Antananarivo

Introduction

Antananarivo, or 'Tana', as it is known by most, is what you would expect from any capital city: lively, bustling and with the usual traffic and pollution problems.

Madagascar's capital is also the kind of place where you will find many beggars and street vendors. Brace yourself before venturing out and expect a constant onslaught of small children running behind you asking for money or food, vendors shoving vanilla and hand made cards under your nose. You can however, pick up some lovely fruit and flowers, but beware that once you buy from one, the rest will not leave you alone. Having said all that, most are good natured and a polite 'No thank you' usually suffices.

Restaurants and cafés abound, likewise the ubiquitous 'Baobab' and 'Maki' clothing stores. For souvenirs, head to the craft market on the way out to the airport, or, for more relaxed shopping, take a taxi to 'Lice Boutique'. Pickpockets are very much in evidence so watch your bags. Shop staff are very on the ball and will warn you if they have been seen in the area or if they think you bag is insecure.

Sights and Activities

• The huge and colourful markets are an absolute must where you can buy anything from T shirts to live frogs. On the copious amounts of steps (Tana is built on a hill) you can buy the Malagasy favourite, the rubber stamp. Intricately hand carved you can choose your own design and it will be made for you in less than an hour.
• Take a visit to the 'Rova', the royal palace. It is currently closed for renovations following a fire but the views from up here are magnificent. Remember not to point at the palace or the tombs as this is considered 'fady' or taboo.

Weather

Antananarivo has warm and pleasant weather most of the year, but from November to March is rainy season. The rest of the year is fairly dry, like most of the inland parts of the country. Temperatures are around 27 °C during summer, 21 °C in winter. Nights can drop to below 10 degrees during this period.

Getting There

By Plane

Air Madagascar is the national airline of the country with its base at Ivato International Airport (TNR) near Antananarivo. International destinations include those to and from Bangkok, Johannesburg, Marseille, Mauritius, Milan, Moroni, Nairobi, Paris and Reunion. Air France and Corsairfly have flights from Paris and a few other airlines serve South Africa, Mauritius and Reunion as well.
Air Madagascar has a comprehensive domestic network with regular and often daily flights to most major towns.

Getting Around

By Car

Getting around in the city is by way of a taxi, a cream coloured Renault 4, there are hundreds of them and in various states of disrepair. Agree the price before you get in.

Sleep

Budget

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls