The Highlands | The North | The East | The South | The West
Fianarantsoa to Tulear (Toliara)
© University of Texas
Ambalavao | Ihosy | Ranohira | Ilakaka | Sakaraha | Toliara (Tulear)
Ambalavao
The pleasant town of
Ambalavao, the
"Door to the South”, is situated south of Fianarantsoa. Here
the
temperature is considerably warmer as the place is located far away the
mountainous regions where Fianarantsoa is set. Ambavalao is remarkably
one of the nicest cities of the highlands. Its cosy brightly painted
buildings with their steeply tiled roofs and carved wooden balconies
invite for a slow-paced stroll. Wednesdays the laidback atmosphere
suddenly transforms as the town fills with cattle holders from the
whole country that make all the way even from the distant Tulear to
attend the biggest zebu market in Madagascar.
What
to see
- Antaimoro paper factory
Ambavalao as well is home to the renowned Antaimoro craft paper, which is beautifully decorated with dried flowers and leaves. The paper factory (Antaimoro Paper Factory, 75 340 01; admission free, 7.30 - 11.30 am and 1-5 pm) is situated near the Hotel aux Boungainvillées and is well worth a visit. Similar to papyrus, this paper is impregnated with flowers and leaves and then used for albums, lamp shades or simply for mural display. Visitors can see how women produce paper by hand from bark of the Avoha tree displaying a centenary tradition that goes back to the times of the first Muslim immigrants who reached Madagascar’s eastern coast and wrote verses from the Koran on this paper, being this the only script known in Madagascar before letters from the Roman alphabet were used to transcript the spoken Malagasy language. Nowadays sisal paste is also used sometimes. The bark is first boiled, sorted and then crushed to form a pulp. The past resulting from this process is then left in the sun to dry in a cotton strainer. Before the sheets of paper completely dry each sheet is decorated by hand with fresh flowers and leaves to beautiful designs, each different according to the manufacturers taste. Dried flowers are then brushed over with a thin solution of the liquid bark to fix them in place. After each visit tourists are expected to purchase some souvenirs from the attached shop.
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| © Madagascar Travel Guide |
What to see in the surrounding area
- Anja Park
See under parks and reserves
Where to sleep (Hotels in alphabetical order, prices from 2011)
Hotel aux
Bougainvillées
Phone: + 261 75 340 01
E-mail: ragon@moov.mg
This is definitely the best hotel in town. Fairly expensive for
Malagasy standards, but a good choice for those seeking for
some
comfort. Nice, clean rooms with a good restaurant. The hotel
shares the same grounds as the paper factory so guests can enjoy their
time watching at the manufacturing ladies
Prices range from 20.000 Ar for a double room with shared toilet
and 30.000 Ar for a double room with en suite facilities. A familiar
bungalow costs 60,000 Ar.
Tsienimpariky
Phone: + 261 75 341 28
A double room with en suite toilet and shower at this pretty
new hotel
costs 25.000 Ar., a triple room for 33,000 Ar. There is a bakery
attached. All in all a recommendable
address.
Hotel
Le Tropik
Phone: + 261 (0) 33 14 183 83
This midranged hotel offers 30 practical and rather comfortable rooms
ideal for a suitable accommodation
for an overnight stoppover. Unfortunately it lacks a garden! Prices are
about 27,000 Ar for a double and 36,000 for a triple with en suite
facilities.
Ihosy
The laidback town of Ihosy is the regional capital of the Bara
people and is located at about 800m above sea level. The Bara are still
attached to the traditional polygamy social structure, which tends to
grant a higher value to cattle than to women. Besides the beautiful
spectacle of the blooming jacarandas in October and unless you are a
jeweller (sapphire crystals have been recently found here) there is no
particular reason to stay. If it however happens that you get stuck
here, you can still find usable accommodation at various hotels in
town.
The basic Hotel Nirina (near the taxi brousse station) can do it
for one night. Better are the hotel Relais Bara with showers
and hot water (near the roundabout) and the Zaha Motel at the end of
the village, when you can get a double room for 35,000 Ar.
Ihosy is furthermore the junction point where the RN13 from Fort
Daouphin meets the RN7. Taxis-brousse regularly drive between Ihosy and
Fianarantsoa (the journey takes between four to five hours) and between
Ihosy and Toliara (five to six hous).
Ranohira
The small town of Ranohira, 91 km south of Ihosy, is the base for visiting the nearby and popular Isalo National Park, which is filled with varied and dramatic landscapes and terrains.
 ©
Madagascar Travel Guide |
The location of the town is indeed stunning: sandstone formations, impressive gorges and canyons amid vast open grasslands. Getting to Ranohira is an easy task. If you are coming from Toliara you will just have to get onto one of the many taxi-brousses leaving early in the morning to Tana. Since the route is very popular it is better if you try to book your seat the day before. |
- Isalo National Park
See under Isalo National Park
Where to sleep (Hotels in alphabetical order, prices from 2011)
Budget | Middle class | High end
Budget accommodations
Chez Alice
Set of bungalows 500m from the town centre from 20,000 Ar. Good food,
camping
permitted.
Maison Jumelle
Chez Thomas
Phone: + 261 (0) 32 43 708 69
Basic cheap rooms all with shared facilities.
Middle class hotels
Hotel Orchidee
d'Isalo
Phone: + 261 (0) 32 44 676 89
Mail: hotel@orchidee-isalo.com
Web: http://www.orchidee-isalo.com
30 charming and really comfortable rooms of different qualities in the
centre of the village. An ideal place for big groups.
Double rooms from 36,000 Ar to 63,000 Ar,
Motel d'Isalo
Phone: + 261 (0) 22 330 82
Mail: motelisalo@moov.mg
Web:http://www.motelisalo.com
Sixty-five bungalows all comfort, built of stone and local materials
All of them have en-suite rooms, solar heating and swimming pool. The
hotel is located afar the town's centre.
Hotel
Berny
Phone: + 261 032 05 257 69
Mail: hotelbernyisalo@orange.mg
Web: http://hotel-ranohira-ihosy-isalo.lagrandeile.com
A good hotel with nice and comfortable rooms located in a small
chateau and 9 new rooms with all comforts built in stone. Good
food.
A double room with cold water and shared toilet for 20,000 Ar, a double
room with hot water and private facilities costs 35,000 Ar, a familiar
room 45,000 Ar. The new rooms for 62,000 Ar a double and 100,000 Ar the
two familiar ones.
Les
Toiles de Isalo
Phone: + (261) 033 11 025 25
Mail: toilesdisalo@moov.mg
Web: http://www.hotel-toiles-isalo.com
Located next to the park entrance and about 1 km from the Ranohira,
this welcoming bungalows complex offers cute bungalows with hot water
and private bathroom on a beautiful setting. There is a pool and a
restaurant serving very good meals with a terrace with views over the
massif of Isalo. Excellent quality-price relationship!
A single room costs 17 €, a double 24€ and a triple
36 € with breakfast.
High end accommodations
Isalo Ranch
Phone: + 261 20 26 011 11
email: info@isalo-ranch.com
Web: www.isalo-ranch.com
Nice place with outstanding views on the Isalo massive and
breathtaking sunsets run by a Malagasy-German family located about 5 km
from Ranohira village.
20 beautiful, comfortable and impeccable bungalows with a huge swimming
pool. Recommendable.
A double bungalow fro 30 €, a triple fro 35 € and a
familiar for 40 €.
La Palme de
l'Isalo
Phone: + (261) 032 05 017 64
Mail: contact@groupeaustralhotel.com
Web: www.groupeaustralhotel.com
19 bungalows located on the way to Ilakaka on the RN7, not far from the
Isalo Window amid a typical Isalo landscape. All rooms have
en-suite bathrooms and hot water. There is a restaurant as well.
Double bungalow for 24 €
Le
Jardin du
Roy
Phone: + 261 (0) 22 351 65
Mail: mda@mda.mg
Web: www.lejardinduroy.com
This is maybe the best hotel in Isalo. Under the same property than the
Relais de la Reine below, the place has only 15 luxury bungalows of the
upper class beautifully integrated into the sandstone outcrops. The
inner design is made from delicate rosewood furnishings. Rooms with AC
and private verandas.
Relais
de la Reine
Phone: + 261 20 22 33 623 , Fax: + 261 202235167
email: info@lerelaisdelareine.com
Web: www.lerelaisdelareine.com
Lovely small hotel 9km southwest of Ranohira. All rooms
are set amid
a wonderful garden. The rooms are in bungalow style huts, with nice
views, minibar, desk and chair, easy chairs, big bed, mosquito net and
fan. Water is solar-heated. There are also two swimming pools for
the hot
days, a spa center, a riding school and a tennis court. The lounge area
has an open fire for cold
winters. Booking is indispensable!
Satrana
Lodge
Phone: + 261 20 22 219 74
Mail: satranalodge@cortezexpeditions.mg
Web: http://www.satranalodge.com
New and luxurious lodge consisting of 40 huge bungalows perfectly
integrated in the landscape. All bungalows are charming, with
beautiful furniture and nicely decorated, very comfortable. There is a
woderful pool, a library, Internet conection and a gift shop. The
restaurant serves excellent meals and the staff organizes all kind of
trips and excursions.
A double bungalow costs 75 €, breakfast for 6 €,
lunch 13 € and dinner 15 €
Ilakaka
Ilakaka, located on the road to Tulear, south-western Madagascar on the shore of Ilakaka River, is currently the source of roughly 50% of the world’s sapphire, which converts Madagascar into the number one sapphire exporter in the world. The discovery of sapphire in the current of 1998 transformed the area drastically. The once sleepy tiny village with merely a pack of wooden huts changed rapidly into a constantly growing boomtown with wild west character where men from all over the country and from as far as Sri Lanka and Thailand gather to seek their fortune in the feverish sapphire rush. Modern stone buildings, churches, market stalls, casinos and bars conform now the city corn. This is a great place to glimpse into the nostalgy of the gold rush of the last past century. It is fascinating to watch how the dusty streets fill with dealers, brokers and diggers in the early morning and the late evening before dusk. A huge number of gem shops are open and the main road and are well worth of visiting them.
Insecurity is the major problem in Ilakaka, so adventurous travellers (and buyers of valuable gems) should be very aware of roaming gangs waiting for their next fix. According to several estimations between 20 and 30 people are murdered here each year.
The number of hotels here is very high, though we lack unfortunately of any recommendation.
Sakaraha
Sakaraha, which is also profiting from the gem trading in
nearby
Ilakaka, is the convenient getaway to the Zombitse National Park.
Where to stay
Les Relais de
Sakaraha:
central located, 8
welcoming and large familiar bungalows with
private facilities. There is also a restaurant and a night club. The
most
comfortable option.
Palace Club:
French managed small
hotel with shared toilets. Friendly staff, good food
and a popular nightclub.
Hotel Venus: 10 basic bungalows outside the
village with shared or private
facilities. Local food served (this place is maybe the best budget
option in
Sakaraha!)
Toliara (Tulear)
See here: Toliara
