City break in Antananarivo. Active leisure ideas for Antananarivo - attractions, recreation and nightlife

The vibrant capital city has a decent choice of entertainment, so a night out will never be boring for tourists of different age groups. Every evening, cabarets, bars, and nightclubs await their guests. Hotel Glacier and Cabaret is one of the most famous entertainment venues in Antananarivo. During the daytime, it’s a peaceful place perfect for families and couples, but when the sun goes down, a popular bar and cabaret opens its doors. Dancing shows, cabaret performances, live music concerts – at Hotel Glacier visitors will get more than just a couple of cocktails. Convenient location in the heart of the city makes it easy to reach the venue.

Antananarivo is definitely not short on nightclubs. Many locals and guests of the city prefer to head to the Tana neighborhood in the evening in order to relax in Espace Dera. It’s a large nightclub with a spacious dance hall that is never too hot or sweaty. There are also private rooms where guests can order drinks and relax in a comfortable setting, enjoying a conversation. Pandora Station is a famous club in the central part of the city. Despite the location, the club is not expensive. The choice of affordable cocktails amazing and the place is never empty.

Tourists, who want to get acquainted with the culture of the city, are recommended to visit Antananarivo markets. For locals, markets are more than just places to buy and sell. They come there to meet and socialize. For tourists, such markets as Ambalavao, Tana, and of Ambositra are a wonderful opportunity to explore the national culture. The Ambositra market is open every Saturday. It’s an incredibly colorful place with lots of national wares for sale. Skilled local artisans offer their pottery, baskets, jewellery, and many other items that can be a great souvenir. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The market of Ambalavao is open two times a week, on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This market has a very unusual peculiarity – it’s the only place where visitors can see zebus walking peacefully among the aisles. Finally, there are many small markets scattered in all parts of the capital. Many of them simply spread along the streets. As a rule, it’s possible to find fresh fruit, books, embroidery, and other locally produced goods on these markets.

The Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve is an Antananarivo must-visit place. This landmark got the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, so it’s a fantastic destination not only for fans of nature. One of the most astonishing areas of the country is also one of the most severely protected. The 152,000-hectare large resort is divided into two parts, one of which is a prohibited area for researchers and the other one is open for visitors. Tsingy is a name of large limestone formations that were created under the sea and then shaped by winds and rains over millions of years. The landscape looks nothing but incredible. It’s an absolutely magical place. The nature reserve offers various trails for fans of trekking.

Madagascar fauna is diverse and impressive. Those, who want to see it in full splendor, will find numerous wildlife tours incredibly attractive. Places like the Special Reserve of Andasibe are perfect for seeing lemurs, exotic birds, and cute chameleons. The selection of rare plants and wild flowers is no less impressive. In order to see the spiritual part of local life, it is hard to find a better place than the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga. In the past, noble people and royals lived there. Nowadays, it is a place full of history and the typical location of various religious rituals.

Shopping fans will be in love with Independence Avenue. It’s a great place to buy jewelry, home decorations, and finest fabric. Zoma is a popular destination for souvenir hunters. In order to purchase high-quality batik of different colors and patterns, head to Atelier Jacaranda. After busy shopping, consider visiting Centre Culturel Albert Camus as it’s a great place to relax, see various performances or maybe attend art exhibitions that are often held there.

Comfortable beaches of the city attract tourists who prefer beach holidays. But lovers of exotic beach vacation it is better to choose one of the neighboring islands, for example, Nosy-Be or St. Marie. By the way, the latter was a pirate base in the XVII century, from where most of the attacks on merchant ships, from India, took place. On the beaches of Madagascar, you can also master such water sports as kite surfing and windsurfing. The best waves await fans of extreme activities in the southwest of Madagascar the coast from Fort Dauphin to Moromba. Experienced surfers choose spots Ankaninoof, Corre and Flame balls. A few kilometers from the capital there is the Zoo Zimbabaza where all the travelers and their fellows can watch the rare species of animals and pets of the locals - the short-tailed lemurs of Indi. In case you meet a lemur on your way - greet him, like all the locals do. If you desire to see the real natural wonder of Madagascar - buy a tour to Lake Anousi. This natural reservoir is worthy of the SPAs. Its water has a lilac color, and in the middle of the reservoir, there is an obelisk erected in memory killed during the civil war of Madagascar.