Over the weekend my partner and I put all the names of
places we want to visit next in a bag and pulled out
Madagascar. So I guess we are going. First question I need
answered is about our budget. LP says we need about $20US
each per day if we are going to budget hard. Is this
manageable or do we need more? My partner would also like
to know about the local drink. Beer or something that they
make themselves. Thanks.
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Congratutulation - a wonderful place for fauna, flora and
some of the nicest people in the world.
Can not tell you about min. budget for Madagascar - has been
there a couple of times on a reletively high budget. But in
principle it is NOT a VERY cheap place - very poor countries
tend not to be, due to lack of infrastructure, hotels that
are only for tourists as locals do nat have money for hotel
etc.
But drinks: The local beer (THB = 3 horses beer) is really
good and they make acceptable/good wine - especially the
socalled Vin Gris (Gray Wine - somewhere in between a Vin
Rose and a Vin Blanc).
Fell free to e-mail questions.
If you live very simple, you can get away with 20$ a day,
if you share rooms. It all depends on your way of
travelling. If you stay in cheap hotels and eat cheap food
and travel by buses, it'll be o.k.
Locally made drinks include the above mentioned THB Beer,
Gold and Queens are other good local beers, but also Coke,
Fanta and Sprite as well as Tonic, Soda and other drinks
are made locally. Local wine is drinkable, especially
"Gris". My favorite wine is the "Clos Malaza", a new
brandname.
Best wishes
Michael
PS: If you have further questions just send me a mail, I'm
a resident here in Madagascar
Was in Madagascar Five years ago.
Three Horse Beer (THB)is very good
Betsileo Wine is also very drinkable (red white and grey)
On the east cost you will find the local made Punch au Coco,
which is a mixture of rum, coconut milk and lots of Vanilla.
On the higland you will be offered home made booze, which
will get you drunk, but is not very taste and may contain
traces (lots of) methanol beside ethanol. Local food is
especially on th east coast very nice. The island has a
marvelous fanu and flora and the population is very nice.
But: Tana has high crime rates (pick pockets and luggage
robbery)(on the other hand, you will feel very save at the
countryside). Madagascar malaria balongs to the most
dangerous (cerebral) and most resistant forms. Apart form
that there are plenty of other small nasty bugs.
Public transport is a joke. Accomodation is very poor for
low budget. There is a real danger for Sharks at most of the
beaches. Be sure to speak more than basic french. Two weeks
is far NOT enough to see the island
Do read the Lonely Planet guide and or Hilary Bradt Guide.
If the caveats can not keep you from going ... Do it. You
will have a marvelous holiday. We went for the animals and
the plants, but the relations with people there gave us the
best souvnirs.
Ivo De Baere
Belgium
...after three budget trips (92/94/96)... I can say you've
made an excellent choice! cost will depend on the number of
days you spend in the main towns - if you're trekking (eg
smugglers path, Isalo etc) or biking (take your own mountain
bike - M/car is made for them!) or taking in Nosy Komba
for a few days, then your costs go way down per day, as
there's nothing to spend it on! I'm a bit out of date on
hotely prices, but the difference is between tourist (25k
FMg?) and local (2-5k FMg - variable cleanliness etc). My
friend found the Betsileo red wine excellent (i don't
drink!).
- mike -
Hi,
I travelled in Madagascar last year, september '98. It was
great. It wasn't very expensive. U$20 per day is fine. Only
Tana is expensive ( hostels). I don't know about the north
of Madagascar, because I only travelled most of the country
below Tana.
Martijn
Got back from Mad about a month ago. USD20 equals about Fmg
120,000 at present rates of exchange. Consider:
*Double room in Tana: FMg 60,000 @ Hotel Isoraka with
shared facilities, FMg 80,000-100,000 @ Hotel Ile Bourbon
with private facilities. Both these hotels are as normal
backpacker hostels in Europe / Southern Africa / Australia
etc.
*Double room outside Tana: FMg10,000-30,000 for simple,
occasionally dubious hotelys. You can get some lovely
villas and hotels for FMg 45,000-80,0000 though.
*Meal for two in a hotely (good cheap fare like steak and
chips or zebu kebabs): FMg 15,000-30,000 which includes a
bottle of the ubiquitous THB, Coke or Eau Vive.
*Meal for two in a mid-range restaurant: FMg 35,000- FMg
100,000.
*Meal for two in an upper range restaurant: FMg 140,000+
*National Park entry pp for a three day pass: FMg 50,000
*NP Guides fee per day or specified walk: FMg 30,000-60,000
*Airfare per person Tulear-Tana one-way: FMg 315,000
including the AirMad internal flyer discount (keep your Air
Mad international ticket)
*Minibus ride pp Tana-Antsirabe: FMg 15,000
*Train ride first class pp Tana-Moramanga: FMg 10,000
*Taxi-brousse ride of 150-200km pp on good road: FMg 10,000-
20,000
*On bad road: FMg 20,000+ and a sore arse.
Hope that helps. Drink the horses, have fun!
Casey