- Let's take a look at the map
- How New Year is celebrated in Madagascar
- Useful details for travelers
New Year in Madagascar
The cartoon, beloved by viewers of all ages, about the adventures of a company of wild animals who escaped from the New York Zoo, suddenly gave rise to interest in the distant huge Madagascar, which, like a broken piece of a large African pie, is located off the southeastern coast of the black continent. Like a small continent, the island has formed and preserved a unique animal world, and the local flora is significantly different even from the African one. If you are open to new adventures and are ready to exchange the usual calm rhythm of winter holidays for unusual exciting emotions and vivid impressions for yourself, celebrate the New Year in Madagascar! Such a journey will remain in your memory and photo album for life, and you will have something to remember and something to be proud of.
Let's take a look at the map
The island is the fourth largest in the world and is located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. In other words, in December and January in Madagascar - the height of summer:
- The island has three climatic zones. A tropical monsoon climate prevails on the east coast, a temperate maritime climate in the central highlands, and an arid climate in the south of Madagascar.
- There is no pronounced wet season in Madagascar, but from November to April it rains more often than usual. So you can easily celebrate the New Year under a warm tropical downpour. Usually the rains are heavy, torrential, but short-term and fall in the afternoon.
- The average air temperature in the northwest and central plateau reaches + 30 ° С during the New Year holidays. On the eastern coast, winds from the sea soften the heat and mercury columns above + 27 ° C rarely rise.
Madagascar summer is the time when local mosquitoes are active. If you are traveling to Madagascar for the New Year holidays, consult your doctor first, bring antimalarial drugs with you and take them to prevent the disease.
How New Year is celebrated in Madagascar
Most of the indigenous Malagasy profess Christianity, but they do not support the New Year traditions adopted by the main part of the world community. In other words, it is very difficult to answer the question of how the New Year is celebrated here. In good expensive hotels, which in the capital can be counted on the fingers of one hand, artificial Christmas trees are decorated, but it rather looks like a tribute to the upcoming Christmas.
Nevertheless, there are New Year traditions in Madagascar, but, according to local residents, the change of year here takes place in the first half of March. The holiday is called Alahamandi and is celebrated over several days.
Malagasy New Year is very similar to carnival. For two days, colorful processions pass through the streets of cities and towns. Their participants shine in front of each other with elegant national clothes, hairstyles and make-up. Amateur artists perform folk dances and songs, act out scenes and amuse the audience in every possible way. As musical instruments, local residents use "walikhi" - stringed instruments made of a hollow bamboo tube, "sodin" - bamboo flutes and "kabosi" - wooden 4 and 6-string guitars.
For the festive table during Alahamandi, the hostesses of Madagascar prepare a special dish of rice, meat and herbs. It is called "vari amin'anana" and the amount of meat in it can be judged on the wealth of the family. The menu also includes “kituza” - dried strips of zebu meat with spices, “rumazava” - beef stew with ginger and tomatoes, seafood and “trundru gashi” - cod or haddock cooked with vegetables. For dessert, Malagasy people prefer fresh fruit, and Madagascar is the place to go for juicy mangoes, papayas, and oranges. Cocoa is grown on the island, and its fruits also become participants in the festive table. Malagasy people make real dark chocolate, the benefits and taste of which are unmatched by the sugar-filled European product.
If you cannot stay on the blessed island until March, do not rush to be upset. On December 30, the next anniversary of the formation of the Republic of Madagascar is celebrated here, and all festive traditions, including special dishes, become an indispensable attribute of this day.
Useful details for travelers
You can only get to the distant island with transfers and connections. There are no direct flights to Antananarivo from the Russian capital in the schedules of air carriers yet:
- The best option for a transfer to Madagascar is to buy a ticket on board the French airlines. Air France operates regular flights on the route Moscow - Paris - Antananarivo. The ticket price with advance booking is about 1200 euros. You will have to spend at least 14 hours in the sky. Departure from the capital Sheremetyevo airport.
- A more exotic route is being offered jointly by Etihad Airways and Air Seychelles. The first carrier guarantees delivery to the capital of the Seychelles with a connection in Abu Dhabi. And already from the island of Mahe, Seychelles airlines fly to Madagascar. The cost of such "transfer" is a little more expensive, and for round-trip tickets you will have to pay about 1300 euros. This option makes sense if the French have run out of tickets or on the way you plan to sunbathe a day in the Seychelles and get to know Abu Dhabi. Then you can "play" when booking the time for a transfer by choosing a longer option.
If you subscribe to the email newsletter of the airlines you are interested in, you can significantly save on the transfer. This way you will be the first to know about special offers, discounts and changes in the schedule and conditions of flights. Subscription is made on the official websites of air carriers.
Do not forget that Madagascar is a very exotic tourist destination and only you can ensure your own safety:
- You should not swim during strong waves, because the ocean is very dangerous even for experienced swimmers.
- Try not to sunbathe on bare sand to avoid insect bites.
- For drinking and even brushing your teeth, use bottled water and do not order iced drinks and sliced fruits in questionable places.
December and January are the best times for shark watching in these waters. The ride that tickles the nerves is carried out with the help of a special cage, in which daredevils are lowered to the bottom of the ocean to meet with bloodthirsty predators. As a festive entertainment, the shark show is the best fit, we recommend it!
