Magnificent magnetic marvellous money-poor monkey-rich Madagascar
April 23, 2005
Carol Lazar
They say that Madagascar is weird and wonderful and they're right, says Travel Editor Carol Lazar
A great green creature parked right beside me. And no, I hadn't been drinking. The reason I hadn't been drinking was that I could barely afford to, because anything alcoholic is more than just a little expensive on the island of Madagascar.
I put my left leg forward, the green creature advanced a left foot. Were we establishing a rapport? Steadily we gazed at each other: then, with a whisk of his tail, he slowly walked away.
This huge fellow was in fact a Parson's chameleon, endemic to Madagascar. Fact: the greater part of the world's chameleon population is to be found on this island.
And here's another fact: most of the plants, animals, reptiles, amphibians and primates you find on this extraordinary island are endemic to it - which means they cannot be found anywhere else.
Madagascar is remarkably rich in flora and fauna and, despite the fact that there's been terrible burning of virgin forests to make way for the ubiquitous rice paddies, there is still a fair amount of wildlife and floral queendom to see.
But get there fast. Greed and desperation make for serious enemies of endangered wildlife ecosystems.
This is the fourth largest island on the planet and one of the most sparsely inhabited. It's a country of diverse and intriguing scenery: dry deserts, lush forests, baobab stands, bouldered beaches and long stretches of sand with many secret coves.
Sail around one and you'll come upon a tiny village and see fishermen following their time-honoured profession. Stop for a chat (if you speak French or Malagasy) or gesticulate while offering a smile and they'll offer you a fish or three for free. But because you are polite you will pay.
Madagascar is the land of lemurs, very attractive prosimians (a suborder of primates). Lemurs enjoy noshing on some of the 12 000 flowering plants but the plants are so numerous that there are many left for visitors to admire.
The most common of the primates is the ring-tailed lemur, an endearing fellow with a long striped tail. You'll see them at the Berenty Private Reserve and here, too, you may find the the Verraux’ sifakas, the grey mouse, as well as white-footed, brown and sportive lemurs.
The indri, a black- and-white panda-like creature, is elusive, but spend a day in the Perinet National Reserve and you will probably catch sight of it. Even if you don't, you'll hear its haunting call, a ghostly wail that will make your hair stand on end.
From the minute you arrive in Madagascar and catch a taxi-brousse, the main form of transport for everyone, you know you're in another space.
Taxi-brousses are falling to pieces. They are missing doors and windows, they have holes in the floor and the roof, they rattle and shake and, most disconcerting, when they do have doors they're kept open while you're moving. It's called natural airconditioning.
If you don't take a taxi-brousse, you could try a pousse-pousse, the island's short-haul rickshaws.
Visitors from anal Europe get distressed with this casual transport approach, but it's all part of the experience. As South Africans, we're more robust. We enjoy the challenge.
Hotels are few and, throughout the island, not terribly smart.
In the capital of Antananarivo -Tana for short - you'll find reasonable accommodation. But it's not important where you stay because you won't spend time in your room. Instead you'll be dashing around the city, looking at the architecture, (eclectic) the people (eclectic) and Zoma, the huge daily market.
Before you take off for wilder parts, visit the Botanical and Zoological Park (Park Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza). It's not terribly good but does have an excellent collection of lemurs so you'll know exactly what to look for when you reach those remote reserves.
Visit the Rova (Queen's Palace): although the original burned down, the rebuilt version is worth seeing. Here you will see some of the wonderfully musical names of monarchs past such as King Andrianampoinimerina and Queen Rasoherina.
Before you visit Madagascar, read up about the customs of the people so that you know about fady, the system of taboos widely practised by the Malagasy people.
You may not step inside a house with your left foot first; you may not whistle here; you may not stand there. That said, the locals are very understanding when foreigners unwittingly break the taboos: they just smile and gently explain their customs.
If you go ...
Visas: South African passport-holders need a visa to enter Madagascar.
Getting There: Air Austral will get you to Madagascar, call 011-0861-340-340.
Tours: Unusual destinations on (011) 706-1991, fax (011) 463-1469, email info@unusualdestinations.com which has been operating in Madagascar for more than a decade.
