What should you pay attention to when traveling to Madagascar?

What should you pay attention to when traveling to Madagascar? For example, we need to prepare a lot of things when traveling domestically, let alone going abroad. Since I want to travel to Madagascar, the editor will tell you what you need to pay attention to when going to Madagascar.

Travel Tips

Language: Malagasy is Madagascar’s own language and is spoken throughout the country; French has always been the official legal language. English was listed as the official language in 2006, but it is not widely used. It is better to hire a Chinese tour guide.

Time difference: 5 hours behind China.

Religious beliefs: 52% believe in traditional religions, 41% believe in Christianity, and 7% believe in Islam. Please respect the customs, habits and religious beliefs of the local people.

Communications and Internet: There are three mobile phone communication service providers on the island, Telma, Airtel and Orange. China Unicom and China Mobile's international roaming can be connected automatically.

Most hotels and restaurants have Wi-Fi. It is recommended that you buy a local SIM card to access the Internet.

Voltage: 220V, using French double-ended round plug, Chinese tourists need to be equipped with a conversion socket.

Visa: A round-trip visa on arrival within one month costs 115,000 Ali (approximately 35 euros), and it takes less than two months to get a round-trip visa. Please refer to the charging standards below. Please click here for information.

Yellow Book: A Yellow Book is not required for entry, but tourists are advised to be vaccinated against yellow fever, cholera and hepatitis.

Tipping: It is a local custom to tip, usually US$1-10.

Currency: Ariary. Madagascar is a country with exchange controls, and USD/EUR can be exchanged locally.

Banks: African Bank of Madagascar and Société Générale. Common credit cards such as VISA and MASTER can be used in banks, star hotels, shopping malls and some shopping venues in Malaysia, but ATMs are not popular in Madagascar. Common payment methods commonly used by Chinese people such as WeChat and Alipay cannot be used. It is recommended to bring the US dollars after 2006 to the local area and exchange them into Ariary (local people may refuse to exchange the US dollars before 2006).

Hotel: The hotel star rating in Madagascar is different from that in China. Most hotels in scenic spots do not have stars or air conditioning. Except for the Capital Hotel in the nature reserve, most hotels do not provide toiletries and slippers. Free mineral water is generally not provided in the room, and you need to bring it yourself or consume it separately.

Wearing: The required clothing throughout the year is mainly in summer, but when traveling to Malaysia during the dry season, due to the large temperature difference between morning and evening, jackets, windbreakers, and sweaters are essential. Tours include tours of seaside cities, and swimsuits are also available.

Necessities: cooling oil or sesame oil, towel, slippers, toiletries, sunscreen (high power), camera, battery, charger, etc. Also, don’t forget your hotel reservation and passport.

Shopping: Madagascar has a wide range of handicrafts, such as Madagascar wood carvings and various colored gemstones, nautilus fossils, ammonites, crocodile leather products, local unique chess pieces, etc.

Catering: Madagascar has a diverse range of catering, including Western, Chinese, Indian and local food. Hotels generally serve Western-style meals. There are also some excellent local specialties in the capital, and tourists who like to try new things can try them.

Car rental and driver’s license: Self-driving is not recommended! Due to the limited objective conditions of Madagascar, such as underdeveloped overall transportation, poor road conditions, and lack of accurate and easily identifiable road signs, and even though Madagascar is a member state of the International Driving License Convention, international driving licenses are often not recognized by all local police. This is also Inconvenience is an important reason for road trips, so tourists mainly rent cars with local drivers for sightseeing.

Postcards: All cities and most towns in Madagascar have post offices. The ordinary postage time from Madagascar to China is about 10 days, and the postage is equivalent to 7 RMB.

Foreign exchange: Customs has restrictions on bringing foreign exchange into the country. Especially when bringing in large amounts of foreign exchange, such as U.S. dollars, euros, etc., it is best to declare it. When leaving the country, if the amount is large (more than 7,500 euros and there is no formal exchange certificate to prove the legal source), the customs can confiscate it, so it is not recommended for guests to bring large amounts of foreign exchange into and out of the country.

Customs regulations: Every incoming passenger (excluding accompanying children wi

Special tips

Madagascar’s road conditions are underdeveloped, the roads are long and winding, the cities are scattered, and long distances There is a lot of driving and the mountain roads are rough. It usually takes seven or eight hours to drive. It is recommended to prepare motion sickness medicine in case of emergencies.

There is a local custom of tipping everyone from hotel bellmen to restaurant waiters and tourists. Driver or local tour guide. Reference standard is 1-5 USD per trip

Domestic flights are dominated by the national airline Air Madagascar, with some local private airlines operating domestic flights. Airlines have limited fleets, and inland routes are often prone to delays or even cancellations, so when planning your itinerary, it is recommended to return to the capital Tana the day before your departure flight.

If you want to see wildlife, you can do so yourself. Bring a telescope. Madagascar is one of the least developed countries in the world and has a shortage of supplies. Before departure, you can prepare some small gifts such as ballpoint pens and notebooks as gifts for the children you meet during the trip.

After checking into the hotel, please put your valuables in the safe or carry them with you, and do not put them in the luggage in the hotel room. When traveling abroad, be careful to avoid exposing valuables and large amounts of coins in public, and do not travel alone or travel with a group. Pay attention to personal items such as jewelry, bags, and cameras.