I love getting out and about around Tamatave. Here are some ideas that you may not find elsewhere. Let me know if you enjoy this page by commenting!
Tamatave
1. The Waterfront walk – 1hr++
The waterfront in Tamatave is beautiful. Walking from Club Nautique (which has a wonderful swimming pool) north along the beach or waterfront road is beautiful with views of the port, local fishermen fishing in their pirogues.
Initially you walk past tented bars selling local drinks and serving up delicious zebu or chicken brochettes, as well as a few more up-market restaurants. Oh and not to forget the local-style ‘theme park’, where all the rides are human powered.
Keep walking and you’ll get away from the bustle of the central beach area and discover one of Tamatave’s best kept secrets, a secluded, quiet beachfront mainly frequented by local fishermen and a few local tourists enjoying a drink or meal at one of the occasional beach restaurants or bars. Eventually you’ll reach the popular Oceans 501 bar, restaurant and hotel. Once you’ve walked enough, turn left inland from the beach towards the main airport road and hail a tuk-tuk back into town. You should pay 1000Ar/person for a tuk tuk from Oceans501 back to central town
2. Banyan Square (15min +) – bizarre trees and local parks
Right next to the port is an amazing square full of where you’ll find the locals hanging out playing boules or baby foot (table football). Buy a coffee or snack from one of the local cafes (2-300 Ar/coffee) and absorb the atmosphere. At dinner time you may see a steaming pot of soup and some chairs around about. The soup is usually delicious and is served with your choice of spaghetti and other treats added to it – choose from the selection in the glass cabinet! I paid 500Ar a bowl.
3. Ivolona Park (4hr+) – lemurs and beautiful forest walks
Created by an NGO to breed rare lemurs, conserve a beautiful area of forest and educate local people in more sustainable farming, this park is a gem. Some people don’t like seeing lemurs in cages…but talk to the park guides to understand the reasons behind them.
The park is about 20km from the centre of Tamatave, here. Open from 9am – 5pm every day, no need to book.
I recommend you plan to spend a whole day here, though a few hours are also wonderful. A possible intinery would be:
-Get a taxi from the centre of Tamatave (by SCORE supermarket on Rue De La Indepencence), c. 40 000 Ar/day). Alternatively take the local taxi brousse from near Bazar Kely, or persuade a tuk tuk to take you there. It’s a great cycle too. If you are really adventurous, do as the local staff do and walk there or take a pousse pousse (yes really!, 2hr, ??price, 5000Ar max?)! Leave early, lemurs are most active in the morning!
-Enjoy the lemurs and take a walk round some of the trails in the park – don’t miss the waterfall and views of the countryside from the top of a hill. Unusually you can self-guide yourself after paying the 20,000Ar entrance fee. However the guides are not particularly expensive and will make your trip more informative…
-Enjoy a simple lunch in the park (c. 6000 Ar)
-Ask a guide about arranging some bamboo rafting on the return journey (10 000Ar/person)
4. Foulepoint – local beach resort with safe swimming, flying foxes, lemurs and british colonial fort
Foulepoint is a 1.5 hour taxi-brousse ride north of Tamatave (5000 Ar). Try and avoid travelling at night, and ensure you leave just after lunch as later taxi-brousses to Tamatave can be full. A taxi (or complete hire of taxi brousse) will cost you around 200 000 Ar return. It is normal for your taxi driver to stay for one or more nights as part of the agreed price.
We rented sun loungers (5000Ar/day), had a beach massage and had someone bring us dinner on the beach. I recommend walking out of the town and exploring the countryside around, or walking down the beach away from touristy areas.
Warnings! On arrival at the main area of foulepoint you may find yourself mobbed by ‘plagists’ trying to sell you sun loungers. They are ‘safe’ however are looking to make money. To avoid this, take a pousse pousse or walk to Generation Hotel (pretend you have a booking there), and choose some sun loungers on the beach there. Or just walk through them and along the beach until you find a place away from the crowds you like. Or go to the beach by La Cigale, it’s very quiet there. There is a strong current parallel to the beach. The current will not take you out unless you let it carry you away from the popular beach areas.
If staying overnight there is no need to book a hotel, there are many to choose from. I like Generation Hotel (there is also a branch in Tamatave) http://generationhotel-tamatave.com/foulpointe/, fairly priced with good food next to a reasonably quiet section of beach. Or for something a little more upmarket with a stunning beachfront try La Cigale (www.hotel-lacigale.com).
http://www.analalavareserve.com/ – you’ll need to walk there (it’s a long but lovely walk to here), or if you’ve hired a taxi or taxi-brousse for the weekend a good driver will make it.
The local fort is well worth a visit for a couple of hours, it’s towards the north of the town.
Near Tamatave
1. Andisabe – rainforest, mountains and lemurs – 3 days+
Catch Cotisse to Andasibe – 4-5hr, 24,000Ar. It’s a fast reliable safe taxi brousse that will drop you at the road end to Andasibe. More expensive than the alternatives but worth it if you can afford it.
Once you are at the Andasibe road end, everything is in walking distance. Walk down the road and choose a hotel to stay in, I liked Rico Lodge (nice simple bungalows, c. 50,000 Ar/night for a single+double. I strongly recommend you book the local 4×4 and a guide to take you to the primary rainforest (280,000 for 2 pax including guide car and entrance fees), it’s stunning. Otherwise enjoy visiting the national parks nearer Andasibe which are beautiful, though 40 year old secondary rainforest which isn’t quite as nice.
Again, no need to book anything unless it’s a local holiday, or peak tourist season.
2. Exploring…
Walking and cycling (and offroad biking or 4x4ing if you know what you are doing) in the countryside round here is amazing. Use Google Maps satellite view (or another provider’s maps) to help you plan routes, and remember that there are lots of people living in villages around Tamatave, so there are lots of paths around the city. Some great starting points for exploring:
- Near to the university
- Past Ambatovy – make sure to stop for a coconut or local coffee in our favourite roadside stop on the east side of the main road
- Down the tail to Datsara Village (head south then east down the track from this marker until you reach the beach)
As always keep your eyes open when exploring and be willing to retrace your steps if you can’t find your way through. You’ll see lots of locals who can all point the way to Tamatave…they likely walk the route many days with trade…
A few travel tips
Local drivers are happy to please. Hoewever they may not know where you want to go or may not understand your language or accent. A little pre-planning and use of map software on a smart phone will ensure you get to the right place.
Talking of smart phones, don’t take valuables out with you unless they are essential to your trip. Crime does happen, although it is rarely life threatening. If we all take less valuables out with us, we’ll become less of a target. I often take a smart phone for navigation purposes but leave it at home when I can. When travelling I often dress a bit shabby which also reduces the attention, cheap watch, no gold etc…
If you get to the taxi brousse station during the daytime you will be approached by ‘helpers’ who will help you get to the right taxi brousse. In my experience these people are genuinely helpful and get tipped by drivers (though you can tip a few hundred ariary if they speak your language well and get you a good looking ride). It does help to write down your destination to show people. Nighttime travel is not for the faint hearted (and many taxi brousses do not operate at night).