Madagascar

[Amadeuss]

Be careful, bro Botaki. I'm sure the local ladies are hungry for some vazaha ariary and companionship!

Thanks for the good infos. Was there in April 3 weeks and enjoyed my stay!

Riots not threatening to tourists as long as you stay clear of the 1 or 2 hotspots. Very much overblown in the international press.

Threats of arrests for foreigners having sex with locals also irrelevant at the moment. Spoke to all hotel owners - mostly french nationals - on this issue when checking in. They only asked to register the girl of legal age with their ID - and all is fine. The arrests were of political background some time ago. Now the new kids on the block have other problems.

Security at night: I was walking the roads of Tsara Lanana looking at the many SW's. My weapon was a LED-torch and a happy-go-lucky attitude with the girls and guys there. I felt more safe then at night in Manila.

Hotels Tana: Sakamanga Loge for 38 EU was excellent. Free WiFi, good restaurant. Glacier would be ok for the location, but the bathrooms were scrap. One night I was with a GF at Residence Lapasoa - wonderful place for 50 EU.
Hotels NosyBe: more expensive. Coco Plage and Bucaneer charging 60..80 EU for ok rooms, even at low season. Coco Plage the perfect place for beginning direct at the beach, aircon to hold the mosquitos off, understanding managers, and TV with english programs. Bucaneer on the hill, beautiful rooms - but I had a mossie problem which disturbed during fucking: was asking ma fille constantly to slap my ass - and she thought I am an pervert.....

Basic French is a must with the girls. Tana pros are more hardened and more expensive then anywhere. Minimum was 40.000AR. Had a mediocre lay wich made troubles when I gave ther 40.000 at 6:00 in the morning but finally trolled off with 10.000 more. SW's could go ST for 30.000, mostly 40.000 LT
NosyBe gilrs more taken care of, better dressed and more GF-style caring. 40.000 is ok for 24 hours.
Best encounters I had with pre-contacted girls from webpages. Wonderful memories.
But anything goes: one salesgirl, delivering a carving to my room, was happy with a 10.000 tip for getting laid as a part of the deal to buy the carving.
Another one got a ride on my moto from Hellville to NB, had a shower in my room, got laid and trolled off happily wth a small souvenir.
Didnt see any pros of questionable age!

Other things to do: did a national park near Mahjunga and diving at NosyBe. Walking the park was fun and interseting, looking at the Lemurs. Diving is an 8/10 with good visbility and a rich fish life on colourful corals. But expensive: 2 dives are 70..80,-EU.

Budget: in Tana you may survive with 80 EU/day , Mahjunga perhaps 60 EU is ok, but Nosy Be you need a budget of 100, better 120 EU/day if you like to stay at a reasonable place.

Its an unexplored country with no mass tourism, no McDonald and KFC...but french lifestyle and rasta music.

GO!

[Vahaza Be]

From London, I've always used Air Mauritius (with a stopover in Mauritius). Good service in my experience.

You could also fly from London to Paris and get on Air France or Air Mad for a straight shot to Tana. You'll need to stop over in Jo-burg if you use SoAf Air, with only one flight a day from there to Mad. Corsair flies from France to Tana too (or used too -- no idea about them with all the political turmoil going on).

[Trevor2522]

Monday, April 20, 2009
MADAGASCAR VISA NOW FREE OF CHARGE

http://www.vacances-nosybe.com/islan...formation.html.

Yesterday, it was confirmed that the National Tourism Board of Madagascar has advised that NO ENTRY VISA IS REQUIRED for a maximum stay of 30 days valid through December 31, 2009.

This is valid for all nationalities entering Madagascar. Arriving passengers will not have to pre-purchase a visa before arrival into Antananarivo airport.

Can members please advise the nicest airline to get to Mada from the UK? Options are Kenyan / Air France / Air Mada / Air Mauritius / South African.

Thanks

[Vahaza Be]

Thanks for the response!

Budget? Well for airtravel I would like to keep it below 1500 if at all possible. I realize this is the hard part. I was thinking of going there next time I am in Kenya but that is already going to cost me around that so I may as well explore Uganda and Tanzania during that trip. A dedicated Mada trip seems worth it.

My daily budget nowadays is around $100/day.

You can live very well in Mad on a per diem of $100, even in the capitol of Tana. Plenty of reasonably priced hotels, food options are many, and ladies are available for pretty much whatever you're willing to pay them -- especially now.
Travel is cheap but slow by the local buses, and domestic airfares are expensive due to the virtual monopoly by Air Mad. Ask around the tourist hotels and you might hook a ride with ecotourists heading out in different directions in 4x4s.

[Concarne]

I like going in via Jo-burg. Daily flights (at least there were before the political nonsense emerged) from there to Mad (some via Ft. Dauphin).

Tourism has suffered, so you might be able to grab a deal via air France or Air Mad out of Paris too. Planes are flying half full.

The dollar is strong at the moment against the ariary. What is your budget?

Thanks for the response!

Budget? Well for airtravel I would like to keep it below 1500 if at all possible. I realize this is the hard part. I was thinking of going there next time I am in Kenya but that is already going to cost me around that so I may as well explore Uganda and Tanzania during that trip. A dedicated Mada trip seems worth it.

My daily budget nowadays is around $100/day.

[Joe Perez]

I'm trying to find a good deal from Bangkok to Antananarrive but at the moment I don't see any usd discount. Anybody know if air mad gives last minute low fares?

[Vahaza Be]

Hey fellows!

Anyone here with suggestions as to the best options to fly to Mada coming from the USA? Is it better just to fly to France and then to Mada?

What about flying from other African countries, say Kenya?

Plus, cons, efficient spending of money?

Many thanks in advance!

I like going in via Jo-burg. Daily flights (at least there were before the political nonsense emerged) from there to Mad (some via Ft. Dauphin).

Tourism has suffered, so you might be able to grab a deal via air France or Air Mad out of Paris too. Planes are flying half full.

The dollar is strong at the moment against the ariary. What is your budget?

[Concarne]

Hey fellows!

Anyone here with suggestions as to the best options to fly to Mada coming from the USA? Is it better just to fly to France and then to Mada?

What about flying from other African countries, say Kenya?

Plus, cons, efficient spending of money?

Many thanks in advance!

[Labadi]

... and I heard of 2 other cases in Toamasina. Does anyone have further information about other places?

[Prosal]

as per my infos, there was 1 case of a french tourist going to jail in nosy b.

you should consider changing your info sources then.

there's about a dozen sex-tourists (mongers, not ****s) jailed in nosy be currently. the french tv made a one-hour reportage about that quite recently.

[Vahaza Be]

Vhaza... the biggest problem at the moment travelling to Mada is the irregularity of flights> all the big airlines are cutting back and do sudden changes of schedules. The fine bus Tana to Majunga is no longer in operation, the ferry to NosyBe from Majunga is out of order, AirMad only operates 1 or 2 planes at the moment and has no flight to Toamasina.....I was forced to change my intinerary 4 times already...then just today my hotel in Tana (Residence Lapasoa) sent me an e-mail that their power got cut off....fucking amazing trip it will be..I bet!

I have family and friends in Tana. They are afraid to go out and worry about food hoarding and rice prices. More pro-Ravolomanana demonstrations today, with military gunfire --no confirmation on casualties yet. Increased roadblocks and attempts to bribe vazahas. The tourist industry is in the toilet, so your news about irregular and fewer flights makes sense. There is talk about regional seizures of power and fragmenting of the country, from
Tamatave to Diego to Ft. Dauphin.

Be careful, bro Botaki. I'm sure the local ladies are hungry for some vazaha ariary and companionship!

[Amadeuss]

Take it easy; there is no need to insult me.

Maybe you just lack the ability to understand a legal text in French law.

Bro Laroche...I had no intention to insult anyone....and I suppose my "ability" is quite ok....lol
I am just critical on hearsay - but I rest my case.

Vhaza... the biggest problem at the moment travelling to Mada is the irregularity of flights> all the big airlines are cutting back and do sudden changes of schedules. The fine bus Tana to Majunga is no longer in operation, the ferry to NosyBe from Majunga is out of order, AirMad only operates 1 or 2 planes at the moment and has no flight to Toamasina.....I was forced to change my intinerary 4 times already...then just today my hotel in Tana (Residence Lapasoa) sent me an e-mail that their power got cut off....fucking amazing trip it will be..I bet!

[Laroche]

Hey mate. Do you want to say its better to rent your appartement in Brazil? . And then get mugged on the road?

Look. Warnings are welcome. But it should not be based on hearsay. If you are on-site and observe police action, let us know. If you just wanna be a 2nd CNN. Better pass on that.

As per my infos, there was 1 case of a french tourist going to jail in Nosy B. And that was politically motivated. The new president, Mr TGV, an ex disc jokey, does have other problems to deal with then to push police enforcing that law. Similar laws do exist all over the world. But who is really enforcing them?

I am in e-mail contact at the moment with some 5 expats working there on different locations: all is quiet now, the curview in Tana is lifted and monger life is great. I be there next week.

Hi man,

Take it easy; there is no need to insult me.

It was not my intention to denigrate Madagascar, a country I like and that I have visited in several occasions for professional reasons, or to promote Brazil or any other place for that matter.

By the way, I do not have any apartment in Brazil and I could not care less where are you travelling.

However, the legal framework in Madagascar has changed and it will be unwise eschewing reality.

Maybe you just lack the ability to understand a legal text in French or to get reliable information but the fact, according to the French Embassy in Tananarive and to a shaking review presented in French TV 20th January 2009, is that several foreigners are jailed in Madagascar based on the said law.

[Vahaza Be]

the curview in Tana is lifted and monger life is great. I be there next week.....

We expect some pics and a full report (please)

[Amadeuss]

Mongers, if I were you I would think twice before going there.

Hey mate. Do you want to say its better to rent your appartement in Brazil? . And then get mugged on the road?

Look. Warnings are welcome. But it should not be based on hearsay. If you are on-site and observe police action, let us know. If you just wanna be a 2nd CNN. Better pass on that.

As per my infos, there was 1 case of a french tourist going to jail in Nosy B. And that was politically motivated. The new president, Mr TGV, an ex disc jokey, does have other problems to deal with then to push police enforcing that law. Similar laws do exist all over the world. But who is really enforcing them?

I am in e-mail contact at the moment with some 5 expats working there on different locations: all is quiet now, the curview in Tana is lifted and monger life is great. I be there next week.