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Travel and Tourism in Madagascar
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Madagascar.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Time Difference
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- Malagasy franc (MGF)
- Climate
- Madagascar's geography creates many climatic subdivisions. The coastal climate is hot and tropical, with the east coast receiving the most rainfall (more than 160 inches of rain in Maroantsetra.). This is due to the effect of moisture-laden trade winds off the Indian Ocean as they encounter the steep escarpment of the Madagascar coastline. The east coast is also most affected by the cyclones which periodically hit the island, often causing extensive damage. East coast temperatures reach an average high of 85° in the summer and 72° in the winter. On the west coast, precipitation levels drop off from north to south. There are desert areas of the deep south which receive only 2 inches of rain per year. West coast temperatures are generally several degrees warmer than the east coast temperatures. The central highlands, where the capital Antananarivo is located, have a more temperate climate. There are two primary seasons; the rainy summer season, which lasts from approximately November through mid-March; and the dry season, from mid-March through October. In (southern) summer, there are periods of rain almost every day, often in the late afternoon. Cyclones, which can affect the coastal areas, do not reach the highlands, but their influence can cause extended periods of rain. The average daily high temperature in summer is in the mid 80's, with a hot mid-day sun alternating with the periods of rain. Nighttime lows average in the low 60's. The shoulder months of April, May and September, October are very pleasant, with little rain, blue skies, and daytime highs in the 70's. In the (southern) winter months of June-August, the skies are often sunny and daytime highs can reach the mid-to-high 60s. However, there are also chilly days which are overcast and windy with daytime highs in the 50's. Nighttime lows in winter can drop into the 40's in Antananarivo.
- Ethnic Groups
- Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
- Geographic Coordinates
- 20 00 S, 47 00 E
- Location
- Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
- Airports
- 116
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
Antananarivo — The City on Twelve Hills
Antananarivo — universally known as Tana among locals and travelers alike — is one of Africa's most visually dramatic capitals. The city climbs across a series of rocky highland hills rising above a broad plain in the central plateau, and its architecture cascades down hillsides in layers of colonial-era buildings, traditional Merina houses of red brick and timber, and modern concrete development. The name means "city of a thousand" in Malagasy, a reference to the thousand warriors King Andrianjaka stationed here when he established his capital in the early seventeenth century.
The defining landmark of the city, indeed of all Madagascar, is the Rova of Antananarivo, the royal palace complex that crowns the highest hill — the Hill of Analamanga — at 1,469 meters above sea level. The Rova was the seat of the Merina monarchy from the early seventeenth century until the French colonial conquest in 1896.
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Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Standards of healthcare throughout Madagascar are well below U.S. standards. There are small hospitals and clinics in Antananarivo that provide basic but acceptable care for emergencies. Outside of Antananarivo, the quality of care is very questionable and should only be used when other options are not available. Caution and good judgment should be exercised when seeking hospital and medical services. The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of hospitals and specialists, which can be provided on demand.
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