Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SahasoaisthegatewaytoMananara-NordNational Park.Theparkofficeisatthesouth-
ern end of the village. They have built three spacious seafront bungalows, which are run
by the village women's association and cost 20,000Ar for a double. A cheaper option is a
basic bungalow for 3,000Ar at the
Hôtel du Centre
(€).
MANANARA-NORD NATIONAL PARK
(
22 415 38;
e
angaptmv@gmail.com
) This
UNESCOBiosphereReservecoversanareaof140,000ha,withavarietyofecosystemsin-
cludingtropicalhumidforest,sandycoastalplainswithlittoralvegetation,rivervegetation,
mangroveformations,marshlandsandcoralreefs.Despiteitsnameandapparentproximity
to Mananara, the state of the road means that the entry (at Sahasoa) is half a day's journey
away by 4x4.
A handful of adventurous tourists visit the park's marine reserve that protects, among
otherthings,dugongs.Atitscentreisthesmallislandof
NosyAtafana,
whereMadagascar
flying foxes can be seen in great numbers. You can arrange a boat via the park office; the
trip takes two hours each way and costs around 300,000Ar (per boat). There is a campsite
on the island.
Very few people visit the forest, which from Sahasoa is a two-hour hike inland across
degraded habitat. Camping is now possible at the edge of the park. The terrain is moder-
ately tough going, with three trails of 16-20km and many impressive views.
Guides for both the terrestrial and marine areas cost 12,000Ar/day, porters 8,000Ar/
day and camping 5,000Ar/tent. The park has welcome centres in both Antanambe and
Mananara, which you would be well advised to visit since the park cannot always cater for
unexpected visitors.
SAHASOA TO MANANARA
Ongoing transport becomes increasingly scarce and the
condition of the road doesn't get any better. If you are on foot (or break down/get stuck)
Seranambe
is conveniently located halfway along this 32km leg. The
Capital
Hôtel has a
basic bungalow (4,000Ar).
MANANARA
Thisfriendlysmallvillage127kmnorthofSoanierana-Ivongoseesfewvis-
itors despite the fact that it is the only place in Madagascar where one is very likely to see
an aye-aye in the wild. There is a lively market and the ocean for relaxation. About 3km
south of the village is a secluded bay, protected by a reef, with safe swimming.
Getting thereandaway
Mananara is sometimes served by Air Mad flights from Toamas-
ina, but domestic routes change often so check
www.airmadagascar.com
.
To reach Mananara by road is certain to be an adventure. From Toamasina it takes at the
veryleast24hours;fromMaroantsetrait'sevenslowerandmoreperilous.Takingtheroute
in from the north or south on foot is always an option, but it is neither a quick nor an easy
