Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting there and away
By road
Reader Jeremy Sabel reports: 'This 114km journey took 14 hours in a 4x4
taxi-
brousse
. The road was terrible and the passengers were packed in like sardines, and two
suffered from motion sickness.
Taxi-brousses
leave when there are sufficient passengers
(roughly once every two days).'
By boat
It is worth enquiring at the port of Mananara if there are any cargo boats heading
north as they regularly ply the route.
On foot
/
by bicycle
DylanLossiedidit(fromMaroantsetra):'Thefirst20kmfromMaroant-
setra we went by
taxi-brousse
but the vehicle completely collapsed after 18km and we had
toleavethepoordriverandhisdestroyedvehiclebehind.Wewalked2kmto
Voloina
.Then
another 12km to
Rantabe,
where we camped on a beach.' After that, Dylan's journey was
a combination of walking, bicycle and
taxi-brousse
for the final leg from
Manambolosy
to Mananara. 'Not an easy ride! All along the way bridges were collapsed, or just about to.
The roads are in a terrible state. Nevertheless, the area is beautiful and I would not have
missed it!'
MAROANTSETRA AND THE MASOALA PENINSULA
Despite difficulty of access and dodgy weather, this is perhaps the leading destination for
ecotourists who want to see Madagascar's most important natural habitat in terms of biod-
iversity-theeasternrainforest,exemplified byNosyMangabeandtheMasoalaPeninsula.
Theseplacesrequirefitnessandfortitudebuttherewardsfornature-loversaregreat.Fit-
ness is needed for the hills and mud which are an aspect of all the reserves, and fortitude
because thisisthewettest place inMadagascar,withannualrainfall exceeding 500cm.The
driest months tend to be November and December.
MAROANTSETRA
Nestled at the far end of the Antongil Bay, Maroantsetra is Mada-
gascar at its most authentic. Well away from the usual tourist circuits, it is a prosperous,
friendly little town, with enough comfortable hotels to make a visit a pleasure for both
packaged and independent travellers.
WARNING!
There is no ATM here and Visa cards are not accepted anywhere.
Getting there and away
