Madagascar travel guide

Madagascar is described as "the fourth largest island in the world". Madagascar presents a brand-new world for visitors with its diverse flora and fauna and unique scenery, and provides an excellent choice for those who want to visit unusual scenic spots. I believe that most people's first impression of Madagascar comes from the animal paradise in DreamWorks cartoon Lonely Planet. 65438+600 million years ago, it accidentally left the African continent and has been isolated from the world ever since. Its unique natural conditions, diverse landforms and complex climate environment have created a unique ecosystem and created this magical island. This "laboratory created by God" has nearly 5% of the world's animal and plant species, 80% of which are endemic to the region. This is an active natural museum.

How to get to Madagascar?

At present, there are no direct flights from China to Madagascar. Usually transfer from Mauritius. Of course, there are also connections from Istanbul, Seychelles, Abu Dhabi, Kenya, and even South Africa and France. No matter where you connect, good quality and low price are king. Generally speaking, it is normal that the round-trip economy class air ticket price from Chinese mainland to Malaysia is around 7800 to 10000. Of course, if you book a flight a few months in advance, there will be a special price of three or four thousand yuan for round trip, and there will be many special prices for departure from Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

The airport in Malaysia is very small. That's because there are only a few flights every day (including their domestic routes), so it takes a long time to go through the immigration formalities, and it's quite confusing. You paid the visa fee, and the big customs counter on the third floor of the conference room is next to you, waiting for your name. You can get your passport when you arrive. The landing visa fee is currently (2065438+August 2006) 27 euros or 30 dollars. In addition, there is no vaccine certificate for entry.

About entering

Exchange rate Malaysia's currency name is "Ariary", and the exchange rate with RMB is about 1 RMB: 450Ariary. When we have a stack of arias in our hands, how can we quickly and conveniently know how much RMB is worth? I'll teach you a simple method. Remove three "0s" and multiply by "2.2", which is the approximate value of RMB. For example, 3,000 arias, minus three "0s" multiplied by 2.2, then 6.6 is the approximate value of RMB.

Quote Ali Ali only has seven denominations of banknotes:100,200,500,1000,2000,5000, 10000. What's more, before 2005, Malaysia used Madagascar franc (no longer used), which was exactly 1:5 with Ali Ali, that is, 1000 Ali was equal to 5000 francs. Malaysians sometimes quote in francs, so you should ask clearly. If you don't know, you will pay five times the price.

About money

Friends who often travel abroad should know that Huaxia Bank's UnionPay debit card is very easy to use. Cash can be withdrawn free of charge once a day outside the country, but the handling fee of foreign banks may be inevitable. A bank in Malaysia called BFV-SG happens to be free (there are many outlets), but each withdrawal cannot exceed 400,000 Ali, which is roughly equivalent to. Therefore, if you want to withdraw more cash at a time without handling fees, you'd better bring more Huaxia cards.

Law and order At the same time, it must be mentioned that the law and order in Antananarivo, the capital of Malaysia, is not good. After all, it is one of the least developed countries, especially at night. It is recommended not to carry a lot of cash, including gold and silver jewelry.

If you want to change money, I suggest using dollars or euros. The exchange rate is ok, but the RMB exchange rate is very poor. Just change some money to buy a car at the airport and withdraw cash from the bank.

Credit cards are almost useless in Malaysia, mainly cash. This is the case in China.

About cash withdrawal and currency exchange by banks

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 full-time nanny is about 150-200 RMB, and that of skilled motorcycle assembler is about 400-450 RMB. Therefore, it is conceivable that the price in Malaysia cannot be high. What level will it be? A banana is twenty cents, and a Malaysian meal (fish, chicken or beef bibimbap) is five dollars. The bus fare in the city is about 50 minutes to 1 yuan, and the average hotel in 50 yuan is about 100 yuan a night. So traveling in Malaysia costs about 4000 RMB a month, including all expenses, but excluding round-trip international air tickets. Of course, this is based on the cost of poor travel. You can only take local minibuses to and from various towns and scenic spots, stay in cheap hotels or inns, and only eat Malaysian food. So the cost of this thing varies from person to person and can only be used as a reference. (This data is based on the experience of 20 16, and is for reference only.)

About price

Malaysia has two official languages, French and Madagascar. But to be honest, Malagasy is widely used. After all, the working people don't have much education, many people can't speak French, and few people can speak English. Therefore, it is suggested that every visitor to Malaysia should be fully prepared. On the one hand, he has to learn a few commonly used French words (especially words and sentences asking about prices and figures), on the other hand, he has to learn a few commonly used Malagasy words in Malaysia, and make good use of expressions and gestures to communicate.

About language

There are few industrial enterprises in Malaysia. Of course, enterprise facilities for electricity and water purification cannot be expected. It is common practice to cut off water and electricity. In some remote areas, drinking water source is a big problem. People in Malaysia have to draw water from the Yellow River, and snacks will have small gravel. Because of the lack of water, various sanitary conditions are often not guaranteed. It is normal for a group of flies to walk around you in a general restaurant. Similar scenes are similar to slums in India, except that India has rich areas, while Malaysia does not. They are all slums. So what should we do?

1. Drinking pure mineral water every day is slightly cheaper than that in China;

2. Friends with poor gastrointestinal adaptability go to a good hotel restaurant for dinner, and the price is actually ok. You can eat a meal for about 25-40 RMB; 3. Bring some simple cookers from home, use local materials, buy some in the market and process them yourself;

About water and food

Featured Meat There is an animal in Malaysia called Tumor Cattle, which has a sarcoma on its back. In fact, it functions like a "hump". Cattle are not only the agricultural tools of Malaysians, but also the means of transportation and delicious food on the table. Generally, when we go to local restaurants in Malaysia, we can eat beef with tumors. The price is the same as chicken and fish. There are beef skewers on the barbecue stall at night, which are cheap and a few cents a string.

Special drinks Malaysian restaurants usually offer a special drink when eating, which is actually made by soaking the burnt crispy rice in hot water. This kind of "burnt rice water" tastes bitter, and it feels ok when you get used to it (at least it is a clean and free water source). White foreigners nicknamed it "Madagascar coffee".

Other snacks in Malaysia include fried dough sticks, fried coconut rice balls, fried bananas, fried cakes, boiled or fried cassava and so on. The price of each snack is about a few cents RMB.

Fruits Malaysian fruits are really cheap, a banana or an orange costs 20 cents on average, Sakyamuni 1kg or 4 yuan, but there are few kinds of fruits, mainly bananas and oranges.

Malaysian specialties, snacks and fruits

Traffic situation: Malaysia is the fourth largest island in the world and the largest island in Africa, but there is no expressway in such a big country, and even the normal national roads are very narrow. It's good that two cars met without colliding. Therefore, only a few places can see buses occasionally. Common buses and long-distance buses in Malaysia are minibuses. They are called taxi-buses, and they look like big business buses like Iveco and Transit, which are very common in China. Of course, they are absolutely packed. A row of four seats can seat seven people (five adults and two children).

Malaysia's long-distance buses and bus stations are also very chaotic. You will be surprised when you go there for the first time. Small, messy and dirty, there is no unified management. All the car companies are scattered in one market. You look confused and don't know which one to look for. There are still many people around asking where you are going. You must not answer at this time, otherwise he will take you to buy expensive tickets. Still have to go to the office one by one to ask the starting price. All prices are negotiable. This is Malaysian culture, and someone will ask you for a tip for your luggage. You can give them away and ignore them. If you really want to give it to them, 200-500 Ali is enough.

Road conditions The road conditions in Malaysia are amazing. The main road has been in disrepair for a long time, so the two cars can barely meet. There is a thick layer of gray sand on the roads in many towns. Every time a vehicle passes by, the air pollution index is absolutely outrageous!

About traffic investigation

There are two kinds of airport shuttle buses to and from Antananarivo Airport, one is airport minibus (10000 Ali, equivalent to 20 RMB) and the other is minibus (500 Ali, equivalent to 65438 0 yuan RMB). From the airport to downtown, the price is too high. I didn't call. I suggest you make more counter-offers.

There are mainly two long-distance bus stations in Antananarivo, the northern bus station and the southern bus station. Round trip to Morondawa or Toulier, all at South Station; Commuting between Tamatave, NosyBoraha, Majunga, NosyBe and Antsiranana is at the North Station.

Bus Platthana has a minibus and it is very crowded. The rush hour is even worse. The only advantage is that it is cheap, generally 1 RMB to 2 yuan.

The taxi fare is ok. Not expensive. Generally, you don't need a meter, so you must bargain. Cry if you don't want to bargain.

Rickshaw by the way, many big cities and towns in Malaysia have all kinds of light vehicles, such as rickshaws, rickshaws, human tricycles, electromechanical tricycles and so on. Locals call them "pouse-pouse". They are clingy and will stare at you for a long time. Remember to bargain if you really want to buy it. The price can be really cheap.

About the transportation in Tana (airport, coach station)

When traveling in Malaysia, sim cards often encounter the situation that there is no available WIFI (and many hotels do not have it). If you don't buy a SIM card, you may lose contact at any time for a long time. There are three communication service providers on the island, Telma, Airtel and Orange. China's mobile phone system used to work. Airtel and Telma have similar coverage rates. If you just make a phone call, the charges for both are around 8- 10 Ali/s; But to get online, Airtel is better, with many packages and convenient opening. Sim cards are available at airports and in business halls in urban areas (including many small towns). You need a passport. Each card is about 2000 Ali. Rechargeable cards can be bought in convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations and other places. Sim card is called puce locally, and recharge card is called credit.

The area code of Madagascar is 0026 1. Mobile phone 10 digits, TELMA starts with 034, AIRTEL starts with 033 and ORANGE starts with 032. The landline number is 7 digits, and the national unified area code is 020.

For example, the mobile phone number is 033 1 1222, the overseas dialing number is 0026 1-33 165438 (that is, the previous "0" is removed), and the domestic dialing number is 033 165438. The landline number is 020- 1234567, overseas calls are 0026 1-20- 1234567, domestic mobile phones are 020- 1234567, and landlines are 1234567.

About network communication

Booking Due to economic constraints, most hotels in Malaysia cannot be found on international hotel websites (Booking, agoda, etc.). ).), especially some affordable hotels It is also a good idea for poor friends to find a suitable hotel in the local area.

Some budget hotels in remote areas do not have hot water showers, but the bathroom has a large water tank with a spoon, which can be bathed with cold water. Many white foreigners call it "Madagascar bath". Another reason for this bathing method is that the tourist season in Malaysia is from June to 165438+ 10 every year, which is also a dry season and is very short of water. Just give you some water to wash. When staying in Malaysia, remember to do a good job of mosquito prevention. If you have a mosquito net, you must use it. Don't really regret being bitten out of malaria by mosquitoes.

About hotel accommodation

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

There are regulations in the country that horses can't point at others with their forefinger or middle finger, which will be considered impolite.

In Malaysia, men usually greet each other by clapping and boxing, while women have less contact etiquette.

Generally speaking, Malaysia is a Catholic country. On Sundays, people go to church, so all the shops and restaurants in the street are closed. Supermarkets in big cities are only open until 5 pm. At this time, if you need to eat, you can only choose Chinese food, because only China restaurant is open all year round.

About folk customs

Prices in Malaysia are generally cheap, but people always want to earn more money. Therefore, when traveling in Malaysia, you must not believe any quotation, even if it is very cheap fruit, you must bargain unless you already know the price of a local commodity or service.

Generally, there are: hotel prices, local bus tickets, products sold in supermarkets, scenic spots tickets and related tour guide fees, regular restaurant meals;

Generally, there are: fruits, vegetables, food seasonings sold in other markets, gifts and souvenirs from small shops, roadside snacks, long-distance fares, taxi fares, charter fares and driver fees.

About the culture of bargaining

thief

Thieves in Malaysia are mainly distributed in big cities or major tourist towns, such as Tana and Mulongdawa. A careless bag is missing. Smartphones are the favorite of Malaysians and thieves. Be sure to protect your mobile phone and bank card. Believe me, it's hard to imagine how you can survive in Malaysia without a mobile phone and a bank card. Of course, it is also a big deal to have your passport stolen. Remember to have a photo backup and find the embassy to solve it in time.

deceiver

Although Malaysia is poor, its people are happy every day, so most people will not lie to you unless they are really wrong. However, if you really trust everyone, then I can only ha ha. Anyone you do business with may be a liar. Common tricks in Malaysia are:

1. I lied to you that it was a long drive and persuaded you to pay twice the local fare;

Say that your luggage is overweight and you have to pay for it. In fact, your fare already includes the baggage fee;

Many people walk around you and ask where you are going and whether you want to take a long-distance bus. You answer, I will take you to the vehicle management office to buy a ticket, and then he can smoke, you must pay more;

Suppose you go all the way from the starting station A to the national park B, and then to the seaside town C, the staff at the station A will tell you that there is no bus to go to C, so I suggest you buy tickets from A to C in advance. They will meet you one day, but the fact is that once you really give, no one will meet you. Please believe me, the lesson of blood!

A fake tour guide will pester you, cheat your trust, know that you are in a hurry to join the group, and then quote a high price for you to pay back a little. You thought it was cheap, so you rushed into the group, only to find that your price was twice as expensive as that of other group members.

police

Malaysian police can be seen everywhere, but mainly set up cards at intersections to check "suspicious" vehicles. Checking is not the purpose, but collecting tips and fines is the purpose. Especially white and yellow people, love to check. Once you forget to bring your passport, you will be fined. And those overloaded vehicles are ready to tip. Malaysia is definitely a place where money can make the mare go. Even when leaving the country for security check, the border police will ask for bribes in various ways. The best way to avoid giving money is to play dumb.

About thieves, liars and policemen

Malaysia is really big, and there is no one who can't play for two months. The natural environment of the East and the West is also different. The western part is savanna climate, the eastern part is rainforest climate, and the western part is relatively dry, that is, semi-desertification. The east is humid, and there are many tropical plants and fruits.

About the natural environment

lemur

The most famous animal in Malaysia is the lemur. People from all over the world are not far away from Wan Li, mainly to see lemurs, because only Malaysians have lemurs in the world. How many kinds of lemurs are there? Baidu says there are "5 genera and 2 1 species", and Interactive Encyclopedia says there are "6 genera 13 species". Which one is right? None of the answers are right! The correct one is "5 genera, 102 species".

In fact, there are not many lemurs in many national parks. They often hide in tall trees, so don't expect too much. If you want to observe lemurs up close, go to Tana (non-wild) Zoo and Lemur Park, which are cheaper. In the zoo, lemurs are kept in cages, while in the lemur park, they are free. It will be introduced in detail later.

The chameleon and the mongoose

Other rare animals are chameleons and mongooses.

breadfruit tree

The most famous plant in China is baobab. The baobab tree in Mudawa is also a must-see place for people from all over the world to come to Malaysia. However, before the government began to intervene in about 2007, local people cut down trees at will. Because the wood in the middle is soft, the tree is usually hollowed out to make a raft.

About animals and plants

Finally got to the point.

Tourism in Malaysia generally has four main lines:

Line A (West Line): Morondawa-Antananarivo;

Line B (Southwest Line): Antananarivo-Toulier;

Line C (East Line): Nosibolaha-Antananarivo;

D Line (Northwest Line): Nosibe Island,-Antananarivo

That's weird, guys. Why do they all have to go back to Tana? Can't they contact directly? Can't we go back? My answer is no, because there is no way, and there is no way for each other. Every line has to go back the same way, and almost all of them have to change trains at Tana. Of course, if you plan to take the AB line together, you can transfer at Anzilabe, which can save a little money.

Someone has to complain. Running back and forth is a waste of time! Yes, African people have no money, but they have plenty of time. It is comfortable and completely free from the constraints of the concept of time. Locals and white foreigners jokingly call this "the rhythm of Madagascar".

If the holiday is really limited and the financial ability is ok, you can choose to take domestic flights in Malaysia (there are few flights, so plan ahead). It's expensive, but it's worth it to some people. Many white foreigners will choose a one-way bus and a one-way plane.

About tourist routes

There are few specialties in Malaysia. Except for some simple handicrafts, only various gems can attract people's attention. Some gems in Malaysia can reach top quality, but the prices are quite affordable. That's because Malaysians often don't have enough to eat, and naturally they don't like this expensive, small and inedible stone. Therefore, international friends often come here.

Malaysia's specialty gems are: beryl (emerald), corundum (ruby), tourmaline, agate, chalcedony, crystal (amethyst, topaz, sapphire), garnet, tourmaline, apatite, kyanite, Tianhe stone, opal, andalusite, emerald and topaz. The most common products on the market are beryl (emerald), ruby, tourmaline, crystal and garnet. High-quality emeralds are famous in the world market. Red tourmaline, apatite of various colors, bright yellow moonstone and blue yellow crystal are all unique and rare gems in the world. Common carnelian and aquatic agate in the market are also guests' great love.