Forget everything the film series taught
you. Welcome to MojoTravels, and today
we're counting down our picks for the
top 10 reasons to visit Madagascar are
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videos for this list we're taking a look
at why you should add Madagascar to your
bucket list number 10 Malagasy time
anyone who's ever taken a trip to the
Caribbean or Southeast Asia is likely
well-versed in the concept of island
time well in Madagascar it's referred to
as Malagasy time and it's not just a
saying it's a way of life
essentially Malagasy time means that
things run a little slower on the
Earth's fourth largest island
hury is not a part of the local lexicon
and people tend to be more laid-back in
their day-to-day dealings a trip to
Madagascar means you'll get to
experience this delightful cultural
phenomenon firsthand number 9 flora for
most people knowledge of Madagascar's
flora begins and ends with the
world-famous baobab trees the country's
magnificent natural skyscrapers that
tower over the landscape however the
country is home to more than 12,000
plant species making it one of the most
biodiverse places on the planet it's
been estimated that 96% of Madagascan
trees and shrubs are endemic this means
that many of the plants found on
Madagascar cannot be found anywhere else
on earth entire plant families are
endemic to the island making it a
uniquely diverse place of natural beauty
that you need to see to believe
number 8 fauna similar to its flora
Madagascar's wide array of Wildlife
consists primarily of endemic species
both can be attributed to the fact that
the landmass has been isolated from its
continental neighbours for roughly 70
million years popular species of animals
that are native to Madagascar include
the fossa the Malagasy giant rat lemurs
and literally hundreds of species of
birds reptiles amphibians and freshwater
fish lemurs have become synonymous with
the country and a trip to Madagascar
isn't complete without visiting lemurs
park in the city of Antananarivo
in fact all 100 species of lemur are
endemic to madagascar perhaps that's why
they had such a large role in the
feature film series of the same name
number 7 food Malagasy cuisine is the
byproduct of its French colonial history
geography trade and migration these four
pillars have shaped the country's
diverse culinary scene which will both
shock and delight your taste buds
popular staples include zebu meats made
from the distinctive cows that dot
Madagascar's landscape which is often
served in stews or grilled on a skewer
and Roma Sava a braised meat dish
typical with tomatoes mixed greens
garlic and ginger you'll find plenty of
spices coconut rice cassava and beans
peppered throughout Malagasy cuisine
making for a national culinary culture
that's diverse and oh so tasty and for
those of you hoping to snap the perfect
insta pic of your meal
don't worry Malagasy dishes are as
visually vibrant as they are delicious
number six it's an adventure getaway if
you're making the journey all the way to
Madagascar you really want to make the
most of your time there and in
Madagascar that means exploring its
natural wonders adventure holidays are
becoming increasingly popular and to
keep up madagascar now offers multiple
tour options for adrenaline junkies
looking to get off the beaten path from
trekking and rafting expeditions through
the perronnette Nature Reserve to a 14
day off-roading tour that takes you deep
into the heart of the country's diverse
landscape Madagascar has no shortage of
options for your adventure holiday with
so many endemic species of flora and
fauna getting up close and personal with
them should be on everyone's Madagascar
bucket list number five Malagasy culture
years of trade and migration with its
East African Arab and Southeast Asian
neighbors as well as decades of French
colonial rule have diversified Malagasy
culture making it unique yet strangely
familiar in some regards while the major
cities have seen a shift towards more
western-style food and clothing in
recent years tradition is alive and well
in the rural areas
still you'll find men and women wearing
Lambos a wrap worn around the waist
eating Roma Sava and playing the valley
ha throughout the country sport remains
an important part of everyday life in
the country as well with meringue II a
form of hand-to-hand combat and the
boardgame fan aronia both being
immensely popular number four it's
affordable Madagascar is slowly becoming
more accessible to travelers despite its
limited infrastructure there are now
regular flights to and from the country
with a round-trip flight during the low
season costing you approximately $1,200
from the United States and $800 from
Europe within the country however your
money goes much much further renting a
private car and driver for the day will
only set you back 50 dollars while the
average cost of a meal is four dollars
you can typically get a hotel room for
as little as 20 to 60 dollars a night
but there are luxury resorts where you
can easily spend considerably more that
being said Madagascar is a very
affordable place to visit all things
considered number three Antananarivo
Madagascar's capital city is a vibrant
microcosm for the entire country it's a
place where you can experience history
culture nature and culinary delights all
in a single day from the Magnificent
trova of Antananarivo a royal palace
built in the 17th century and the
eclectic mixture of French colonial and
Malagasy architecture to the musty
tradition of here Agassi an all day
event comprised of music and dancing
Antonina Revo is the beating heart of
Madagascar the previously mentioned
lemurs park is a must visit as is the
croc farm where you'll get to see the
Nile crocodile and countless other
animal species for the sights and smells
of the country's culinary scene be sure
to visit on the luckily market a fun if
somewhat chaotic experience that will
dazzle your senses number two national
parks from undeceived mountain di'ja
national park and its lemur population
to Amber Mountain National Park and its
plethora of picturesque waterfalls
Madagascar is teeming with places of
immense natural beauty just waiting to
be explored in 1992 singer Deborah
historic Nature Reserve and National
Park was declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site
due in part to its unique limestone
cliff formations which are as stunning
as they are dangerous one of the best
places to go for a hike is a silo
national park covering an area of 314
square miles the park is noted for its
arid landscapes canyons unique rock
formations and of course for its sizable
lemur population seriously these cute
critters are everywhere
number one it's off the beaten track
like Iceland and New Zealand before it
Madagascar is a remote island that is
slowly becoming a tourist hotspot
however the country's tourism boom is
still very much in its infancy which
means that many of its best sites have
yet to be overrun by selfie stick waving
tourists jostling for the best profile
pic there's a purity to visiting this
far-off land of lemurs and baobab trees
an experience in the not so distant
future for now there's limited
infrastructure spotty Wi-Fi and you will
not find a McDonalds anywhere on the
island if that doesn't get your travel
juices flowing
we do not know what we'll do you agree
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