Hi All,
I've been told by one of the travel agency based in Madagascar that there are some "security problems" in the South and that they don't recommned traveling alone in that area. Apperently there are some armed cuttle thiefs fighting with police there.
Just wanted to confirm this as me and my wife were planing to spend 2 weeks there in November, traveling alone by car on the RN7.
Thanks
It is true that there have been serious armed clashes in the south between cattle thieves and the police and gendarmerie, resulting in the deaths of some members of the security services. It is also the case that “bandits” carry out night-time hold-ups on taxis brousse, and in September the driver of a taxi brousse was shot dead and the passengers robbed of their belongings close to Betioka, which is off the RN7 on the way to Fort Dauphin.
However, it should be stressed that tourists are of no interest to cattle thieves and the bandit attacks happen exclusively at night.
In the first week of September I drove up the RN7 from Toliara to Tana, knowing of the security problems, but having been assured by hotel owners, café owners and gendarmes at control points that daytime travel was not a problem. This was born out by the fact that traffic was normal – taxis brousse, private vehicles and trucks were all out individually on the road without any attempt at forming convoys.
Since returning, I’ve followed some of the Madagascar press, and seen nothing to indicate any deterioration of the situation.
Obviously, you’ll weigh up all the responses you get and reach your own decision, but if I needed to drive the RN7 again I’d have no qualms about doing it, though I would make absolutely sure that I reached a town where I could stay by nightfall.
I'd just add to Marogisa's good advice that there have been curfews in operation in some towns e.g. Ambalavao to help combat the problem, locals would be able to advise you of the situation there when you arrive. When you say 'travelling alone by car', if that means self-drive, you might find it more reassuring to hire a local driver as the cost is not necessarily more than a self-drive.