Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
delays. The boats that take passengers are sometimes extremely overloaded, and some do
capsize, so if the boat looks too full, don't get on. Good boats to look out for to Mananara
are La Baleine and Ambotosoa . To Ile Sainte Marie or Tamatave, look out for Savannah,
Red Rose or Rosita .
Taxi-Brousse
Maroantsetra lies 112km north of Mananara at the end of the infamous RN5 ( Click
here ) . Taxis-brousses depart for Mananara around 6am Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
(Ar30,000) and carry on to Tamatave (Ar80,000). There are no roads anywhere else.
Private 4WD
Taxi-brousse company Kofifen ( 033 11 640 95) also rents private 4WDs. They quote
Ar685,000 including driver to Mananara, Ar1.425 million to Manompana, Ar1.45 million
to Soanierana-Ivongo, and Ar1.48 million to Tamatave, but in our experience hard bargain-
ing can cut these prices nearly in half.
GETTING AROUND
The airport is about 7km southwest of town. The taxi fare is Ar15,000.
Réserve de Nosy Mangabe
The island of Nosy Mangabe, easily visible 5km offshore from Maroantsetra, is a must-
visit for anyone with a smidgin of romance in their blood. This is a thickly forested and
mountainous tropical island, with huge soaring canarium trees arising from flying buttress
roots, a rusty shipwreck piercing one side, waterfalls, a spyglass hill, a yellow sickle beach,
elusive animals, foreign inscriptions, and the omnipresent sound of the jungle. Whew! If
that doesn't bring out the Robinson Crusoe in you, check your pulse. It rains a lot, though,
so be prepared.
You have the option of taking a day trip here, or staying overnight. MNP runs a very
well-equipped beachside campground (camping per tent Ar5000) with picnic tables, a kit-
chen and toilets, and some rental camping equipment. There were also five basic bunga-
lows under construction at the time of research. It's an idyllic spot, with a waterfall for a
shower, and beckoning trail heads. A popular option takes you to the summit of the island,
affording great views. Another leads to Plage des Hollandais , a beach with rocks bearing
the scratched names of some 17th-century Dutch sailors. From July to September, you can
see whales offshore.
The forest here is full of reptiles and amphibians, including the leaf-tailed gecko, one of
nature'smost accomplished camouflage artists; several species ofchameleons; many frogs;
and several harmless species of snake, including the Madagascar tree boa. It is also home
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