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Voykit pocket guide · Madagascar
Antananarivo
Antananarivo (Tana)
Antananarivo is a hill city: do the Haute-Ville and the palace in the morning, use a taxi for everything between the hills, and keep a spare night here before any onward flight or your international departure.
Antananarivo is built on steep hills with narrow, busy roads; its sights are close on the map but slow to reach. The trips that go wrong are night arrivals with no pickup, walking with a phone in hand, and tight connections with the road east to the lemur forests or an onward domestic flight. Four short clusters cover a first visit, and a hotel-booked taxi joins them.
- Country
- Madagascar
- Local name
- Antananarivo (Tana)
- Best months
- May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- Time zone
- Indian/Antananarivo
- Stay
- 1 days: Haute-Ville and Rova in a morning, then rest
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MGA
- Money
- Cash for taxis, markets, hotely and small shops; cards at larger hotels and a few restaurants only. Carry Ar 2,000–20,000 notes — stalls struggle to change large bills.
- Daily spend
- Budget Ar 40,000–90,000 excl. bed · Mid Ar 90,000–250,000 excl. bed · High Ar 250,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telma, Orange Madagascar and Airtel all sell tourist SIMs at Ivato arrivals or in town; passport needed.
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers check locally — not consistently published; save your hotel's and insurer's numbers
- Plugs
- 220 V; two-round-pin sockets (mostly type C and E). Bring a universal adapter; power cuts happen — a torch or phone light helps.
- Tipping
- Not expected at hotely or stalls. Round up for taxi drivers and guides; 5–10% in sit-down restaurants if service is not already added.
- Water
- Tap water is not for drinking; use bottled or filtered water. Ice in hotels is usually safe; skip it elsewhere if unsure.
- Toilets
- Hotels, cafés and museums; carry tissues, and small change for attended toilets at markets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | Ar 2,000–5,000 |
| Hotely plate (rice and stew) | Ar 4,000–8,000 |
| THB beer, bar or restaurant | Ar 4,000–7,000 |
| Taxi across the centre (agreed fare) | Ar 8,000–15,000 |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | Ar 20,000–40,000 |
| Museum or palace entry | Ar 5,000–20,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Ivato International Airport (TNR)
- TNR to Isoraka: one hotel-booked car or licensed taxi, 45–90 minutes in traffic — the risk is not the distance but a night landing with no pickup and the ride itself at night.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Soarano railway station (Gare de Soarano) | Limited and infrequent regional services (check current status) | Walkable to Analakely and Isoraka |
| Taxi-brousse (shared minibus) stations | Regional destinations across Madagascar; different stations serve different directions (north, south, east, west) — ask your hotel which one | Taxi 15–30 min depending on the station |
Typical fares
- Ivato → Isoraka, taxi
- Ar 40,000–70,000, 30–60 min depending on traffic
- Taxi across the centre
- Ar 8,000–15,000, agreed before you ride
Get around
Walk inside a cluster by day; taxi between them and always after dark. There is no metro and no citywide bus pass most visitors use.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside a cluster in daylight |
| Taxi (agreed fare) | Ar 8,000–15,000 across the centre | Between clusters, bags, any night trip |
| Ride-hailing app (Bolt) | Fare fixed in the app | Where available, a fixed-price alternative to street taxis |
| Taxi-be (shared minibus) | Very cheap, a few hundred to low thousand ariary | Locals' main transport; not designed for visitors with luggage |
| Hotel-booked car and driver | Higher than a street taxi | Day trips, the airport, any late-night or early-morning transfer |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Taxis have no meter: agree the fare before you get in; hotels can book a fixed-price car.
- Late at night
- No metro; shared minibuses (taxi-be) have no timetable. Taxis thin out after dark: book the return before you go.
See and do
01Rova of Antananarivo
The royal palace compound on the highest hill: history and the best views over the whole city.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Ar 5,000–20,000 · Time: 60–90 min
02Cathedral of Andohalo
The cathedral on the square where royal proclamations were once made, with a view over the lower town.
Hours: best Any time outside services · Price: Free · Time: 15–25 min
03Andafiavaratra PalaceAndafiavaratra
The old prime minister's residence, now holding objects saved from the Rova fire.
Hours: best Morning, with the Rova · Price: Ar 5,000–15,000 · Time: 35–50 min · -18.9198, 47.5314
04Analakely market district
The everyday market of the lower town: food, cloth and crowds.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free to browse · Time: 45–60 min
05Marché de la Digue (craft market)Marché de la Digue
Raffia, embroidery and stones on the canal bank; bargain hard.
Hours: best Late morning · Price: Varies · Time: 30–45 min · -18.9098, 47.5260
06Lac Anosy
The lake below Isoraka, best with jacaranda blooms in October.
Hours: best Morning or just before sunset · Price: Free · Time: 20–30 min
07Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park
Lemurs and other Malagasy wildlife, a good first sight of lemurs before a forest trip.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Ar 5,000–20,000 · Time: 90–120 min
08Dinner at Sakamanga
Malagasy and French dishes in an Isoraka courtyard, with live music some nights.
Hours: best Evening · Price: Ar 20,000–40,000 · Time: 90 min · -18.9145, 47.5230
09Day trip to Ambohimanga
The UNESCO-listed royal hill 24 km north, older than the Rova itself.
Hours: best Morning departure · Price: Car and guide, cost varies · Time: Half day
10Overnight to Andasibe for indri lemurs
The best short lemur trip from the capital.
Hours: best Dawn for the indri calls · Price: Varies · Time: Overnight
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ambohimanga (royal hill, UNESCO) | Car about 45 min–1 h, 24 km north | Half day |
| Andasibe-Mantadia National Park | Car about 3–4 h east | Overnight recommended |
| Croc Farm and reptile park (near Ivato) | Car about 20–30 min from the centre | Half day |
| Antsirabe (thermal spa town) | Car about 3 h south, or the slower train (check current service) | Overnight |
| Lake Itasy and Ampefy | Car about 2.5–3 h west | Overnight |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| A hotely near Analakely | Rice with romazava or ravitoto · Analakely | Ar 4,000–8,000 | Budget |
| Analakely market food stalls | Mofo gasy, koba · Analakely market | Ar 500–2,000 | Budget |
| Cơm-style street hotely across the city | Rice and a stew of the day · Any neighbourhood | Ar 4,000–8,000 | Budget |
| Grilled corn and roadside snacks | Grilled maize, fried cassava · Streetside citywide | Ar 500–1,500 | Budget |
| La Varangue | French and Malagasy sit-down menu · Isoraka | Ar 20,000–40,000 | Mid-range |
| Le Grill du Rova | Grilled meats with a Haute-Ville view · Haute-Ville | Ar 20,000–35,000 | Mid-range |
| Sakamanga | Malagasy and French dishes, courtyard setting · Isoraka | Ar 20,000–40,000 | Mid-range |
| International-hotel restaurants | French, Italian or fusion tasting menus · Ankorondrano and larger hotels | Ar 50,000+ (check) | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Confirm hours the day before — few places publish them reliably.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | Ar 60,000–120,000 | Analakely | Budget guesthouses |
| mid | Ar 150,000–350,000 | Isoraka | Small hotels in converted colonial houses |
| splurge | Ar 500,000+ | Ankorondrano and international chains | Larger business and chain hotels |
Per room per night in ariary, 2026 estimate; public holidays can add to prices.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salamasa-LA-ma |
| Thank you | Misaotrami-SOWT-ra |
| How much is this? | Hoatrinona ity?wa-TREEN-on ee-tee |
| Delicious | Tsara tsaraTSAH-ra TSAH-ra |
| Please / excuse me | Azafadya-za-FAH-dee |
| Please take me to this address | Ento any amin'ity adiresy ity aho, azafadyEN-too an-ee a-MEEN-ee a-dee-RES ee-tee AH-oo, a-za-FAH-dee |
| Stop here, please | Ajanony eto, azafadya-JAH-noon EH-too, a-za-FAH-dee |
| Goodbye | Velomaveh-LOOM |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Fady (taboos): Local taboos vary by place, family and even day of the week; when in doubt, ask a guide or your hotel rather than guessing.
- Tombs and ancestors: Family tombs and reburial ceremonies (Famadihana) are treated with deep respect: never approach a tomb or photograph a ceremony without clear permission.
- Pointing: Pointing at a person with a single finger is considered rude; use an open hand or your chin instead.
- Greetings: A handshake and a greeting (Salama) before getting to business is expected, even in short interactions.
- Churches: Dress modestly and keep voices low inside the Cathedral of Andohalo and other churches, especially during services.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, ceremonies, or anything that looks military or governmental.
Red lines
- Respect fady (local taboos) and tombs; ask before photographing people.
- Do not photograph soldiers, police or government buildings.
- Ask your guide before entering sacred or royal sites.
Scams and watch-outs
- Self-appointed 'guides' at the Rova and the cathedral who attach themselves uninvited then ask a large fee: agree a price up front or decline politely and walk on.
- Overpriced 'antique' coins or stamps offered on the street near the Haute-Ville: not verified, not a fair price.
- Taxi drivers who name a fare only after the ride: agree the price before you get in, every time.
- Distraction theft in the Analakely market crowd: a bump or a spilled item while a second hand goes for your bag — keep bags zipped and in front.
- Money-changers outside banks offering a better rate than the counter: count notes carefully or skip and use the bank.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover before or after a lemur trip. Skip: Tsimbazaza and Ambohimanga: both need more than a single tight day.
- 08:00Andohalo and the Rova
- 10:00Andafiavaratra Palace
- 12:30Lunch with a view
- 14:30Taxi down to Analakely market and the craft row
- 18:30Dinner in Isoraka
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Madagascar tourism: madagascar-tourisme.com/
- UK FCDO travel advice — Madagascar: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/madagascar
- Wikivoyage — Antananarivo: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Antananarivo
- Wikivoyage — Madagascar: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Madagascar
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AntananarivoAntananarivo (Tana)
Ento any amin'ity adiresy ity aho, azafady
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- AndafiavaratraAndafiavaratra Palace
- Marché de la DigueMarché de la Digue (craft market)
- Emergency numberscheck locally — not consistently published; save your hotel's and insurer's numbers
France and the United States have full embassies near the centre and Ivato; several other countries are represented by honorary consuls. Write your own embassy's contact details below.
Show the address written in French or with a landmark; street numbering is inconsistent.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/antananarivo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.