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Voykit pocket guide · Madagascar
Antsiranana
Spend 2 days: day 1 city sights and bays, day 2 a park or beach; longer only for Tsingy Rouge or Ambre.
Antsiranana (Diego‑Suarez) is Madagascar’s northern gateway, with historic sites, nearby bays and access to parks; a short stay covers the highlights.
- Country
- Madagascar
- Best months
- Apr–Nov
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (rainy season)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MGA
- Money
- Currency is the Malagasy ariary (MGA). Cash is the norm outside larger hotels; ATMs exist in towns but not in national parks or on long road stretches.
- Daily spend
- Budget 15,000–25,000 Ar excl. bed · Mid 25,000–40,000 Ar excl. bed · High 40,000+ Ar excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telma, Orange and Airtel (Yas) sell SIMs at Ivato and in towns with passport registration; data bundles are cheap.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Fire 118 · Medical 124
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs; power cuts (délestage) are common in Tana — bring a power bank.
- Tipping
- Park guide: 10–20% of the guide fee, or €5–10 a walk.; Driver for a week-plus: €5–10 a day at the end.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10%.; Porters: 2,000–5,000 ariary a bag.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles or use a filter.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; long-drop or squat toilets at many park gates and roadside stops. Carry paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bajaj (tuk‑tuk) ride | 1,000 Ar |
| Hotel room (budget) | 25,000–30,000 Ar per night |
| Montagne des Français entry + guide | 80,000 Ar |
| Parc national de la Montagne d'Ambre entry | 55,000 Ar adult |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DIE · Arrachart Airport
- Flights from Antananarivo, Nosy Be and Sambava (Tsaradia).
Typical fares
- Bajaj ride
- ≈1,000 Ar per short trip (check exact fare)
- Taxi‑brousse Antananarivo round‑trip
- ≈120,000–155,000 Ar (check schedule)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bajaj (tuk‑tuk) 1,000 Ar (~USD 2) per ride; real taxis cost more. Taxi‑brousse to Antananarivo takes ~2 days. No city buses.
See and do
Known for
- Pain de Sucre island
- Montagne des Français
- Parc national de la Montagne d'Ambre
- Tsingy Rouge
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Montagne des Français | Taxi 7 km (4.3 mi) east, then hike; entry 30,000 Ar + guide 50,000 ArTaxi 4.3 mi (7 km) east, then hike; entry 30,000 Ar + guide 50,000 Ar | ≈1 h total |
| Parc national de la Montagne d'Ambre | 2 h drive to Joffreville, then park entrance | ≈3 h total |
| Tsingy Rouge | 60 km (37 mi) south, 1 h30 by car37 mi (60 km) south, 1 h30 by car | ≈2 h total |
| Sentier des 3 baies | Taxi‑brousse to Sakaleva (≈1 h), then walk the bays | Full day |
Sleep
- Hotel Concorde
- Double room, 30,000 Ar per night.
- Haimah Hotel
- Double room, 25,000 Ar per night, free Wi‑Fi.
- Hotel Le Colbert
- Double with bathroom, 127,000 Ar; central location.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salamasah‑lah‑mah |
| How much? | Ohatrinona?oo‑hah‑tree‑no‑nah |
| Thank you | Misaotramee‑sow‑tra |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake with a smile; 'salama' first; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Fady: Ask your guide what is taboo in each place; avoid: Pointing at tombs with a finger — use a bent finger
- Villages: Greet the chief or elder with your guide; avoid: Walking into tombs and sacred groves
- Gifts: Support schools through registered projects; avoid: Handing sweets or pens to children
- Bargaining: Smile and settle fairly; avoid: Hard haggling over tiny sums
Scams and watch-outs
- Road works may close the last 3 km to Ambre park; check schedule.
- Sex work and overly‑friendly strangers can pose safety risks; follow local advisories.
Patronizing sex work can lead to blackmail, arrest and imprisonment. Avoid remote beaches alone and overly-friendly strangers; follow local advisories.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Antsiranana yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pain de Sucre island
- Montagne des Français
- Parc national de la Montagne d'Ambre
- Tsingy Rouge
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Arrachart Airport info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrachart_Airport
- Montagne des Français site: www.montagnedesfrancais-anosiravo.com/
- Parc Montagne d'Ambre: parcs-madagascar.com/parcs/montagne%20d%20ambre.php
- Wikivoyage: Antsiranana, revision 5242402 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242402
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/antsiranana). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.