Please use the comments facility below to submit updates to chapter 10 (Tana to Toamasina) of Madagascar (10th ed).
To comment on other chapters visit the main Madagascar Updates page.
Please use the comments facility below to submit updates to chapter 10 (Tana to Toamasina) of Madagascar (10th ed).
To comment on other chapters visit the main Madagascar Updates page.
Devin Edmonds said,
28 November 2011 at 5:30 pm
The Vohitsara Guesthouse, a newish hotel in Andasibe, has a website http://www.vohitsara.com/ and is the best budget option in town. 20,000-30,000 Ar per night, hot water, clean and comfortable!
Devin Edmonds said,
28 November 2011 at 5:37 pm
Also, internet is available in Andasibe now near the market at Indritech, a green and yellow Telma-colored building. The owner speaks English. Internet is charged 1000 Ar/mb, faster than internet in Moramanga but still slow, good for email.
Steve C said,
15 September 2011 at 2:16 pm
Andasibe updates
Accommodations:
Feon’ny ala
24,000 Ar for bungalow with shared facilities
54,000 Ar for bungalow with private bath (1 double bed)
60,000 Ar for bungalow with private bath (2 small beds)
Restaurant was pretty good. A couple thousand Ariary more than your typical tourist place.
I found the accommodations and setting of this better than Orchidee, especially since the rooms w/o ensuite baths were cheaper. You can see (and of course hear) the Indri Indri from the hotel and easily walk to route 2 to catch transport out of Andasibe and the walk to the parks is shorter than from town.
Orchidee
30,000 for room with shared bath
40,000 with private bath
Rather (comparatively) high prices at the restaurant given the setting.
Activities:
Mitsinjo also has an office across from post office in town as well as a guest house with shared facilities near the office. No more canopy walks with Mad’Arbres at Mintsinjo offices. I found the guide quality rather variable with Mitsinjo: one was good, the other one was marginal
Transport:
If you are heading back to Tana from Andasibe, you can catch the local taxi brousee back to Mormanga from town or along the road where the parks are. Alternatively, walk out to the junction at Rte 2 where you can either catch the local or one of the many vans heading to Tana and negotiate a price with them if there is an open seat. A lot of vans seem to stop at the junction for a lunch break. I was able to pay 7000 Ar for the ride back to Tana (same price as the local + Moramanga transfer to Tana, but without the waiting and changing of vehicles and a more comfortable ride).
MadaSmiles also runs van service from Tana to Feon’ny Ala daily. Pick up/ drop off at your hotel in Tana and pick up/drop off at Feon’ny Ala. 35,000 Ar each way.
The Micheline train was not operating on the service schedule posted on the Madarail website. The office said that it was available for private hire, but was not currently making the regular runs due to some problems. It would perhaps resume later in September or in October. I did see it running to Andasibe on my way back to Tana, though. Perhaps it was a private hire or they had re-instated service. Prices for scheduled service were 90,000 Ar one way and 130,000 Ar return
Bastiaan said,
17 August 2011 at 7:55 am
Just an other “update” that should be in the next edition (in the spirit of Travelling Positively): In Taomasina there’s a cultural centre, founded by a Dutch couple al few years ago, with a great positive impact on the local community. George and Marcia from Centre Lambahoany (http://www.lambahoany.org/) organize 3 to 5 day trekking trips into primary forest in the Fetrahomby-area between Andasibe and Brick-a-Ville. For the visited communities tourism is a good alternative to logging and over cultivation. In addition, Centre Lambahoany provides the villages with clean drinking water and solar power.
With their local contacts George and Marcia can also organize a complete trip to the eastern part of Madagascar (Andasibe, Canal des Pangalanes, Taomasina, Ile Sainte-Marie) as they did for us in August 2011. Because local knowledge is used and we stayed in less-visited (but beautiful) places, this was a trip we’ll never forget!
Bastiaan said,
16 August 2011 at 3:27 pm
In the 9th edition (don’t know about the 10th) it says Vakona Forest Lodge is just “a pleasant 2km walk” from the village of Andasibe. We’ve followed the signs for over 80 minutes, but didn’t reach the Lodge! Because we had to leave town that day, we reversed and walked back to the village.
By the way: due to intensive deforestation and mining, the road beyond the village isn’t that pleasant anymore…
Wendy Applequist said,
20 October 2008 at 3:29 pm
I should also mention that if someone is interested in plants rather than animals, he should ask for the guide Simon Randriarimalala, who lives in Andasibe village. This guy is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.