Welcome to Madagascar
People of sailors settled on a very large island, the Malagasy have kept on the mainland the sense of orientation of the sailor on the oceanic space. Thus in everyday life, As opposed to the Westerners who situate themselves, and place one object in relation to another by saying « on your right, on the left, straight, at your back, upside, down side », The Malagasy refer only to the cardinal points which for them are eight, else, new with the center, And say to locate, Indicate a path, And designate the location of an object in space « northern, southern, eastern, western, north-east, north-west, au south-east, au south-west »…
Cardinal points having a social and political meaning … so the North is associated with the power, with Authority and command, the south in the submission, the servitude, the humility and the inferiority, The East to the Sacred, The ancestors and the creator, and the west the secular sector, of the impure and of the foreigner. As much as the words, the places express the power, the sacred, the inferiority or the impurity…
For the newcomer, the cultural face, history of Madagascar seems to have the simplicity of those, smiling, of its inhabitants. A few months are enough to perceive that the appearance is misleading, and the « vahiny » attentive then begins a long fascinating journey to meet the Other. Being accompanied in her research by the explanations of men and women scholars is an immeasurable wealth…*
CITY OF THOUSANDS by Pr. Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga
Antananarivo, the City of a Thousand, laden with the history of a people which has left its mark by fashioning Analamanga hill with its architecture, its interminable steps, its huge supporting walls, its very warm colours, its stunning far-ranging views of the Imerina high plateaux, remains, however, little known to the vast majority of people who only see it as a transit town with its airport, its main hotels, its traffic jams, its wealth and its poverty, on their journey to postcard beaches, wild and majestic mountain ranges.
Yet the capital of the Red Island is well worth a visit, it deserves the effort of discovery, to try to understand it, through the mystery of its neighbourhoods full of history, rich with beauty, which have been built by men and women who are marked by tradition and symbols.
The creators of this multimedia tool want to help this town to be discoverd and liked. Using seven different walks they present the attractions of their town, of our town, and share their passion. There are numerous descriptions and illustrations of buildings and sites which particularly stand out in Antananarivo, and which are witness to its vigour of yesterday and of today.
Enjoy yourself, browse without fear of getting lost, and when you start to dream, then you must come and see the real thing, and go out and discover our town, its magic and its contrasts. Then, I am sure, you will be under the charm and you will come back, because that is what always happens with favourite places.
All tours are tailor-made, according to your needs, your budget and your time.
East Coast & its biodiversity
Meet the cult of Blue
The cult of blue (manga), concept, and color absent in the environment. “The color blue is full of words expressing what is common sense.
Thus, in addition to its proper meaning to designate the color of azure found in the following noun: Tanímanga-earth clay, clay, The term in the figurative sense also conveys the idea of pleasant, beautiful, perfection or purity, in short, something out of the ordinary and exceptional in the following nouns or group of words by being prefix, infix or suffix: manga ny resaka-the conversation is pleasant, mangarivotra-where the air is pure (place name), Andriamangarira, Ramangalahy, Rakotomanga-the handsome prince-the handsome boy, alomanga-an uncommon individual, Voromanga-beautiful bird; feomanga-a suave voice, a beautiful voice ….
Anjaranay center
Important
BANKS AND CURRENCY :
- The Ariary (MGA) is a non convertible currency.
- 1 Euro = About 4300 Ariary, as of 28 / 04 / 2022
At the bank (Open from 8am to 3:30pm):
- To withdraw money, only passport is required as ID.
- Maximum withdrawal is limited by the customer’s bank.
- Commission’s rate is only perceived by the customer’s bank.
At the ATM :
- To withdraw at the ATM, only your credit card is required.
- To withdraw at the ATM, only your credit card is required.
- Maximum withdrawal written on the ATM machine is 200,000 Ariary
LOGISTICS :
Your guide and chauffeur will be your best road companion and most importantly your trip counselor. Pleas ask for his opinion as much as you can, for example when you want to take pictures of a particular site or people, about a certain behavior during visits, or to ensure respect of traditions and tabous.