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| The beach in Morondava, Madagascar's West Coast |
After a short but sweet stop elsewhere in the Indian ocean (of which I will tell later, however those of you who check my Instagram already got to sneak a peak), I landed in Madagascar. I was looking forward to experiencing the country that very few are privileged to visit.
I knew I was to expect absolut magic, and I was right in many senses. To start with, I had no idea that it's this big. The Mercator projection on maps that we most usually see inflates the size of the northernmost and southernmost landmasses. So in fact, Madagascar is quite comparable to Sweden by length and width, a little bit wider in fact.
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| A huge welcome to Madagascar! A baobab carving on display just outside the airport in Antananarivo |
Most international flights land in Antananarivo, so this is where you will be planning your travels from if you want to discover more of it. How surprised was I to find out, that to reach the city of Morondava on West coast from there takes an hour on the plane! Same for Toamasina on the East coast, where I was later joining the ship, Africa Mercy, to serve as a volunteer. And to reach points further away North and South, well - you do the math.
It definitely is possible to go by car or motorcycle, but the road aren't great so it takes a lot more time. Moreover, the infrasctructure is not great everywhere, so you may find yourself stuck with no fuel or snacks if you're an unlucky and unprepared tourist. Also, the medical care is not readily available, so in case of an accident you've got less chances. The lack of readily available medical care is the reason why Mercy Ships are serving here. But I'll write more about it later on!
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| The rice fields around the capital, and small settlements in sunset. A parent is out with a child. |
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| The restaurant was decorated in the same style as the rest of the hotel. Can't believe I'm in Madagascar, looks like France I think? |
Back to the magic of Madagascar. I spent t anight in Antananarivo, called "Tana" by many of visitors, probably because it's easier to pronounce. The name means "city of thousand". It's here, in the capital, that the military coup took place. It was in October though, and I was there in December so things have calmed down. According to international sources, there is still a heightened risk of civil unrest, and I do understand why. Some areas of the capital are considered unsafe, so I did some research before booking where to stay. There are some areas that are quite fancy and touristic, and for those priviledged who live there, the life may not differ from any other big city in a warm country, really.
My hotel was lovely, and the restaurant served an amazing menu of crossover between East African and French food. They had a very decent wine list with a lot of South African wines, and the food was well-made. I was not opting for such a place, I just went to the nearest restaurant, so this raised my expectations considerably. It's still important to remember that the wealth gap is very large. You only need to look out from the taxi window on the way from the airport in order to see the shacks lining some of the roads. The capital city may be bustling but there is a lot of social problems and poverty here too.
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| Independence Avenue. One of the areas you are supposed to avoid, but it was all quiet here now. I dod not stay in the area, only passed by. |
Landing in Morondava was like landing in another country. No hustling and bustling, no fancy French-style hotels. A lot of people in this seaside town, sure - but it's also Christmas and New Year holidays soon. It's very flat, which is a huge difference to Antananarivo, so this makes for the dozens of bicycle rikshas everywhere. The consequence is that the traffic is quite slow. During peak time you just have to breathe in, breathe out and stay in the flow of the hard-working cyclists.
There are quite many hotels here, of all price ranges. I met another volunteer in the airport, a young English teacher from the US who worked in Antananarivo but now got a small vacation. She was staying in a very simple place but then also could stick with a low budget. Myself, I decided to pick a place which would be a bit nicer, but then I would be sure to sleep well, rest well, will not need to worry about anything and will not risk getting a stomach bug. Everything not to jeopardize my upcoming travels. After all, I just stayed there for one night.
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| The sweetest bungalow at Chez Maggie |
I chose Chez Maggie, and was extremely happy with this cute and cozy place. Very picturesque, located just by the beach, without the anonymity of huge Western-style hotels, and with a renommed travel agent located at the same spot. The owner was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He's got very many years of experience as adventure guide, so I felt quite at home. The place is beautifully run.
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| Just outside the hotel's grounds. The kids play on the beach |
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| Morondava is amazingly laid-back |
I took a run by the beach to get a feel of the place. Well, it's a bit hard to describe. It truly is sleepy, not varnished, and beautiful. Kids and adults play in the water, fishermen drag out their boats. Tides come and go. Couples walk along the egg-shell colored sand. The skies are big and dramatic. The humidity and heat makes the air vibrate, but it's more sleepy than anything else. I don't think much has changed here for a while. I don't think much will.
After that, it was time to head out for the main show around here: the Baobab Alley. Those iconic photos needed to be taken. As many may know, I'm a bit extrovert (ok, very mildly put) so I quickly organised together 3 other people so we could split the car. An extra bonus is to enjoy the fascinating life stories of people you otherwise would not have met. The Baobab trees deserve their own post, will get there later!
After the sunset hangout in the Baobab alley, we went to one of the restaurants on the beach. The town is famous for the fresh seafood, so fish and prawns were enjoyed along with wine and stories. The evening ended up in L'Oasis chez Jean Le Rasta. This night, the live music was absent for some reason. But we did get to meet mr Jean Le Rasta himself. He's well known for the place and for his advice on guided tours.
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| There are many places to visit in this beautiful town! I did not have time for all of them so I can just recommend a few. But if you're around it's worth the visit. |
Would absolutely recommend coming here and comparing it to the rest of Madagascar - it's totally different. One of the guide books put it as "terminally laid-back" place, and I think I do agree. Another place in the vicinity I have been dreaming to visit is the Tsingy Natural Reserve. That place is out of this world - but I will just have to wait until dry season and come back. It's a no go in wet season. The beach would have to suffice. The water is wet no matter if it's raining or not...
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| Seashells on the seashore |