Top Sights in Antananarivo, Madagascar
June 23 2023 | Tagged: Madagascar
Backpacking in Antananarivo - Madagascar. Antananarivo shortened to Tana, the capital of Madagascar, The Red Island, 4th largest island in the world after Greenland, Papua New Guinea and Borneo
Madagascar is one of Africa's (many) poorest countries. And as with everywhere, people flock to the city, in the hope of a better life. And the cities become crowded AF and can get to a point where the infrastructure struggles to cope. Tana is like that.
The reality check of Antanarivo is that the traffic is mental, the roads suck and the pollution is horrible.
Thankfully the rest of Madagascar is better but just remember, it is Africa and chaos goes with the territory.
***
In the true spirit of Nomadic Backpacker, I took a local bus from the airport.
Why pay 70,000 Ar for a stress-free taxi when you can fully immerse yourself in the Real Madagascar for just 600 Ar? (1€ is 4500Ar).
Of course, if you are travelling with luggage that you can't balance on your lap, maybe the 600Ar Taxi-Brousse (bush taxi/ minivan) is not for you.
And of course, finding the Taxi-Brousse is a bit of a mission but there is always public transport, you just have to find it. Luckily I am an old hand at this.
I rode the Taxi-Brousse from the airport to Tala, 6km away where I stayed for 2 nights at the NY Telomiova, run by a lovely family.
The reality check of Antanarivo is that the traffic is mental, the roads suck and the pollution is horrible.
Thankfully the rest of Madagascar is better but just remember, it is Africa and chaos goes with the territory.
***
In the true spirit of Nomadic Backpacker, I took a local bus from the airport.
Why pay 70,000 Ar for a stress-free taxi when you can fully immerse yourself in the Real Madagascar for just 600 Ar? (1€ is 4500Ar).
Of course, if you are travelling with luggage that you can't balance on your lap, maybe the 600Ar Taxi-Brousse (bush taxi/ minivan) is not for you.
And of course, finding the Taxi-Brousse is a bit of a mission but there is always public transport, you just have to find it. Luckily I am an old hand at this.
I rode the Taxi-Brousse from the airport to Tala, 6km away where I stayed for 2 nights at the NY Telomiova, run by a lovely family.
And then I went to Tana where I stayed a week (yeah I know) at the El Mundo Hotel. 9€ a night in a private room.
The key word, I later found out for the Taxi-Brousse to the city is Vassacos, the end stop. I ended up somewhere else and had to walk a fair ways. No biggie though.
The key word, I later found out for the Taxi-Brousse to the city is Vassacos, the end stop. I ended up somewhere else and had to walk a fair ways. No biggie though.
Here are my Top 9 Sights in Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar:
1. Lemurs Park:
The top sight that is doable from the capital is undoubtedly the Lemurs Park.
The Lemur is on the endangered species list, and the ones here have mostly been rescued from people who thought they made great pets. I admit that they are very cute but as pets, seriously? They belong in the nature!
The goal is to return them to the wild but with illegal deforestation their habitat is threatened.
They are protected but in the wild, this is hard to enforce and parks like these are vital to their survival.
Many hire their own driver to get there, but of course, I travelled there under my own steam.
If you have limited time in Madagascar, I would recommend going to the Lemurs' Park and then getting the hell out of Dodge.
If you don't see the following 8 sights, you won't lose any sleep. There is plenty of stuff to see elsewhere in Madagascar. But if you insist:
The Lemur is on the endangered species list, and the ones here have mostly been rescued from people who thought they made great pets. I admit that they are very cute but as pets, seriously? They belong in the nature!
The goal is to return them to the wild but with illegal deforestation their habitat is threatened.
They are protected but in the wild, this is hard to enforce and parks like these are vital to their survival.
Many hire their own driver to get there, but of course, I travelled there under my own steam.
If you have limited time in Madagascar, I would recommend going to the Lemurs' Park and then getting the hell out of Dodge.
If you don't see the following 8 sights, you won't lose any sleep. There is plenty of stuff to see elsewhere in Madagascar. But if you insist:
2. Avenue de L'Independance:
The main street that runs south from La Gare Soarano to Ambohijatova, where stands a memorial to those killed in the 1947 Malagasy Up Rising. Originally called but Avenue Fallières, then Avenue de la Liberation, finally becoming the Avenue de l'Independance in 1960. The buildings and terraces that line the avenue date from 1935.
The original Town Hall, dates from on March, 1936, but was destroyed by fire during the Rotaka protests in 1972 and lay abandoned for many years.
The original Town Hall, dates from on March, 1936, but was destroyed by fire during the Rotaka protests in 1972 and lay abandoned for many years.
3. La Gare Soarano:
Soarano Station was designed by architect Georges Auguste Fouchard and built between 1908 and 1910. It is located at the northern end of the Avenue de l'Indépendance
The building was built on ground where once stood a a fountain, hence the name Soarano which means good water.
The current owner of this station is the Madagascan company Madarail, though no regular passenger rail service operates from the capital. But services are being restarted in Madagascar, so there is hope yet that the trains will start running from Tana again.
The building was built on ground where once stood a a fountain, hence the name Soarano which means good water.
The current owner of this station is the Madagascan company Madarail, though no regular passenger rail service operates from the capital. But services are being restarted in Madagascar, so there is hope yet that the trains will start running from Tana again.
4. The Kianja Barea Mahamasina Stadium:
The Kianja Barea is a 40,260 seater football and athletics stadium in the Mahamasina district of Antananarivo. I went to have a look and there was a practice session going on, for what I later learned was match being played on my last day in town Madagascar vs Ghana.
5. The Rova of Antananarivo:
The Rova of Antananarivo, is the royal enclosure that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, and for the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century.
It sits on the highest of many hills in the district at 1,480m and you can get great views across the city:
It sits on the highest of many hills in the district at 1,480m and you can get great views across the city:
6. Portail des voyageurs:
The Travellers Gate: Obviously this is the old gateway to the Rova of Madagascar, the royal enclosure. It was a nice find, as I wander aimlessly back down to the city. The beauty of travelling.
7. Catholic Cathedral of Andohalo:
The Catholic Cathedral of Andohalo the Immaculate Conception built between 1873 and 1890
8. Le Palais de Justice d'Ambatondrafandrana:
The courthouse, which bears the name of Ambatondrafandrana (the stone of the Rafandrana), the rulers of Antananarivo in the 17th century, was designed by John Parret in 1881 and built on the site of a stone from which the ancient kings dispensed justice. The palace served as a place of justice during the reign of Queen Ranavalona II from 1872.
9. Le Buffet du Jardin:
Yes, this makes the list. If you spend time in Tana, you will need this place to recover your senses, I kid you not. Cold beers, great pizzas, and friendly staff. A little corner of paradise amid the chaos.
Ordinarily, they have Wi-Fi but you know, TIA, it wasn't working when I went there.
Ordinarily, they have Wi-Fi but you know, TIA, it wasn't working when I went there.
Tips for Travellers on how to survive Antananarivo:
The food:
The local street food goes against all the guidelines you have ever read about.
It is cooked whenever, and kept all day long in unchilled glass cabinets, very often in direct sunlight. Consume at your peril.
The Super U supermarket is your new best friend but be careful what you eat from the chilled section, power cuts are common here.
It is cooked whenever, and kept all day long in unchilled glass cabinets, very often in direct sunlight. Consume at your peril.
The Super U supermarket is your new best friend but be careful what you eat from the chilled section, power cuts are common here.
Security:
It goes without saying, do not walk the streets with your phone/wallet in your back pocket, no different from London, Rome or CDMX.
Do not walk the streets with your phone out in front of you.
If you need to consult MapsMe, hop into a shop to take a look. There is no need to tempt the opportunist.
At 6 pm it is already dark. The streets become empty. Do not walk alone after dark. Do I need to expand on that? plus there are no street lights and lots of open drains.
I walked everywhere during the daylight hours. Of course, you never know what could happen anywhere in the world, but the vibe in Tana felt safe.
During my stay, there were daily power cuts at random times. Keep a torch to hand.
On the plus side, despite being a crazy, hectic, dirty city, the people are courteous, and always with a smile (we have a lot to learn).
In many places like Morocco, Egypt, and Malawi, they like to rip you off.
I rode these cheap Taxis-Brousse where the fare was just 400Ar and paid with a 10,000 note. I got my change when I got off, the full 19,600 Ar of it. That sets the tone.
In the supermarkets, the staff greet you with their Bonjours, their Merci Beaucoups and their au revoirs.
In the Leader Price café where I take my breakfast, they know my order. Half a cup of coffee topped up with hot water.
Do not walk the streets with your phone out in front of you.
If you need to consult MapsMe, hop into a shop to take a look. There is no need to tempt the opportunist.
At 6 pm it is already dark. The streets become empty. Do not walk alone after dark. Do I need to expand on that? plus there are no street lights and lots of open drains.
I walked everywhere during the daylight hours. Of course, you never know what could happen anywhere in the world, but the vibe in Tana felt safe.
During my stay, there were daily power cuts at random times. Keep a torch to hand.
On the plus side, despite being a crazy, hectic, dirty city, the people are courteous, and always with a smile (we have a lot to learn).
In many places like Morocco, Egypt, and Malawi, they like to rip you off.
I rode these cheap Taxis-Brousse where the fare was just 400Ar and paid with a 10,000 note. I got my change when I got off, the full 19,600 Ar of it. That sets the tone.
In the supermarkets, the staff greet you with their Bonjours, their Merci Beaucoups and their au revoirs.
In the Leader Price café where I take my breakfast, they know my order. Half a cup of coffee topped up with hot water.
The Wi-Fi:
Power permitting, I had good connection at both hotels, the Leader Price café and a place out near the Raddison Hotel at Lake Side. It wasn't super fast, but I could upload photos to my blog and even watch YouTube and make video calls with Miss CDMX.
The Lingua Franca:
Malagasy is the first language. Being a former French colony, French is spoken but not by all. In the hotels, supermarkets and bars that cater for tourists and expats, French is spoken natutally and sometimes English. But the average Joe on the street doesn't.