Tourism in Madagascar - Travel to Madagascar

Tourism is a splendid opportunity for international communication and interaction which attracts a great deal of attention on the part of the Malagasy government, owing not only to its economic potential but also to the authorities’ obvious eagerness to open up to the world and thereby to obviate the country’s insular out of the way situation. Indeed, this country stands outside the run-of-the-mill traditional circuits offered by the travel agents from developed countries, which accounts for its remaining an unknown entity with relatively few visitors, so that the whole spread of its exceptional treasures is more often than not a matter of being an initiate; and initiates jealously guard their secret.

Tourism’s products on offer.

Standing on known ground, we shall first list the usual four S’s of almost all of the world’s tropical destinations: Sand, sun and surf which are aplenty on the Malagasy 5,000 km of shoreline. But we hasten to add another commodity which is getting scarcer and scarcer: solitude which Madagascar can boast because it has remained out of the reach of the hordes of holiday makers. A fifth S, safari is still little practised as Madagascar’s fauna remains confidential instead of being a mass consumption product as is the case for Africa’s Big Five, although our local handicraft workers have started making raffia mementoes in the likeness of giraffes and elephants which never ever roamed this island.

A word of caution: Madagascar has particularly stringent regulations with regard to a sixth S, sex which is a staple under other climes. This sector’s activities, should there be any, remain therefore quite hush-hush; it is obviously not humanly possible to prevent sincere visitors and natives of the opposite gender to fall in love with one another, but this is quite another story which we shall not go into.

Next to love, let us mention some of the delights available in Madagascar: they are of course of a totally different nature and relate to sport, eating or intellectual pursuits, making all kinds of tourists happy in the country. From climbing the Isalo rocks to skin-diving off Nosy Be, from surfing in Mahambo to eighteen holes in Ambohidratrimo, choice is yours. And we didn’t even mention the splendid hiking trails of the Eastern primary rain forest or the leisurely boat rides down majestic rivers, or even the possibility of white water rafting down the East coast torrents, although very few people have dared try the latter. Are you less adventurous or more attracted to gustatory delights? Just say the word! We can sit you to sumptuous five-star meals of classical European style, or present you with the best from Asian cuisine. Not to mention the traditional Malagasy fare subtly enhanced and concocted by international class chefs. They will neither play dirty tricks on you, like serving exotic foods such as sheep eyes or grilled caterpillars: Just some healthy authentic foodstuffs, from the roast zebu sirloin to the green soup with fresh giant prawns or freshwater crayfish. With a tempting bottle of our own local Betsileo wines which are said to be worth the finest burgundy or the stoutest red Bordeaux wines.

I know there are one or two who will twitch their noses when talking of slightly too earthly fare, and will rather look for culture. We do not have Plato’s banquet, but we can thrill you with our intellectual treasure troves, which unfortunately may remain unattainable because of our minority language; but do not cringe away: some excellent translations are available, at least in French, but possibly in other languages as well. We can understand that you didn’t travel some 10,000 km for the sake of bringing back tons and tons of books, but you can enjoy good music, from Lulli’s chamber music to the most heavy metal rock, not to mention our gospel singers and the a cappella renditions. Please, do not presume there is no indigenous Malagasy music, because there is. After many years of being kept under the bushel, our traditions are surfacing again, not only at popular folklore festivals, but also in more sophisticated forms thanks to young researchers who have delved into the sources and instruments of Austronesian sounds.

Madagascar’s youth keeps naturally abreast of modern art forms, as witnessed by modern pictorial art: our best painters organize yearly salons where they present not only traditional realistic photograph-like masterpieces but also their research on cubism, surrealism and even pieces which remind us of Juan Miro On your trip back, your suitcases may be bulging with books on Malagasy traditional games such as the fanorona or on the highly refined oratory art practised, enriched and taught by a number of living masters who are much sought after on life’s major events such as births, circumcisions, weddings, burials and the uniquely Malagasy change of shroud feasts.

About the last mentioned event, unknown abroad, it is much regrettable that tourists do not have an opportunity to attend, except upon very special invitation, as it usually involves only the next-of-kin, the closest friends and the village community. Some tourist guide books do very quickly mention them as a curious phenomenon, but their views are heavily influenced by Christianity and western civilization. We may however have an opportunity.to have a look at some ceremonial rites which guide books just shyly mention in passing without trying to look into the whys and wherefores.