4 weeks travel in Madagascar

Hi, I can't help you with regards to Madagascar but just so that you don't get your hopes up too much - if you are going with a reputable operator then you will not be able to scuba dive with whale sharks (they don't like the bubbles), rules to help protect and conserve them allow only snorkelling. This is still absoluely amazing though and if the shark is happy to have you there then you are likely to be able to swim down below the surface but this can risk scaring them off.

I think January is not the best time to visit Madagascar due to bad weather and strong storms. Routes may become impassable due to muddiness and it may be impossible to drive a car on such conditions. Therefore, January to March should be avoided at all costs. You should better go in April or May.
Madagascar is a wonderful country and there are many beautiful nature reserves to see. It is very difficult to tell you briefly where to go because there are so many must-sees. I have been to Madagascar for four months and a half and though I have seen most of the country I have not seen all.
Is it easy to get around ?
At this point I must be frank with you and tell you that Madagascar is not for the spoiled. It is a poor country and transportation is very old and completely out of date. You will have to sit with other passangers beside you crammed like sardines in a tin. It is not enjoyable but in most of the cases it pays off since you reach to gorgeous destinations in the end. You may wait for hours till the bus or taxi-brousse begins its way. It may be frustrating but in order to remain sane, you should adopt a different mentality than you might have back at your home country. Just be patient. There is no meaning to the word time and there is no significance to being punctual.
However, looking back at hardships, it seems to me one big positive adventure.
Are there many people to meet ?
Considering local people....yes,of course. Malagasy people are really forthcoming and don't hesitate to communicate with strangers. They may always offer you their help if needed.
Regarding the tourists aspect, most tourist are inexplicably French. The English speaking are a minority after all. So you should better learn some French before you go (Do you speak French ?) not only to chat with tourists but also to talk withthe locals who almost don't speak English.
Read the Bradt's guide which places to visit and if you have more questions to ask, we are always here.

Hi Raady,

I would endorse almost everything that MadManascar (#3) says with one major exception (Hi MadManascar – glad you enjoyed your trip!). I really can’t agree with him when he says “January to March should be avoided at all costs.” I’ve been going to and travelling within Madagascar in February and March for years now, and my ticket’s already booked for February next year. It is a great time to go! (Not the least reason is because there are hardly any tourists around as they’ve all been put off by guidebooks saying “go some other time”!)

Don’t take this as a negative commentary on posting #3, it isn’t. There are certainly some things you can’t do at that time, and others that need more effort. For example, the Tsinghy de Bemaraha National Park is normally inaccessible and river trips may be more difficult to arrange. Montagne d’Ambre or parts of it and Ankarana may also be inaccessible – you’d need to check before going.

For the Malagasy taxi brousse drivers, “impassable” is a relative term. Even on notoriously bad stretches like the track from Toamasina/Tamatave to Maroantsetra north of Soanierana-Ivongo or from Vohemar across to Ambilobe in the north, transport can and does get through between January and March – less frequently than in drier months, and taking longer, but it gets through. Incidentally, it’s less the mud that’s the problem than high water levels in rivers that have to be crossed by ferries because the bridges are out. Once the water level drops, the ferries start up again.

Tropical cyclones are dangerous and destructive, and if you’re considering going to the North-East or (to a lesser extent) to the North-West, you need to check out whether anything is brewing over the Indian Ocean before you head out. You can do that by accessing the website of the monitoring station on La Réunion from an internet café: [http://severe.worldweather.wmo.int/tc/swi/index.html]. This will tell you if anything is heading in to Madagascar, what it’s trajectory will probably be and when it’s likely to arrive. As you’re wanting to go diving, then consulting this is a must whatever dive sites you’re headed to.

As far as the weather is concerned, the fact that it’s the rainy season doesn’t mean that it rains all the time. There is a lot of glorious dry weather, although it can certainly be interspersed with days of intense rain, or you can have rainy and sunny days simply alternating.

Taxi brousse travelling is just as #3 describes it, but whether you find it frustrating and likely to drive you insane is really a matter of personal attitude. I find it generally (and possibly perversely) enjoyable with all its discomforts, and you certainly have contact with local people. The time you have to wait for the vehicle to fill up can usually be passed enjoyably walking around, buying things to eat, sitting in cafés etc. You can’t do anything to speed things up (unless you want to buy all the empty seats), so chill out. They won't leave without you - they'll come looking when they're ready to go, and as a foreigner, you're easy to find. As #3 says, time has no meaning in that situation.

Must sees? Well again follow #3’s advice and look at the Bradt Guide, but if you twist my arm I’d mention Masoala National Park (especially the marine parks south of Antalaha if you’re into diving) and Nosy Mangabe in the North-East (but do check out the La Réunion website before you head out there) and Andohahela in the South-East are gems.

Anyway, if you keep all this in mind, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a great time visiting in January.

Hello Marogisa, how are you ?
You go back to Madagascar ? Have a good time.
Regarding must-sees I would say that OP should not miss Andringitra NP, Isalo NP, Anakao village and the wonderful bird colony on Nosy Ve, Lokaro Beach and the nearby Evartaha village is a spectecular place I can't get out of my mind, Tsingy Bemahara NP (esp the GRAND TSINGY),the Avenue of Baobab near Morondava, the Zafimaniry villages ( esp. the attractive village of Sakaivo ) , the beautiful canal near Manakara (west coast) and the exotic fishing villages nearby, Nosy Be (esp. Nosy Iranja, Nosy Tankiley and Nosy Komba).
Marojejy is the most beautiful rainforest in Madagascar IMO. It has the rare White Lemur and the Helmet Vanga. The villages nearby are also nice and environment is very green ( like South East Asia).
Ile Saint Marie is also nice while the nearby island Ile aux Nautes is exotic as all expect of a tropical island.
And....there are many other small spots I didn't mention here.
What is most interesting in Madagascar is the fact that landscapes are diversified. You can see lunar landscapes (like Isalo and Andringitra which are both very different from each other) ,rainforests, spiny cactus-like forests, praries, savanah and tropic beach resorts.