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frenchlearner01:41 UTC22 May 2012

Hi,
Can anyone tell me if MasterCard is accepted universally in Madagascar? I have heard to the contrary. Could we use it to get cash at the airport at Antananarivo? Any help appreciated

marogisa11:40 UTC22 May 2012

No, MasterCard is definitely not accepted universally, although the number of businesses accepting it is slowly increasing, especially in Tana.

One bank, the BNI bank, accepts both MasterCard and Visa in all its ATMs, and there are branches of this bank in most important towns.

A further advantage of the BNI is that it allows you to withdraw 400 000 ariary per transaction (provided the machine still contains enough cash), which reduces the fees you pay to your card issuer if you need to make multiple transactions. Other banks set a lower limit.

There is a branch of BNI with an ATM at Ivato, so you should be able to obtain cash with your MC there, however I've found that this machine gets low on cash fairly quickly, so you may not be able to get as much cash as you want. You should consider taking euros (or US$) in cash and changing them at the Socimad bureau de change.

One area where you will find your MC useful is in small towns where the Bank of Africa is the only bank. The BoA often accepts only MC for over-the-counter transactions. A prime example of this is Maroantsetra, the main point of access for Masoala National Park.

The BoA is the only bank in town, there's no ATM, and the bank accepts only MC and not Visa. A fair number of visitors have to cancel their travel plans after relying on Visa to get cash there!

travelbug746722:42 UTC23 May 2012

Hi there
I just left Madagascar last week after spending 5 weeks there and I wouldn't count on using any credit cards in Madagascar, unless to use it at ATM machines to withdraw cash. There is certainly an ATM at the Antananarivo airport, and ATMs are fairly common in the bigger cities. Just remember to take money out before heading anywhere more rural, and certainly before heading into any of the parks. And I would agree with marogisa - have some extra euros as back up.

Have a great time in Madagascar - its awesome there :-)

MasterCard in Madagascar Country forums / Africa / Madagascar
frenchlearner01:41 UTC22 May 2012	Hi, Can anyone tell me if MasterCard is accepted universally in Madagascar? I have heard to the contrary. Could we use it to get cash at the airport at Antananarivo? Any help appreciated
marogisa11:40 UTC22 May 2012	No, MasterCard is definitely not accepted universally, although the number of businesses accepting it is slowly increasing, especially in Tana. One bank, the BNI bank, accepts both MasterCard and Visa in all its ATMs, and there are branches of this bank in most important towns. A further advantage of the BNI is that it allows you to withdraw 400 000 ariary per transaction (provided the machine still contains enough cash), which reduces the fees you pay to your card issuer if you need to make multiple transactions. Other banks set a lower limit. There is a branch of BNI with an ATM at Ivato, so you should be able to obtain cash with your MC there, however I've found that this machine gets low on cash fairly quickly, so you may not be able to get as much cash as you want. You should consider taking euros (or US$) in cash and changing them at the Socimad bureau de change. One area where you will find your MC useful is in small towns where the Bank of Africa is the only bank. The BoA often accepts only MC for over-the-counter transactions. A prime example of this is Maroantsetra, the main point of access for Masoala National Park. The BoA is the only bank in town, there's no ATM, and the bank accepts only MC and not Visa. A fair number of visitors have to cancel their travel plans after relying on Visa to get cash there!	1
travelbug746722:42 UTC23 May 2012	Hi there I just left Madagascar last week after spending 5 weeks there and I wouldn't count on using any credit cards in Madagascar, unless to use it at ATM machines to withdraw cash. There is certainly an ATM at the Antananarivo airport, and ATMs are fairly common in the bigger cities. Just remember to take money out before heading anywhere more rural, and certainly before heading into any of the parks. And I would agree with marogisa - have some extra euros as back up. Have a great time in Madagascar - its awesome there :-)	2

MasterCard in Madagascar