Attractions

The city is built on the slopes of a ridge that rises to 4, 700 ft (1,430 m). At the top of the ridge is the former Merina royal residence which was destroyed by fire in 1995. At the bottom of the ridge are the administrative and financial areas and the commercial quarter. The Univ. of Madagascar (1961), the Collège Rural d'Ambatobe, the Pasteur Institute and an astronomical observatory are situated here. Antananarivo is famous for its Zoma, which was once the longest market of the world. Now it has been divided into several small markets.

There are a lot of places one can visit around Antananarivo. A must see in the town of Antsirabe, located about 169 km from the capital. Its major attractions are the volcanic lakes, Lac Andraikiba and Lac Tritriva. The other attractions of this town are its thermal baths and the Star Brewery. When here one cannot afford to miss the Cathedral, which has seen many a rough day during the colonial time.

Another main tourist destination is Ile Sante Marie. It was once a haven for Indian Ocean pirates and houses a pirate cemetery until date. If one is visiting during the months of July through September, the Plage Ankarena beach is a must see. Here visitors can see entire pods of whales passing by. Diving, snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing are other popular pastimes in Ile Sante Marie.

A one-hour flight from the capital will take one to the beautiful island of Nosy Be. Besides being the largest island of Madagascar it is also the main resort island. The Ambatoloaka beach is a very popular destination with budget tourists. This island is surrounded by many smaller islands. Among them are the volcanic island of Nosy Komba that has an exclusive lemur reserve and the island of Nosy Tanikely. Taking a day trip by boat to the latter is an enjoyable way to see the surrounding reef and marine reserve. Snorkelling and trekking opportunities are also available here.

Another popular destination is Toamasino. It is the main seaport and entry point for cruise ships and ferries coming to Madagascar. This town is famous for its colonial architecture and native vegetation. The Jardin D’Essel et Parque Zoologique de l’lvotoina with its complement of lemurs, birds and other native fauna and a botanical garden is always a pleasure to visit.