Madagascar Travel Guide

"Lonely Planet" once described Madagascar as "As the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar, with its diverse flora and fauna and unique scenery, presents a whole new world to visitors and provides opportunities for those who visit." It provides an excellent choice for people who want to visit unusual attractions.” I believe that most people’s first impression of Madagascar comes from the animal park in the DreamWorks animated film “Madagascar.” 160 million years ago, it accidentally left the African continent and became isolated from the rest of the world. The unique natural conditions, diverse landforms and complex climate environment created a unique ecosystem and created this magical island. This "laboratory of God's creation" contains nearly 50 species of plants and animals in the world, 80 of which are unique to the local area. It is an active natural museum. How to get to Madagascar?

Currently there are no direct flights from China to Madagascar. They usually connect from Mauritius. Of course, there are also flights from Istanbul, Seychelles, Abu Dhabi and Kenya. , even if you are connecting in South Africa or France, no matter where you are connecting, the price is the best. Generally speaking, economy class air tickets from mainland China to Malaysia are around 7,000 to 8,000 to 10,000. Of course, if you book your air tickets several months in advance, there are also special fares ranging from RMB 3,000 to RMB 4,000 to RMB 3,000 for a round trip. There are many special fares from Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Regarding entry

The airport in Malaysia is very small. That is because there are not many flights every day (including their domestic routes), so you will have to wait for a long time when going through immigration procedures. It was quite unorganized. After everyone paid for the visa on arrival, they gathered around a large customs counter on three floors inside and three floors outside, waiting for their name to be called. Once called, they could get their passports. The fee for a visa on arrival is currently (August 2016) 27 Euros or 30 USD. In addition, vaccination certificate is not required for entry. About currency

Exchange rate The name of Malaysian currency is "Ariary", and the exchange rate with RMB is approximately 1 RMB: 450 Ariary. When we hold a stack of Ariary in our hands, how can we quickly and easily know how much RMB it is worth? I will teach you a simple method. First remove three "0"s from Ariary, and then multiply by "2.2". It is the approximate value of RMB, for example, 3,000 Ariary. Remove three "0"s, equal to 3, and then multiply by 2.2, so 6.6 is the approximate value of RMB.

There are only seven denominations of Ali Ali banknotes: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000. One more thing to mention, before 2005, Malaysia used the Madagascar franc (it is no longer used now), and its and Ali Ali are exactly 1:5, that is, 1,000 Ali Ali is equal to 5,000 francs. Malaysian people still sometimes quote prices in francs, but you should ask clearly, in case you don't understand, you are paying 5 times the price. About bank cash withdrawal and currency exchange

Friends who frequently travel abroad and withdraw cash should know that Hua Xia Bank’s UnionPay debit card is very useful. It can withdraw cash overseas once a day without any handling fee. However, The handling fees of foreign banks may be unavoidable, but a bank in Malaysia called "BFV-SG" happens to be free of handling fees (there are quite a lot of outlets), but each cash withdrawal cannot exceed 400,000 Ali Ali, which is approximately equivalent to RMB 880. So if you want to get more cash at once and avoid handling fees, it is best to bring more Hua Xia cards.

An issue I have to mention about security is that the security in Antananarivo, the capital of Malaysia, is not good. After all, it is one of the least developed countries, especially at night, so it is recommended not to carry a large amount of cash with you. , including gold and silver jewelry.

Exchange If you want to exchange currency, I recommend using US dollars or Euros. The exchange rate is okay, but the RMB exchange rate is very poor, so you can just exchange some money for the bus at the airport. The main thing is to Withdraw cash from the bank.

Swiping credit cards is almost useless in Malaysia. Cash is mainly used. This is the national situation.

About prices

Malaysia is one of the least developed countries in the world, with a per capita GDP of 300-400 US dollars. The monthly salary of a full-time nanny is about 150-200 yuan, and the monthly salary of a skilled motorcycle assembly worker is about It is 400-450 RMB, so it is conceivable that the prices in Malaysia must not be high. What is the approximate level? A banana costs 2 cents, a Chinese meal (rice bowl with fish, chicken or beef) costs 5 yuan, and a city bus ticket costs about 5 cents to 1 yuan. Ordinary The hotel price is about 50 yuan to 100 yuan a night. Therefore, traveling in Malaysia for a month costs about RMB 4,000 per month, including all expenses, but not including round-trip international air tickets. Of course, this is calculated based on the cost of traveling on a budget. You only take local long-distance minibuses to travel to various towns and scenic spots, you only stay in cheap hotels or inns, and you only eat Chinese food? So the cost varies from person to person. , everyone can only use it as a reference. (This data is based on experience in 2016 and is for reference only) About language

Malaysia has two official languages, French and Malagasy. But to be honest, Malagasy is still more widely used. After all, the working people do not have much education, many do not know French, and very few speak English. Therefore, it is recommended that every traveler to Malaysia should be well prepared. On the one hand, they must learn a few commonly used French sentences (especially vocabulary and sentences for asking about prices and expressing numbers). On the other hand, they must learn it in Malaysia. A few commonly used Malagasy phrases, and good use of expressions and gestures to communicate. Regarding water sources and food

There are almost no industrial enterprises in Malaysia. Of course, corporate facilities such as electricity and water purification cannot be counted on. Water and power outages are commonplace. In some remote areas, drinking water sources are a big problem. People in Malaysia have to fetch water from the yellow river. Food such as meals and snacks will contain small gravel. Due to lack of water, various sanitary conditions are often not guaranteed. It is normal for a swarm of flies to circle around you in a restaurant. A similar scene is comparable to the slums in India. The difference is that there are rich areas in India, but not in Malaysia. They are all slums. So what should we do?

1. Drink pure mineral water every day, the price is slightly cheaper than in China;

2. Friends with poor gastrointestinal adaptability go to good hotels and restaurants to eat. The price is actually not bad, you can get a meal for about 25-40 RMB; 3. Bring some simple cooking utensils from China, use local materials, buy some in the market, and process them yourself; About Malaysia’s special dishes, snacks and fruits

Featured Meat There is an animal called Zebu in Horse Country. It has a sarcoma on its back, which actually functions like a "hump". Zebu is not only a farming tool, a means of transportation, but also a delicacy on the table for the people of Malaysia. Generally, we can eat zebu beef at local Malaysian restaurants, and the price is the same as chicken and fish. In the evening, beef skewers are sold at the barbecue stalls. The price is cheap, only a few cents per skewer.

Special drinks: Malaysian restaurants usually provide a special drink during meals, which is actually made by soaking burnt rice crust in hot water. This kind of "cooked rice water" tastes bitter, but it tastes okay if you're used to it (it's still a clean, free water source anyway). White foreigners jokingly call it "Malagache coffee".

Other snacks in Malaysia include fried dough, fried coconut milk rice dough, fried banana, fried vegetable cake, boiled or fried cassava, etc. The price of each item is It’s about a few cents in RMB.

Fruits in Malaysia are indeed cheap. On average, a banana or an orange costs 20 cents, and a 1kg sugar apple or coconut costs 4 yuan. However, there are few types of fruits, and bananas are still the most popular. and orange mainly. About the traffic situation

Traffic situation Malaysia is the fourth largest island in the world and the largest island in Africa. However, such a large country does not have highways, and even normal national highways are very narrow. Two cars will not collide if they meet. That’s good. Therefore, there are only a few places where you can occasionally see a big bus. The common buses and long-distance buses in Malaysia are minibuses. They are called taxi-buses. They look like the large commercial vehicles such as Iveco and Transit that are common in China. Of course, they are absolutely packed with seats, with four seats in a row. It can accommodate seven people (five adults and two children).

Long-distance buses. The long-distance bus stations in Malaysia are also quite chaotic. The first time you go there, you will be shocked. They are small, messy and dirty, and there is no unified management. Various bus companies are scattered in one place. In the market, you look confused and don’t know which store to look for. There are a lot of people surrounding you and asking you where you are going. At this time, you must not answer, otherwise you will wait to be taken away by them. Go buy the high priced tickets. You still have to go to the office one by one to inquire about the delivery and price. All prices are negotiable. This is the culture of Malaysia. Some people will ask you for tips for luggage fees. You don’t have to give them. Just ignore them. If you really want to give them, 200-500 Ari Ali is enough.

Road conditions in Malaysia are surprisingly poor. The main roads are in disrepair and two cars can barely pass each other. There is a thick layer of gray sand on the roads in many towns. Every time a vehicle passes by, the air pollution index will definitely explode! About transportation in Thane (airport, long-distance bus station)

Going to and from the airport to and from Thane There are two kinds of buses to the urban area at Nalivo Airport, one is the airport minibus (10,000 Ali Ali, equivalent to 20 yuan RMB), and the other is the bus minibus that goes to the city and waits outside the airport (500 Ali Ali). , equivalent to 1 yuan RMB). The price of taking a taxi from the airport to the city is exaggeratedly high. I have never taken a taxi before, so I suggest you bargain more.

Long-distance passenger transport Antananarivo mainly has two large long-distance bus stations, the Northern Passenger Terminal and the Southern Passenger Terminal. Traveling to and from Morondava or Tulear is at the South Station; traveling to and from Tamatave, NosyBoraha, Majunga, and Bay Island (NosyBe), Antsiranana (Antsiranana), are all at the North Station.

There are public minibuses in Thane, which are very crowded, and it is even more miserable during the rush hour. The only advantage is that they are cheap, usually about 1 to 2 yuan.

Taxi fares are okay, not expensive, and generally don’t use meters, so you must make a counteroffer. If you don’t want to counteroffer, just wait and cry.

Rickshaw By the way, many big cities and towns in Malaysia have human-powered pushcarts, human-pulled carts, human-powered tricycles, electromechanical tricycles and other light vehicles. The locals uniformly call them " pose-pouse”. They are very annoying and will keep an eye on you for a long time. If you really want to ride on them, remember to bargain, the price can be really cheap. About network communication

SIM card When traveling in Malaysia, you often encounter the problem of finding no WIFI available (many hotels don’t have it either). If you don’t buy a SIM card, you may lose contact at any time for a long time. There is one in Malaysia. Three communication service providers, Telma, Airtel and Orange. All domestic mobile phone models used to work. The coverage rates of Airtel and Telma are similar. If you just make a phone call, the tariff of both is about 8-10 Alibaba/second. But when it comes to surfing the Internet, Airtel is better, with more package options and easy activation. SIM cards are sold at the airport, and you can also buy them at business offices in urban areas (including many small towns). A passport is required for purchase, and each card costs around 2,000 Ali Ali. Recharge cards can be purchased at convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations and other places. The SIM card is called puce locally, and the recharge card is called credit.

The telephone area code of Madagascar is 00261. The mobile phone number is a 10-digit number, TELMA starts with 034, AIRTEL starts with 033, and ORANGE starts with 032. The landline number is a 7-digit number, and the national unified area code for landline numbers is 020.

For example, if the mobile phone number is 0331112222, the overseas dialing number is 00261-331112222 (that is, the leading "0" is removed), the domestic dialing number is 0331112222; the landline number is 020-1234567, and the overseas dialing number is 00261-20- 1234567, the dialing number for domestic mobile phones is 020-1234567, and the dialing number for landline phones is 1234567.

About hotel accommodation

Due to economic constraints, most hotels in Malaysia cannot be found on international hotel websites (booking, agoda, etc.), especially some affordable budget hotels. . For friends who are traveling on a budget, it is a good way to directly ask people where there are suitable hotels when you arrive in the local area.

Conditions: Some budget hotels in remote areas do not have hot water showers, but there is a large water tank in the toilet with a ladle. You can scoop cold water to take a bath. Many white foreigners jokingly call it " Malagasy Baths”. Another reason for this way of bathing is that the peak tourist season in Malaysia is from June to November every year. It is also the dry season and there is a great shortage of water. It would be nice to give you some clean water to wash yourself. When staying in Malaysia, remember to take precautions against mosquitoes. If you have a mosquito net, be sure to use one. Don’t regret it if you get bitten by a mosquito and get malaria. About folk custom

Although Malaysia is poor, the people are generally kind, warm and hospitable. Every time you walk on the road, there are always many people taking the initiative to say hello to you. Of course, the children will be more enthusiastic because you look different from them.

There is a rule in Malaysia that you are not allowed to point at others with your index finger or middle finger, as it will be considered very impolite.

Men in Malaysia generally use high-fives and fist bumps to greet each other, while women are less likely to be exposed to sexual etiquette.

Malaysia is generally a Catholic country. On Sundays, people go to church, so shops, restaurants and markets in the streets and alleys are closed. Supermarkets in big cities are only open until 5 p.m. . If you need to eat at this time, you can only choose to eat Chinese food, because only Chinese restaurants are open year-round. About the culture of bargaining

In general, prices in Malaysia are cheap, but people always want to make more money. Therefore, when traveling in Malaysia, you must not trust any quotation, even if it is very cheap fruit, and you must bargain, unless you already have a good understanding of the price of a certain local product or service.

Generally, things that are not settled include: hotel room prices, city bus tickets, products sold in supermarkets, attraction tickets and related tour guide fees, and meals in regular restaurants;

Generally, you can bargain with: fruits, vegetables, food seasonings sold in other markets, gifts and souvenirs from small shops, roadside snacks, long-distance fares, taxi fares, chartered cars and driver fees. About thieves, liars and police

Thieves

Thieves in Malaysia are mainly found in big cities or tourist towns, such as Thane and Morondava. If you are not careful, your bag will be gone. . Smartphones are the favorite of Malaysian people, and of course they are also the favorite of thieves. You must protect your mobile phone and bank cards. Believe me, you can hardly imagine how to survive in Malaysia without mobile phones and bank cards. Of course, having your passport stolen is also a big deal. Remember to have a backup of your photos and contact the embassy in time to resolve the matter.

Liar

Although Malaysia is very poor, the people are very happy every day, so most people will not lie to you unless they are really mistaken. But if you really believe everyone, then I can only hehe. Anyone you do business with is most likely a liar. Common scams in Malaysia include:

1. Lie to you that the journey is far, and convince you to pay more than double the local fare;

2. Say your luggage is overweight, You will be charged a baggage fee, but in fact your bus fare already includes the baggage fee;

3. Many people surround you and ask you where you are going and whether you want to take the long-distance bus there. If you answer , you will take you to a certain bus office to buy a ticket, and then he will take a commission, and you will definitely pay more;

5. Suppose you now want to go all the way from departure station A to B national park, then C seaside town.

The employees at station A will tell you that there is no bus from station B to C, and advise you to buy a ticket from A to C in advance. They will pick you up at station B on a certain day, but in fact once you actually pay the money, no one will I will come to pick you up, please believe me, a lesson learned from blood!

4. The fake tour guide will pester you and deceive your trust. Knowing that you are eager to join the tour, he quoted a high price to let you Even if the price is reduced a bit, you might think it's a bargain, so you join the group in a hurry, but later you find out that your price is still twice as expensive as other group members.

Police

Police in Malaysia can be seen everywhere, but they mainly set up checkpoints at intersections to check "suspicious" vehicles. The purpose is not to check, but to collect tips and fines. Especially white and yellow people love to be checked. Once you forget to bring your passport and are checked, you can expect to be fined. And those vehicles that are already severely overloaded have already prepared tips. Malaysia is definitely a place where money can make all the difference. Even during the departure security check, the border police will use various tricks to ask for bribes. If you don't want to give money, the best way is to act stupid. About the natural environment

The country of Malaysia is indeed very large, and it is impossible to explore the entire territory in less than two months. The natural environment in the east and west is also different. The west has a tropical grassland climate, the east has a tropical rainforest climate, and the west has a tropical rainforest climate. It is more arid, a bit semi-desert, and the east is wetter, with more tropical plants and more tropical fruits. About flora and fauna

Lemurs

The most famous of the animals in Malaysia is the lemur. People from all over the world come all the way here mainly to see lemurs, because only the country of Horses has lemurs in the world. How many species of lemurs are there? Baidu says there are "5 genera and 21 species", and the interactive encyclopedia says there are "6 genera and 13 species". Which one is correct? The answer is neither! The correct one is "5 genera and 102 species" ".

In fact, there are not many lemurs in many national parks, and they often hide in high trees, so don’t expect too much. If you want to observe lemurs up close, you should go to the zoo and lemur park (non-wild) in Thane, which are cheaper. Lemurs are kept in cages in zoos, but free-range in lemur parks. This will be introduced in detail later.

Chameleon and Horse Island_

Another rare animal is the chameleon and Horse Island_.

Baobab tree

The most famous plant in Malaysia is undoubtedly the baobab tree. The baobab trees in Morondava are also a sight that people from all over the world must see when they come to Malaysia. But before the government started to intervene in about 2007, local people cut down trees at will. Because the wood in the middle was soft, they usually hollowed out the trees to make rafts. About the travel route

Finally let’s get to the point.

Malaysian tourism generally has four main lines:

Line A (Western Line): Antananarivo-Morondava;

Line B (Southwest Line): Antananarivo-Tulear;

Line C (Eastern Line): Antananarivo-Santa Maria Island (NosyBoraha);

Line D (Northwest Line): Antananarivo - NosyBe Island

Everyone may be wondering why we have to go back to Tana , can't they reach each other directly? Can't they not go back? My answer is, no, because there is no road and they can't reach each other. Every route has to go back the same way and almost all have to change trains in Thane. Of course, if you plan to take Line AB together, you can transfer at Antsirabe and save a little money.

Some people are going to complain, going back and forth is such a waste of time! Yes, although African people have no money, they have plenty of time. Everyone looks leisurely and comfortable, without any constraints on the concept of time. Locals and white foreigners alike jokingly call this the "rhythm of Madagascar."

If you really have limited vacation time and can afford it, you can choose to take Malaysian domestic flights (few flights are few, so plan in advance). It's expensive, but for some people it's worth it. Many white foreigners will choose to take a one-way car or fly. About specialty products

There are very few special products in Malaysia. Apart from some simple handicrafts, only various gemstones can attract people's attention.

Some of the gemstones in Malaysia are of top quality, but the prices are quite affordable. That's because the people in Malaysia often don't have enough to eat, so they are naturally not interested in such expensive, small, and inedible stones. As a result, international friends often come here to visit.

The specialty gemstones of Malaysia include: beryl (emerald), corundum (ruby sapphire), tourmaline, agate, chalcedony, crystal (amethyst, citrine, blue crystal), garnet, electric Stone, apatite, kyanite, amazonite, opal, scabalite, chrysoberyl, topaz, etc. The most common ones on the market are beryl (emerald), ruby ??sapphire, tourmaline, crystal and garnet. Good quality emeralds are quite famous in the world market. Red tourmaline, various colors of apatite, bright yellow moonstone, and blue yellow crystal are all unique and rare gem types in the world. Carnelian and agate, which are common in the market, are also popular among customers.