Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TAMATAVE (TOAMASINA)
POP 240,000
Tamatave is very much like its cousin onthe western coast, Tuléar (Toliara). It is a hot, dusty
and chaotic port town full of decaying colonial buildings, roadside markets and throngs
of
pousse-pousse
carts. The emphasis is on commerce, not tourism, apart from being an im-
portant transit point. There are also some bright spots amid the fading grandeur if you know
where to find them, meaning that you can have a good time here for a day or two. It's a con-
venient spot to break the journey between Antananarivo and Ile Sainte Marie, or to organise
a trip down the Canal des Pangalanes. Avoid walking at night, however, particularly alone,
and don't leave articles where they can be snatched.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Place de Colonne & Place Bien Aimé
PLAZA
For the one-two punch on Malagasy independence, first go to the Place de Colonne, a monu-
ment to those killed in the 1947 uprising against the French, which is in a sad state of disre-
pair; then walk down Amiral Pierre to the Place Bien Aimé, where you will find the remains
of a once grand park. A dozen magnificent banyan trees weep before a crumbling colonial
mansion.
