. We aren't mind readers. You still haven't said what country yours is, and whether the new list of countries is long or short.

[Steve Ohh]

I am contemplating a 3-week stay. My primary interest is going to Sambava / Antalaha. I explored a flight itinerary Tana-Sambava-Tamatave-Tana. Would cost me 666 with AirMadagascar!! Is that fare being expected to be much cheaper if I wait till my arrival and book at the local office at Tana or at the airport? But what about expected availability as of then within my planned 3-week stay? This is quite a dilemma. What are your experiences as to those two options? Thanks a lot for any relevant info.

For me it's the same dilemma. No experiences but I'll book at the local office, that should be cheaper and there should be more flights available then online. I hope that's true. Another advice is use a local SIM card, air Madagascar will send sms when cancel a flight. When I'm wrong let me know.

[Doc16]

Yes good destinations. From your previous reports I see that you are asking about Sambava / Antalaha since 2016.

So let me help as I am on the ground. Diego Sambava Tana is 340 USD with Air Mada Office. My route is Cottiss to Majunga. Majunga Ambanja Diego by road as there is no flights. Then he two flights to sambava and back to Tana. Flight availability is season and holiday depanded.

Majunga non stop sex. Huge city development. But more on this next time.

Yes, No ONE asked why the fuck I did not bribe the police at Ivato to get 3 month visa. Why I went out to start this nightmare instead finish it on the airport with a fee.

Thanks a lot for your helpful suggestion, NME! I may consider it. However, I just hate these long rides in a cotisse minivan. How many hours is Majunga-Diego by Cotisse? And by daytime, or at night? I particularly disliked my night rides with Cotisse Tana-Tamatave. Also, even though my primary (and indeed long standing) interest is in visiting Sambava / Antalaha, I am committed to visit Tamatave on the way as well, which complicates my dilemma. So I still hold out for enlightenment on my first two questions regarding comparative fares vs availability of flights for short term booking on Tana-Sambava-Tamatave-Tana.

[Golfinho]

I don't normally like these "expediters" as I don't like to encourage the behaviour. However, I would definitely use one if I knew there was going to be an issue and they can make it go away. The main problem is I don't know if it is necessary and worse, if these jokers can do anything about it.

If you're not front seat off the plane, definitely pay a helper (very small money) to jump the queue for regular visa, although they take so long to get the bags off, you still might be waiting.

For using expeditors, I became a believer when I wanted to get visa to take a Malagasy girl on safari and subsequently to Thailand. In both instances, at the Consulates in Tana, the application was impossible for an applicant that had no job, funds, address, work experience (well, other than) or education history. Nothing to fill in the blanks. But, one of her friends knew someone who knew someone (a Malagasy) who worked in the South African Consulate. Sceptical (and curious) I handed over his fee and a couple days' later, voila, passport returned with visa. Repeated process for Thailand. She never had to appear at the Consulates or anything. Ever since, I never allowed myself to get stuck in a line in this country.

[NewMadaExpert]

I am contemplating a 3-week stay. My primary interest is going to Sambava / Antalaha. .

Yes good destinations. From your previous reports I see that you are asking about Sambava / Antalaha since 2016.

So let me help as I am on the ground. Diego Sambava Tana is 340 USD with Air Mada Office. My route is Cottiss to Majunga. Majunga Ambanja Diego by road as there is no flights. Then he two flights to sambava and back to Tana. Flight availability is season and holiday depanded.

Majunga non stop sex. Huge city development. But more on this next time.

Yes, No ONE asked why the fuck I did not bribe the police at Ivato to get 3 month visa. Why I went out to start this nightmare instead finish it on the airport with a fee.

[Doc16]

I am contemplating a 3-week stay. My primary interest is going to Sambava / Antalaha. I explored a flight itinerary Tana-Sambava-Tamatave-Tana. Would cost me €666 with AirMadagascar!! Is that fare being expected to be much cheaper if I wait till my arrival and book at the local office at Tana or at the airport? But what about expected availability as of then within my planned 3-week stay? This is quite a dilemma. What are your experiences as to those two options? Thanks a lot for any relevant info.

[NewMadaExpert]

I think you should be prepared to pay small money (like a 20 euro note or so) to one (or more) of the helper guys who are always there offering to put your passport first in line to get the visa.

LOL 20 euro to helper guy to get the visa.

First there is no helper guys and second its very idiotic to think that a helper guy can assist in getting a illegal visa. I advise you to resume your trips to Mada after 5 years of absence.

[Cleara]

Why? Do you know anything that I don't know?

I purchased this cruise on December.

I discovered Tana has no port.

[SouthEaster]

Golfinho,

I don't normally like these "expediters" as I don't like to encourage the behaviour. However, I would definitely use one if I knew there was going to be an issue and they can make it go away. The main problem is I don't know if it is necessary and worse, if these jokers can do anything about it. For all I know I could pay a guy 20 Euro to jump the queue and still find myself going through the same shit as NME (who still hasn't said which country he is from. Maybe they have had some sort of dustup with the Malagasy Government?

Steve: thanks. I have seen that (although unfortunately for a visa inside Canada, not arrival) and as I posted earlier info from the Canadian Govt also saying nothing about curtailing VOA to 30 days or less. I land in under a week so I guess I will see first hand. I'll let you guys know.

Cleara: considering Tana is at an elevation of over 5000 feet and several hundred kilometres inland the chances or your cruise ship docking there are nil.

[Golfinho]

From the Government of Canada website, valid as of today's date. "You should apply for a visa before travelling to Madagascar, even though a tourist visa can be obtained at the airport for stays of up to 90 days, with no extensions. If you choose to obtain a visa at the airport, ensure your passport has two blank pages and expect long delays."
Think I'm safe?

I think you should be prepared to pay small money (like a 20 euro note or so) to one (or more) of the helper guys who are always there offering to put your passport first in line to get the visa. If you are a cheapskate or just a super moral guy, well too bad. You just have to ask yourself how bad you want to be in Madagascar for the next three months. A dollar or two a day cover charge is really small money when it comes down to it.

[Steve Ohh]

From the Government of Canada website, valid as of today's date. "You should apply for a visa before travelling to Madagascar, even though a tourist visa can be obtained at the airport for stays of up to 90 days, with no extensions. If you choose to obtain a visa at the airport, ensure your passport has two blank pages and expect long delays."

Think I'm safe?

SE.

http://www.madagascar-embassy.ca/en/...s-less-90-days

I hope that will help. To be 100% sure call the Madagascar embassy in Ottawa.

[Cleara]

Hey Kako,

I don't think this guy's cruise ship will be docking in Tana any time soon.

Why? Do you know anything that I don't know?

I purchased this cruise on December.