The "outlying island" of Madagascar is home to many of the strange species nature has to offer, such as the world's largest and smallest chameleons, the world's largest bird, the elephant bird, more than 70 species of lemurs, and the finger monkey, which is found only in Madagascar. Breadfruit trees and orchids are also treasures of Madagascar. The location of the second largest bay in the world makes the coastline here extremely beautiful, and you will find everything here more beautiful than in the cartoons.
98% of the inhabitants are Malghash, the rest Comorans, Indians, Pakistanis, French, and about 50,000 Chinese and Chinese. There are 18 ethnic groups in the country, mainly Imerina (26.1% of the total population) and Betsimisaraka (14.1%). It is customary to divide the Malay people into two major tribes, the plateau and the coast, the Imerina people living in Antananarivo and Fianaranchu are collectively referred to as the Plateau, and other coastal tribes are collectively referred to as the coast. The languages, cultures and customs of the tribes are generally the same.
Malgash is the national language and belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages. French is the official language. The constitutional amendment passed in a referendum on 4 April 2007 stipulates that English is also the official language of Malaysia.
Remote rural residents mainly believe in superstitious and unorganized primitive religions, accounting for about 52% of the total population. Most residents in and around the city are Christian (Catholic and Protestant), with 41% of the total population. Parts of the northern and southeastern coasts have a small number of residents who practice Islam, about 5 percent. The Church of Christ in Malaysia has a large number of followers and is well-organized, and many churches have been built in various major churches throughout the country.
The southeast coast of Madagascar has a tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid all year round, with an average annual temperature of 24°C; The central tropical plateau climate is mild and cool, with an average annual temperature of 18.3°C; The west has a savanna climate with drought and little rain, with an average annual temperature of 26.6°C. Generally speaking, Madagascar has two seasons, the dry season from October to March and the rainy season from April to September. The best season to visit Madagascar is from May to October.
Madagascar is a foreign exchange control country, the common currency for the Ariary (Malagasy Ariary, MGA), generally marked Ar, referred to as "Ali". At present, Malagasy Ariari banknotes are 100 Ariari, 200 Ariari, 500 Ariari, 1,000 Ariari, 2,000 Ariari, 5,000 Ariari, and 10,000 Ariari. Visitors can exchange their dollars or euros for Aliari at airports and banks.
At present, the ATMs of the Commercial Bank of Mauritius (MCB) in Madagascar accept UnionPay card withdrawals and balance inquiries. Credit cards can be used at Samsung hotels or large supermarkets, Visa is more widely used, and Mastercard can also be used. However, you may be charged a handling fee. When using credit cards in Africa, be sure to pay attention to the card environment to prevent card theft.
Circumcision is an important custom and festival in Madagascar, where, as in other African countries, boys are believed to be circumcised shortly after birth in order to achieve masculinity later on.
Every year from June to September, the adults will gather all the boys born or not circumcised during this period together to carry out the circumcision ceremony, which will be celebrated with songs and dances, and thousands of people come to participate in large scale.
Medical information
Madagascar has poor sanitation and endemic diseases common to the continent, such as malaria, dengue fever and amoebic dysentery. Local doctors have long been short of medicine, especially in remote villages. In Antananarivo, the army hospital and a few foreign clinics are in better condition, but the associated costs are high and the general civilian population is afraid to visit them. Chinese expatriates generally bring a small amount of commonly used medicines by themselves, and have no doctor to consult them for minor illnesses, and they can go to the Chinese medical team for treatment of serious illnesses.
When coming to travel, pay special attention to the morning and evening, prepare a good mosquito net, sleeping bag, insect repellent, it is recommended to wear long pants all day.
The following precautions are recommended for visitors staying more than 30 days: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, poliomyelitis, typhoid fever, rabies, cholera, yellow fever, dengue fever, tuberculosis, plague, AIDS.
Tap water should not be drunk unless it is boiled, make sure that the ice in the drink is from bottled water, and brush your teeth with bottled water.
Therefore, it is recommended to carry antibiotics and anti-diarrheal drugs, as well as anti-swelling drugs for mosquito bites. There are limited medical facilities and there are French-run medical clinics in Antananarivo.
Wear must be according to the season, in the rainy season light cotton and linen T-shirts, shirts, skirts and light casual shoes or sports shoes can be, but in the dry season night is also relatively cold, so thick coats and jackets are also very needed. Travelers traveling to the east and north of the island must be prepared for sun protection.
Various service places, museums, visiting places, banks, etc. in Madagascar are generally open from 9:00 to 16:30 Monday to Friday, and closed on Saturday and Sunday. The supermarket is open from Monday to Sunday in the morning, from Monday to Saturday until 19:00 in the evening, closed on Sunday, and closed on national holidays.
The closer to important festivals, the worse the social security, so during the festival should pay attention to personal and property safety, especially in the capital of Madagascar tourists.
Voltage: Domestic electricity in Madagascar is 220 volts AC; The power socket is French standard, double-ended round socket. Electricity is widespread in the capital, but blackouts are frequent during the rainy season.
Tip: the luggage is usually 500-2000Ar., the driver + guide accompany you for more than 4 hours, according to the satisfaction of 10,000-25000AR. Every day; Guides in national parks are usually 3000-15000Ar., depending on the length of the company, the difficulty and your satisfaction.
The hotel restaurant is not allowed due to a 20% tax; However, if it is not a hotel restaurant, such as two people dining usually tip 2000-6000Ar.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Taxi drivers don't pay if the service time is less than 1.5 hours. Of course, you can also prepare a few dollars or euros to tip.
