Off The Beaten Track in Madagascar - Tamatave to Manakara
July 4 2023 | Tagged: Madagascar
From Tamatave (Toamasina) I travel by train, bush taxi and finally cargo boat on the Canal des Pangalanes to Manakara for some of my most adventurous travels in years.
Information for the east coast of Madagascar is very lacking, even non-existent to a certain extent, so a little bit of Nomadic Backpacker trail-blazing.
Even the Lonely Planet skipped this part, dismissing it with a "There's nothing to see".
What happened to the spirit of Lonely Planet, discovering the road less travelled? They sold their souls for profit.
Luckily you can still discover the road less travelled with Nomadic Backpacker. Because there is always something to see.
Even the Lonely Planet skipped this part, dismissing it with a "There's nothing to see".
What happened to the spirit of Lonely Planet, discovering the road less travelled? They sold their souls for profit.
Luckily you can still discover the road less travelled with Nomadic Backpacker. Because there is always something to see.
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With just a not-very-detailed Google Maps and Maps.Me for reference, I winged it all the way.
This post is like a diary cum travel guide. This is a good description of the Nomadic Backpacker Blog actually.
One of the few blogs remaining that are not written around ads, giving the traveller and reader top-quality intel without wanting to sell something.
In Tamatave/Toamasina I stocked up on cash. Bought a sim with 4GB from Telma, 25,000Ar, ready for the road less travelled.
This post is like a diary cum travel guide. This is a good description of the Nomadic Backpacker Blog actually.
One of the few blogs remaining that are not written around ads, giving the traveller and reader top-quality intel without wanting to sell something.
In Tamatave/Toamasina I stocked up on cash. Bought a sim with 4GB from Telma, 25,000Ar, ready for the road less travelled.
Tamatave to Brickaville by train:
Brickaville:
I stayed at the town's only hotel, the "Capricorne" where there are no frills rooms for 35,000Ar. There is no restaurant, no Wi-Fi and mostly no power. They don't have a generator for the very frequent power cuts. As I said, no frills. The cockroaches are included. No extra charge for them.
Afraid it's a cold bucket shower job. With the water smelling vaguely of rust, I passed on that.
Not complaining, just reporting exactly how it is. Wouldn't want you guys to think I'm on a busman's holiday.
Had a Soupe-Simple at one small eatery, and a beer at another place where the madame told 3 local youths to shut the fuck up (or get out) and to stop pestering me for me to buy them a round of drinks. Thank God for the strong women here keeping the men folk in check!
Brickaville has ATMs at the BNI bank and a Bank of Africa.
Afraid it's a cold bucket shower job. With the water smelling vaguely of rust, I passed on that.
Not complaining, just reporting exactly how it is. Wouldn't want you guys to think I'm on a busman's holiday.
Had a Soupe-Simple at one small eatery, and a beer at another place where the madame told 3 local youths to shut the fuck up (or get out) and to stop pestering me for me to buy them a round of drinks. Thank God for the strong women here keeping the men folk in check!
Brickaville has ATMs at the BNI bank and a Bank of Africa.
Brickaville to Vatomandry:
First I took a Taxi-Brousse to Antsapanana.
There is a spot opposite the ORANGE phone shop where minibuses stop. Some guys will help you. Just give them something for their help. As I said, I was winging it. Well perhaps winging it in today's society, but just like travels in the days pre-Internet, pre-booking everything. On a wing and a prayer. Glad I still have it in me.
Brickaville to Antsapanana 90 mins. 6,000 Ar. For the purpose of this post, 1€ is about 4,500Ar.
The driver took me directly to the Vatomandry Taxi-Brousse to avoid unscrupulous transport touts (his words). I like that they are concerned for my safety here.
My new driver Oliver spoke some English, he looked a little dazed. A nice guy. Liverpool/Chelsea fan (hates Man U and City).
Had to explain how the UK had an Indian Prime Minister. He was a big fan of the Iron Lady.
I rode up front. Great views through the cracked windshield.
Antsapanana to Vatomaandry 2 hours 8,000Ar
At some point, I shared the seat with a lady who spoke pretty ok English. She had lived in Paris many years ago.
Turned out she owned MAEVASOA, a hotel/restaurant on the spit which is where I ended up for 2 nights.
There is a spot opposite the ORANGE phone shop where minibuses stop. Some guys will help you. Just give them something for their help. As I said, I was winging it. Well perhaps winging it in today's society, but just like travels in the days pre-Internet, pre-booking everything. On a wing and a prayer. Glad I still have it in me.
Brickaville to Antsapanana 90 mins. 6,000 Ar. For the purpose of this post, 1€ is about 4,500Ar.
The driver took me directly to the Vatomandry Taxi-Brousse to avoid unscrupulous transport touts (his words). I like that they are concerned for my safety here.
My new driver Oliver spoke some English, he looked a little dazed. A nice guy. Liverpool/Chelsea fan (hates Man U and City).
Had to explain how the UK had an Indian Prime Minister. He was a big fan of the Iron Lady.
I rode up front. Great views through the cracked windshield.
Antsapanana to Vatomaandry 2 hours 8,000Ar
At some point, I shared the seat with a lady who spoke pretty ok English. She had lived in Paris many years ago.
Turned out she owned MAEVASOA, a hotel/restaurant on the spit which is where I ended up for 2 nights.
We needed to take a little dugout catamaran. She called her boatman.
Never say you are too old. The 2 ladies below are 79 and 62 years young. They need to take this little pirogue just to go to the shop.
Never say you are too old. The 2 ladies below are 79 and 62 years young. They need to take this little pirogue just to go to the shop.
Vatomandry:
I stayed 2 nights because the next day was Independence Day. And nothing much moves!
My host is 79 and her husband is 89. Lovely couple. Lovely staff. 2 cute doggies.
The Malagasy are very friendly people. Great to experience some local hospitality.
So for 60,000 a night (13€), I get a beach hut. Not a flimsy bamboo hut, a sturdy structure with sea breezes and my own bucket shower bathroom.
No Wi-Fi, no mains power, no piped water. Have everything I need. Can recharge my devices via the solar panels.
Well actually in reality the solar was good for nothing. My power bank drained the portable unit in my room and I didn't even have any juice left to run my room light.
Vatomandry has all the basics. Lots of small shops, and hole-in-the-wall eateries.
There is 1 BNI BANK ATM. 200,000Ar withdrawal limit, so a good place to top up.
There is the Le Grand Hotel on the main street. 30,000Ar. Probably another no-frills room.
My host is 79 and her husband is 89. Lovely couple. Lovely staff. 2 cute doggies.
The Malagasy are very friendly people. Great to experience some local hospitality.
So for 60,000 a night (13€), I get a beach hut. Not a flimsy bamboo hut, a sturdy structure with sea breezes and my own bucket shower bathroom.
No Wi-Fi, no mains power, no piped water. Have everything I need. Can recharge my devices via the solar panels.
Well actually in reality the solar was good for nothing. My power bank drained the portable unit in my room and I didn't even have any juice left to run my room light.
Vatomandry has all the basics. Lots of small shops, and hole-in-the-wall eateries.
There is 1 BNI BANK ATM. 200,000Ar withdrawal limit, so a good place to top up.
There is the Le Grand Hotel on the main street. 30,000Ar. Probably another no-frills room.
Sunrise from my beach hut at Maevasoa, Vatomandry:
Backpacking Vatomandry:
Part of the Canal des Pangalanes in Vatomandry:
The Indian Ocean at Vatomandry, Madagascar:
The small bus station in the southern part of town has Taxis-Brousse to Tana, Toamasina (Tamateva) and everywhere in between and also to Mahanoro 15,000Ar which was my next destination.
I had zero recent intel for the next leg.
I was travelling with the philosophy that if there are towns, there will be transport.
Travelling this way has never let me down.
I had zero recent intel for the next leg.
I was travelling with the philosophy that if there are towns, there will be transport.
Travelling this way has never let me down.
Vatomandry to Mahanoro:
I turned up at 7.30 am. I was the first on the list. But here ain't like West Africa where you wait 6 hours for 6 more passengers. I needed to wait for 17 more and by 8.50 am we were ready to go.
The road started OK, but then it got crap. It's paved but there lies the problem. The portholes will slash the tyres if taken too fast. The driver paid attention and nursed the minivan for 84km in just over 5 hours. I kid you not. 50 miles, 5 hours. A perfect average mph.
I feared that if he hit a pothole too fast, slashed tyres were the least of his worries. The whole damn vehicle would collapse.
The doors were hanging off, windows missing, and through the floor, I could see the road beneath me. Dust poured in.
But we made it without incident.
The trip was great. Loved the adventure.
The road started OK, but then it got crap. It's paved but there lies the problem. The portholes will slash the tyres if taken too fast. The driver paid attention and nursed the minivan for 84km in just over 5 hours. I kid you not. 50 miles, 5 hours. A perfect average mph.
I feared that if he hit a pothole too fast, slashed tyres were the least of his worries. The whole damn vehicle would collapse.
The doors were hanging off, windows missing, and through the floor, I could see the road beneath me. Dust poured in.
But we made it without incident.
The trip was great. Loved the adventure.
Typical road in Madagascar. Progress is always slow. Don't expect to average more than 30 kph. The moral of the story is to start early, make full use of the daylight, and make short stages. 100-150km days are just about right.
Mahanoro:
Arriving in Mahanoro. I had no idea where I would stay.
I let the cycle rickshaw take me to where he sought fit.
It saved me from searching fruitlessly.
We stopped at the Hotel Mon Desir.
It looked perfect. Modern.
The guy showed me the room.
'Nice' summed it up a treat.
I paid and thanked my cycle taxi guy.
Was a perfect little oasis. In fact, was the most well-kept town in Madagascar yet.
The big attraction was the free WiFi and 24-hour power.
Solar is all well and good but in Vatomandry, it didn't even have enough ummpf to recharge my LED head torch.
Gone are the days when the traveller doesn't need electricity. Your torch used batteries, as did your camera. You didn't have rechargeable devices.
Now, with rechargeable torches and rechargeable cameras on the phone, Lonely Planets stored as PDFs.
We are now dependent on electricity.
I let the cycle rickshaw take me to where he sought fit.
It saved me from searching fruitlessly.
We stopped at the Hotel Mon Desir.
It looked perfect. Modern.
The guy showed me the room.
'Nice' summed it up a treat.
I paid and thanked my cycle taxi guy.
Was a perfect little oasis. In fact, was the most well-kept town in Madagascar yet.
The big attraction was the free WiFi and 24-hour power.
Solar is all well and good but in Vatomandry, it didn't even have enough ummpf to recharge my LED head torch.
Gone are the days when the traveller doesn't need electricity. Your torch used batteries, as did your camera. You didn't have rechargeable devices.
Now, with rechargeable torches and rechargeable cameras on the phone, Lonely Planets stored as PDFs.
We are now dependent on electricity.
Top travel essential on the road less travelled is the Anker Power Bank.
Ain't life meant to be easier?
I immediately asked about my onward options.
Confirming what I already suspected:
"Il n'y a pas des Taxis-Brousse pour aller a Mananjary?", "Non!"
There is a road going south. Google Maps shows the road but there are many river crossings and there are no vehicle barges to take vehicles across. So there are no Taxis-Brousse.
If you are coming with your 4WD, tough-titties. You'll have to backpack it.
But there are Bateaux-Brousse. Bush-Boats that ply the waters of the "Canal des Pangalanes"
Built in stages over the years, and massively expanded by the French, le Canal des Pangalanes stretches for about 650km, down the east coast. It was built to allow a safe passage for cargo boats to Madagascar's biggest port, Tamateva/Toamasina, circumventing the treacherous Indian Ocean.
Mostly it has been left to silt up, barges left rotting, except on the section between Mahanoro and Mananjary. And this was the section I was planning to travel down.
I was relying on a vague and pretty old comment left at a hotel along the way on Google Maps.
I was truly winging it.
The hotel guy at the Hotel Mon Desir seemed to think a cargo boat left daily for Mananjary which tied in with what the friend of the lady in Vatomandry had said. Though wasn't quite correct.
I hot-footed it over to the boat dock on a river that ain't even on GoogleMaps, yay for MapsMe.
I immediately asked about my onward options.
Confirming what I already suspected:
"Il n'y a pas des Taxis-Brousse pour aller a Mananjary?", "Non!"
There is a road going south. Google Maps shows the road but there are many river crossings and there are no vehicle barges to take vehicles across. So there are no Taxis-Brousse.
If you are coming with your 4WD, tough-titties. You'll have to backpack it.
But there are Bateaux-Brousse. Bush-Boats that ply the waters of the "Canal des Pangalanes"
Built in stages over the years, and massively expanded by the French, le Canal des Pangalanes stretches for about 650km, down the east coast. It was built to allow a safe passage for cargo boats to Madagascar's biggest port, Tamateva/Toamasina, circumventing the treacherous Indian Ocean.
Mostly it has been left to silt up, barges left rotting, except on the section between Mahanoro and Mananjary. And this was the section I was planning to travel down.
I was relying on a vague and pretty old comment left at a hotel along the way on Google Maps.
I was truly winging it.
The hotel guy at the Hotel Mon Desir seemed to think a cargo boat left daily for Mananjary which tied in with what the friend of the lady in Vatomandry had said. Though wasn't quite correct.
I hot-footed it over to the boat dock on a river that ain't even on GoogleMaps, yay for MapsMe.
"Hotel Mon Desir". This is what 50,000Ar gets you:
Restaurant across the street. Awesome food:
Mahanoro to Nosy Varika - Cargo Boat on the Canal des Pangalanes:
Yup, it was true. I could get a cargo boat at 8 am to Nosy Varika, sleep the night and continue my merry way the next day. This was music to my ears. I was ecstatic.
Though in reality, we didn't leave until 10 am.
The cargo boat did the job. It ferried rice, beer and everything you could think of, downriver together with a few locals plus the odd itinerant backpacker.
Actually, on that front, the only foreigners I have seen in Madagascar have been French ex-pats in Tana and Tamateva.
Where are all the backpackers?
The cargo boat, though quite adequate, was a long trip. I was told we should arrive just after 6 pm. Of course, this was complete shite.
I arrived in Nosy Varika at 1 am. After 15 hours.
Even without the stops and there were a few but not that many, there are long stretches with nothing, the journey would have been 12 hours minimum. And of course, we didn't leave until 10 am.
And this meant navigating 7 hours down the Canal in the dark.
Truly a tough way to travel. The limits of my Comfort Zone were being stretched in a way they haven't for a good few years.
Though in reality, we didn't leave until 10 am.
The cargo boat did the job. It ferried rice, beer and everything you could think of, downriver together with a few locals plus the odd itinerant backpacker.
Actually, on that front, the only foreigners I have seen in Madagascar have been French ex-pats in Tana and Tamateva.
Where are all the backpackers?
The cargo boat, though quite adequate, was a long trip. I was told we should arrive just after 6 pm. Of course, this was complete shite.
I arrived in Nosy Varika at 1 am. After 15 hours.
Even without the stops and there were a few but not that many, there are long stretches with nothing, the journey would have been 12 hours minimum. And of course, we didn't leave until 10 am.
And this meant navigating 7 hours down the Canal in the dark.
Truly a tough way to travel. The limits of my Comfort Zone were being stretched in a way they haven't for a good few years.
The boat dock, just a muddy river bank with the cargo coat/barge that will take me down the Canal des Pangalanes from Mahanoro to Nosy Varika:
It's a tough trip. No luxuries here. Best way to handle it is with a smile, like the locals. Never saw them complaining:
Dropping off and picking up passengers on the Canal des Pangalanes. These villages are not connected by road.
Nosy Varika:
A fixer at the boat dock led me at 1 am to the hotel, and after a lot of banging and shouting we rouse the owner and I am shown a room.
And as I drink a coffee the next morning the hardships of the journey slowly fade. Ain't it always like that? A nightmare at the time, later you'll be telling this tale to your mates down the pub.
Of course, they'll get bored after 10 minutes cos they won't understand the reason why travellers do this, putting themselves through all this discomfort for fun.
I was staying at the Hotel Volazara.
30,000Ar gets you a more than adequate private room. Running water, electricity.
There is another hotel here, the Petite Oasis. It's nearer to the dock. Rooms are also 30,000Ar.
I stopped there for a big noodle soup.
Friendly owners. The guy speaks a little English.
I added it to Google Maps.
There are no banks/ATMs in town. Plenty of places to get a coffee, noodles, or beer, might not always be cold though.
And as I drink a coffee the next morning the hardships of the journey slowly fade. Ain't it always like that? A nightmare at the time, later you'll be telling this tale to your mates down the pub.
Of course, they'll get bored after 10 minutes cos they won't understand the reason why travellers do this, putting themselves through all this discomfort for fun.
I was staying at the Hotel Volazara.
30,000Ar gets you a more than adequate private room. Running water, electricity.
There is another hotel here, the Petite Oasis. It's nearer to the dock. Rooms are also 30,000Ar.
I stopped there for a big noodle soup.
Friendly owners. The guy speaks a little English.
I added it to Google Maps.
There are no banks/ATMs in town. Plenty of places to get a coffee, noodles, or beer, might not always be cold though.
The Poseidon Trans JoJo is my boat out of Nosy Varika:
Nosy Varika to Mananjary - Cargo Boat on the Canal des Pangalanes:
And so my 2nd day on a cargo boat down the Canal des Pangalanes
We left at 7 am. The boat has less cargo as we are leaving the isolated halfway point. Manajary is connected by road so cargo is going the other way.
The waterways system is straighter than the day before. Progress is better. 14 kph.
You can pay good money to be a tourist and do a tour of the Pangalanes stopping off at 'authentic' villages to eat 'authentic' meals.
Here is the real deal. Travel on a cargo boat like the locals do. Eating whatever is offered at the tiny villages en route.
Arrived at 4 pm. So 9 hours for the trip. 15,000Ar.
We left at 7 am. The boat has less cargo as we are leaving the isolated halfway point. Manajary is connected by road so cargo is going the other way.
The waterways system is straighter than the day before. Progress is better. 14 kph.
You can pay good money to be a tourist and do a tour of the Pangalanes stopping off at 'authentic' villages to eat 'authentic' meals.
Here is the real deal. Travel on a cargo boat like the locals do. Eating whatever is offered at the tiny villages en route.
Arrived at 4 pm. So 9 hours for the trip. 15,000Ar.
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The road less travelled is no place to be picky:
Mananjary:
From the dock, I walked looking for a hotel. Ended up at Safara where the cheapest room is 67,500Ar.
There's is good WiFi in the restaurant. The power goes off around 10 pm. But works during the day.
The beds are good. Was quiet. Hot water, buckets to do laundry.
Decided to stay a 2nd night to recover.
In town, lots of small eateries. Just choose the busiest! And a small bar I found, The Rubus Bar and later, the La Rondelle, a popular joint for locals with cash.
Good music on the sound system for once. Elton John's greatest hits, UB40s I am a 1 in 10.
There are 3 ATMs in town. The BNI BANK with its free cash withdrawals and the Société Generale and Bank of Africa
Added lots of things to Google Maps.
There ain't much here in town. Most of the buildings were wiped out in a cyclone a few years ago. Buildings stand roofless, abandoned.
It's ok for a night or 2, just to recover, before the last stage on the east coast.
There's is good WiFi in the restaurant. The power goes off around 10 pm. But works during the day.
The beds are good. Was quiet. Hot water, buckets to do laundry.
Decided to stay a 2nd night to recover.
In town, lots of small eateries. Just choose the busiest! And a small bar I found, The Rubus Bar and later, the La Rondelle, a popular joint for locals with cash.
Good music on the sound system for once. Elton John's greatest hits, UB40s I am a 1 in 10.
There are 3 ATMs in town. The BNI BANK with its free cash withdrawals and the Société Generale and Bank of Africa
Added lots of things to Google Maps.
There ain't much here in town. Most of the buildings were wiped out in a cyclone a few years ago. Buildings stand roofless, abandoned.
It's ok for a night or 2, just to recover, before the last stage on the east coast.
Enjoying my first Beaufort beer at the La Rondelle beach bar:
Old church in Mananjary:
Mananjary to Manakara:
Got to the Taxis-Brousse parking lot, took a coffee and a baguette, a breakfast for Legionnaires. Then a combi-van turned up. The girl was quick to help me. "Monsieur, pour aller a Manakara". Love it how they help. Someone grabbed my bag and put it on the roof. Then we drove around town picking up a few more people.
It's super basic here but love how it all functions.
They have a system. It may seem chaotic but it functions. Travel here is tough but much easier and more enjoyable than in West Africa.
Not much to report about the journey. We made the 163km in just over 6 hours.
I walked into town.
It's super basic here but love how it all functions.
They have a system. It may seem chaotic but it functions. Travel here is tough but much easier and more enjoyable than in West Africa.
Not much to report about the journey. We made the 163km in just over 6 hours.
I walked into town.
Manakara:
And finally, after 9 days of adventurous travels, I arrive in Manakara.
Manakara, the end of the East Coast Adventure down the road less travelled.
Manakara the end of the now-disused railway line from Fianarantsoa.
The down town is a dusty/sandy very unglamorous place with not 1 ounce of charm, but head over to Manakara Be, the beach area. There are a few little shacks to get a beer.
And instead of bailing out after just 1 night, I hung around for a few days. It kinda grew on me.
I had a quiet room, had fast WiFi and was cheap at just 38,000Ar, just 8€ a night.
Manakara, the end of the East Coast Adventure down the road less travelled.
Manakara the end of the now-disused railway line from Fianarantsoa.
The down town is a dusty/sandy very unglamorous place with not 1 ounce of charm, but head over to Manakara Be, the beach area. There are a few little shacks to get a beer.
And instead of bailing out after just 1 night, I hung around for a few days. It kinda grew on me.
I had a quiet room, had fast WiFi and was cheap at just 38,000Ar, just 8€ a night.
