Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Take a cargo boat through the
Pangalanes Lakes
(
Click here
)
Drive the infamous
RN5
(
Click here
)
from Soanierana-Ivongo to Maroant-
setra
Watch the elusive aye-aye eat a coconut during a night walk on
Aye-Aye Is-
land
(
Click here
)
Camp out on the tropical jungle island of
Nosy Mangabe
(
Click here
)
See breaching humpbacks on a
whale-watching trip
(
Click here
)
Explore the island of
Ile Sainte Marie
(
Click here
)
by quad or dirt bike
Stay in an ecolodge at
Parc National de Masoala
(
Click here
)
Do absolutely nothing on
Ile aux Nattes
(
Click here
)
Best Places to Eat
»Le Bateau Ivre (
Click here
)
»Piment Banane (
Click here
)
»La Pirogue (
Click here
)
»Idylle Beach (
Click here
)
Best Places to Stay
»Princesse Bora Lodge & Spa (
Click here
)
»Chez Sika (
Click here
)
»Masoala Forest Lodge (
Click here
)
»Ony Hôtel (
Click here
)
»Le Bon Endroit (
Click here
)
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air Madagascar
(
www.airmadagascar.com
)
serves Tamatave (Toamasina), Sambava,
Maroantsetra, and Ile Sainte Marie, largely in a circuit from Antananarivo (Tana). In 2011
the airport at Antalaha closed for at least two years of renovations. Air Madagascar and Air
Austral both fly to Tamatave from Réunion.
Almost all land access to Eastern Madagascar is via a single road, the RN2 from
Antananarivo. It is possible to drive up the coast from Fort Dauphin (Taolagnaro), but this
is 4WD adventure travel, not transportation.
There is an unreliable train service running every Monday that leaves at 7am from
Moramanga to Tamatave. The vintage Michelin train also has limited service from Tana to
Andasibe (
Click here
)
.
Head to
Lonely Planet
(
www.lonelyplanet.com/madagascar/eastern-madagascar/ant-
ananarivo
-to-toamasina) for reviews and advice on the trip from Antananarivo to
Tamatave.
