Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
forbidden to all but the most important nuns, so you cannot watch it being made, but there
is a shop where you can buy some.
ROYALPALACE
Onahillsouthwestofthetownisarenovatedroyalpalace.Itisabeau-
tiful 1½ hour walk up (there's no shortage of guides to show you the way) through rice
fields with superb views across the valley. The 'palace' used to consist of two houses, but
one burned down a few years ago. Two flagpoles remain, two tombs and a rock on which
thekingstoodtomakehisspeeches.Thereisasmallmuseumwhichtellsthehistoryofthe
place.
SANDRANDAHY AND FANDRIANA
A tarmac road northeast of Ambositra leads to
Fandriana, well known for its raffia work. It takes about 1½ hours to cover the 45km
fromAmbositra.RoughlyhalfwayisSandrandahy,whichholdsahugeWednesdaymarket.
Hôtel Sariaka
has basic rooms for those wishing to stay. If you are in a private vehicle or
on a bicycle, the dirt road from Fandriana to Antsirabe is very beautiful.
SOATANANA
This village, 38km west of Ambositra, is nestled in picturesque rice pad-
dies surrounded by granite peaks. The women here produce exceptionally fine silk cloth.
The region has the largest remaining area of
tapia
forest in Madagascar -
tapia
is the
staple diet of the endemic silkworm (
Borocera madagascariensis
). Feedback Madagascar,
Ny Tanintsika, oversees a project in this area to reintroduce the wild silkworm to the
tapia
forest and supports a weavers' union, Tambatra. A tour of this area provides the opportun-
ity to see all the stages in silk production, from the cocoon to weaving, including dyeing of
the threads using natural dyes.
The trip to Soatanana can be made in an hour by private vehicle. You can organise a
tour from Ambositra, hire a taxi, or cycle. Take the paved RN35 (the turn-off from RN7 is
12km south of Ambositra) for 15km west to Anjoman' Akona, then ask for directions to
Soatanana - you will need to take the dirt road that goes to Ambohimahazo. Alternatively
youcangetasfarasAnjoman'AkonaorAmbohimahazo by
taxi-brousse
fromAmbositra.
AMBATOFINANDRAHANA
If you want to explore more of the area, Mark and Kyley
provide the following information: 'If you continue on RN35 west past Anjoman' Akona,
50km down the paved road is Ambatofinandrahana. Much of Madagascar's marble and
graniteiscutandprocessedhereinafactory3kmsouthoftown.Someofthestoneisquar-
ried 5km from the factory, but most comes on flatbed trucks from the hinterlands west of
'Ambato' (as the locals call it). MAGRAMA is the name of the factory and they are happy
togivefreetours.ThefinishedstoneissoldtowealthyTanaresidentsandsomeisexported
to Europe.
