Madagascar

[Elmerfud]

Planning to be back in Mada after 10 years RTFF for new info, except for criminality on the rise it seem that Mada has not much changed. My question is just wondering how bad or how safe it would be going to Tulear by taxi brousse I am thinking of taking the cotise bus to Antsirabe was there once just love the Merina would spend a night or two then a taxi brousse or cotisse if available to Fianarantsoa then not more than a night in that boring city and take a taxi brousse early in morning to be there before darkness in Tulear.

Anybody can give me a advice on this, thanks (drink will be on me in Tulear for any good advice) plan to be there in November.

No air mad for me, 600 $ for a return flight it is a rip off.

[Neddy69]

At Neddy69.

Pay cash or credit card? What is better?

Air Mad still owes me 200 euros. They cannot refund credit card. Only in Tana. And. The machine didn't work. Cash paid means cash refund.

[Steve Ohh]

Yes they send a SMS 24 hrs before. So be prepared to take taxi brousse back to Tana or miss your international flight. Have fun

Air Mad.

At Neddy69.

Pay cash or credit card? What is better?

[Neddy69]

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.

Yes they send a SMS 24 hrs before. So be prepared to take taxi brousse back to Tana or miss your international flight. Have fun

Air Mad.

[Golfinho]

I am contemplating a 3-week stay. My primary interest is going to Sambava / Antalaha.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 taxi brousse travel, always buy two seats (3 if you want to sit with your bags). For cotisse, normally not unless you're jumbo-sized. For flights to Antalaha-Sambava, it's advisable to buy a return or onward (most likely Diego) as these routes can be busy, risk leaving yourself stranded.

[Neddy69]

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.

Hard core travel. African style. You have to earn pussy the hard way! True African Explorer! Like Sir Richard Francis Burton. Hehe.

Neddy.

In the final stages of planning next Sexpedition to Afrique Noir.

[Doc16]

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.

Thanks Amadeuss. I have done the Cotisse ride Tana-Tamatave several times. It is just that minivans are not my cup of tea, let alone taxi-brousse. Especially at night, it's like 8 hours in a MRI tube, if you ask me.

[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.