Inexpensive shipping from Madagascar?

Tried to send a wood carving home from Fianarantsoa. They wanted 70,000 Ariary to send by air and would not offer any alternatives. Does sea mail exist in Madgascar? I don't really care how long it takes to ship. Will I have better luck on the coast?

There's certainly sea mail into Madagascar - due to the incompetence of a post office clerk here, two packages that I wanted to send by air went by sea. They took eight months to arrive. I got there before them.

If the Malagasy post office refuses to accept packages for sea mail, then your only option will be to try your luck with a freight agent at one of the ports. Whether they'd be interested in handling a single small package is something you'd have to find out.

My experience with DHL documents in and out of Madagascar is around $100 usa.
They say 4 days but in reality is up to 8 days.
Not sure how heavy is your wood carving but at 35 usa dollars seems like a price that is not to bad.

I send clothing and medical supplies from the USA at about 9 LBS and it cost me 70 dollars by USA post, air only as this is the only way at the post office. they say it takes 7 days by air but
in reality it takes 3 weeks on the average. That is just the incompetence of the USA postal system

And then when the Package gets to a Madagascar post office the price of customs varies according to the morals of the agent and how big is their greed thus corruption is paid. There are times when I have sent flashlights and the Postal agent in Madagascar wants one so it can pass customs.

This is all part of the Fun