Search VoyageForum
FR
Retour du H10 Ocean bavaro (février 2004 ) English translation pending
by Carinnel3b · 2004-02-12 · 2 replies
🙂 😉 🙂 INFO DEPART AVION : Compagnie STAR AIRLINE -> depart de ROISSY CDG pendant 9 h 00 climatisation a fond, il a fait super froid pendant tout le trajet pas de couverture. (le + vol directe)

ARRIVER A PUNTA CANA : Changement radical de temparature surtout beaucoup d'humidité.

ARRIVER AU H10 OCEAN BAVARO langue - anglauis francais et espagnol donc on arrive toujours a ce faire comprendre> Accueil avec cocktail> on vous met un petit bracelet de couleur> port des bagages si vous le souhaite par un employé de l'hotel> découverte de la chambre avec 2 grand lit 2 places> changement de serviette + menage tous les jours> aclim dans les chambre + ventilateur> petit frigo avec boisson> tele....> et surtout tres calme

PLAGE : On vous donne egalement des carte pour avoir des serviette des plages propre tous les jours> chaise longue plage propre avec activité nautique + autre activité sur la plage voir meme a la piscine NB : la plage est nettoyé tous les jours

PISCINE : tres propre bar dans la piscine petit bassin pour enfant et bassin moyen de 1 m 40

EL CORTECITO petit village artisanale pres de l'hotel surtout toujours negocier les prix il vaut mieux payer en dollars ou en pesos on est perdant avec les euros.

ALIMENTATION PETIT DEJ -> tres bien une gamme de choix varier sucré ou salée DEJEUNER -> idem DINER -> possibilité de réserver dans différent resto avec reservation ou possibilité de diner dans le grand buffet.

POSTE MEDICAL ATTENTION tres cher la consultation est de 60 dollars

Vous avez la possibilité de faire des excursions. attention car elle ne sont pas tout interessante et assez chers.

J'ESPERE VOUS AVOIR DONNER ASSEZ D'INFO SI NECESSAIRE ENVOYER MOI UN MAIL JE VOIS REPONDRAIS
vol pour madagascar English translation pending
by Camfoy · 2004-01-20 · 1 reply
bonjour,

je recherche un vol pour madagascar pour mars ou avril mais je n'ai vu que des prix à peine croyable (pas moins de 12000 F). Quelqu'un aurait-il un tuyau pour avoir des vols beaucoups moins chers ?
Barcelo Bavaro Ocean Village English translation pending
by Toutoune25 · 2003-11-17 · 4 replies
😇Quelqu'un pourrait me donner des renseignements sur cet hotel:

Barcelo Bavaro Ocean Village, 3* à PUnta Cana. (par Vacances Air Transat)

je sais qu'on a accès à 2 autres hotels, est-ce un hotel jeunes (25 ans)?

merci
Madagascar en décembre? English translation pending
by Madmax · 2003-09-17 · 3 replies
Salut aux globe-trotters en ligne,

Je souhaite partir sur Madagascar 4 semaines de décembre à début janvier. Un être charitable peut-il

me donner des informations concernant la météo (importance des précipitations 🙁) durant cette

période ? ainsi que les régions ou le climat sera le plus agréable 🙂 ?

gracias d'avance !
Infos sur Madagascar English translation pending
by Gudule · 2003-08-31 · 32 replies
🙂Salut a tous ;

Je recherche pleins d'infos sur madagascar en vue de preparer un prochain voyage.

Merci a tous.Je n'ais pas vraiment de coin fetiche pour cette destination, mais la nature est ma priorite, ainsi que les lemuriens.Donc tout vos conseils me seront utiles, surtout que je connais tres peu ce pays (qu'a travers des reportages).

A bientot et merci de votre aide.

gudule.
L' hôtel ocean beach bavaro resort by h10 English translation pending
by Cacahuete · 2003-08-25 · 16 replies
😛 Bonjour, je recherche des personnes qui ont passées leurs vacances ou qui souhaitent les passer à l'hotel club ocean beach bavaro resort bey h10. pour parler de l'animation, du cadre, des activités etc...

merci

à très bientôt

Julie
Which car should I prioritize in Réunion?
by Baptguilh · 2026-04-13 · 2 replies
hi everyone, are there any rental car models you’d recommend for 3 weeks on the island? compact or mid-range?
Wooden house facing the ocean for rent, minimum 3 nights from April to September 2026
by Mcoste30 · 2026-03-15 · 0 replies
A wooden house, styled like a beautiful cabin, facing the Pacific Ocean in Costa Rica. If you love stunning sunsets, authentic and peaceful living among coconut trees, the songs of birds, and monkeys, then this place is for you. It’s just a short walk from the village (along the beach), where you can enjoy fresh fish and lobsters. Magical! My email: coste.art@wanadoo.fr
Currency on Île aux Nattes
by Tchockie · 2026-02-16 · 17 replies
Hi everyone, I’m heading to Île aux Nattes in a few weeks and I’d like to know if euros are accepted in the island’s restaurants. At the hotel where I’ll be staying, they take card payments, but for activities, I can’t find any reliable info. Could anyone tell me the approximate cost in euros and/or ariary for a week (food outside the hotel) on the island for two people?

Also, has anyone ever exchanged money at the Paris Magenta exchange bureau? Thanks!
How to get from Antalaha to Maroantsetra?
by Pascale27 · 2025-07-15 · 33 replies
hi there

I’ll be in Antalaha in October and need to get to Maroantsetra. I’ve heard it’s possible by boat, but I can’t find any info about it. So I’m wondering if I’ll have to arrange something with local fishing boats or something else, and whether it’s a risky trip since the sea can get rough on Madagascar’s east coast. Has anyone done this before, or just know anything about it? What do you think?
ATMs in Antananarivo
by Tchockie · 2025-07-15 · 7 replies
Hi everyone, My friend and I are heading to Madagascar in March, and we were wondering if it’s possible to bring some cash and top up once we’re there (specifically in Tana). Is it worth exchanging money if euros are accepted everywhere? Thanks for your always super helpful tips on VF!
Hotel recommendations in Diego
by Alexaja1951 · 2025-06-23 · 6 replies
hi, I'm thinking of going to Madagascar at the end of the year. Can you recommend a decent hotel in Diego? Thanks in advance for your reply. alex
Cotisse Tana-Majunga trip, getting off at Antanambaza
by Etranger · 2025-06-21 · 9 replies
Hi, I’m taking the Cotisse bus soon to go to Antsohihy, so the route is Tana-Majunga with a stop at Antanambaza. How long does it take to get to Antanambaza? Should I leave at 6:30 PM or 7:00 AM? Considering I’ll probably need to find a hotel while waiting for a *taxi be* to Antsohihy, I’d rather not arrive in the middle of the night. And since I’m asking—does anyone have a hotel recommendation in Antanambaza? Also, can you find a seat on a *taxi be* mid-route?

Thanks! !
Payments and withdrawals in Madagascar
by Jul635 · 2025-06-12 · 6 replies
Hi everyone, We’re heading to Madagascar for a month at the end of June with the family. Our itinerary takes us to the East: Tana, Andasibe, Pangalanes, Tamatave, Mahambo, Sainte Marie; then up North to Sambava, Vohemar, and finishing in Diego Suarez. One question that’s been on our minds a lot is about money and payments. We’ve seen some discussions on this forum, but they didn’t answer all our questions.

We have two Visa credit cards from two different banks. The banks are aware of our trip and shouldn’t block the cards. One card is from the Caisse d’Épargne, which has international options that avoid fees. We’ll likely use this card as our primary, and the second one will be a backup (since the fees are higher for that one).

We’ve heard that few shops and hotels accept card payments—is that accurate?

Several hotels seem to accept wire transfers to a Euro account, as some have asked for a deposit that way. The exchange rate offered is often poor, though (e.g., 1 € = 4,500 Ar)—is this negotiable?

Of course, we’ll bring some Euros in cash to exchange, but we don’t want to carry too much money on us. If we exchange Euros at a bank, is the wait long?

Once the cash runs out, we’ll need to withdraw from ATMs, but we’ve heard it can be a challenge—ATMs max out at 400,000 Ar, and the wait at the counter can be very long if we need more. Have you observed the same?

Is there also a way to pay using smartphone apps? Someone mentioned TapTap Send or Sendwave, and I’ve also seen the Orange Money app. Is one or more of these options reliable and widely used? I imagine this could be useful for many payments and help avoid burning through the cash we withdraw too quickly.

Are we missing any other practical solutions?

Thanks for your help! Julien
Going directly from Mahajanga to Morombe
by Etranger · 2025-05-25 · 7 replies
Hi everyone, Everything’s in the title: what are the options for getting from M. to M.? By *boutre* (traditional sailboat), I know, if you’re not in a hurry. Is there a coastal track between Mahajanga and the Tsingy? Meaning, can you reach Bekopaka by track without going back through Tana? Thanks.
Mixed (even disappointed) review of the NCL Sky Indian Ocean cruise from April 19 to May 3, 2025
by Alfre99410 · 2025-05-08 · 70 replies
Hi everyone,

I’m back from this “mixed” two-week cruise in the Indian Ocean on the Norwegian Sky.

Originally, I had booked a cruise with AIDA (also in the Indian Ocean), but unfortunately, the company decided to cancel it and offered us other options, which we declined because the dates didn’t work for us.

Since my wife really wants to do a cruise in the Indian Ocean, but very few companies offer this destination, it’s a bit complicated—especially when the dates don’t line up. Finding a good compromise between companies and timing is tough. Retirement can’t come soon enough!!!

After some research, I found a really great itinerary with Silversea (a luxury cruise line) for a 19-day cruise from Cape Town to Victoria, stopping in Madagascar (2 days), Praslin, La Digue... But my wife couldn’t get the time off. Not only was the itinerary amazing, but the price was unbeatable (5,200 € per person for a balcony suite, all-inclusive). What a shame—I would’ve loved to try this company, but maybe next time (if we’re lucky enough to have the chance).

My wife tried to take unpaid leave but wasn’t successful... Oh well!

On my end, I have more flexibility with vacation time since I travel a lot for work, so I can accumulate my days off and take them when it suits me.

So, we settled for this cruise (the only one that matched my wife’s vacation dates). Sure, we weren’t thrilled about the ship, but the itinerary wasn’t bad. We figured, why not?

I requested a quote from Logitravel, and after a discount, we paid 2,600 € per person for a balcony cabin (category BA) with the More At Sea package, which includes: 300 minutes of internet, premium drinks, 5 restaurants, and discounts on excursions...

The itinerary:

Day 1 Dubai (UAE) Boarding 11:59 PM Day 2 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 7:00 AM Day 3 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 2:00 PM Day 4 Sea day Day 5 Sea day Day 6 Sea day Day 7 Sea day Day 8 La Digue (Seychelles) 10:00 AM 8:00 PM Day 9 Mahé (Seychelles) 7:00 AM 8:00 PM Day 10 Sea day Day 11 Antsiranana (Madagascar) 7:00 AM 6:00 PM Day 12 Sea day Day 13 Pointe des Galets (Réunion) 8:00 AM 9:00 PM Day 14 Port Louis (Mauritius) 7:00 AM Day 15 Port Louis (Mauritius) 8:00 AM

After booking the cruise, I started looking for flights (Paris/Dubai and Mauritius/Paris). It’s peak Easter vacation time, so tickets are crazy expensive... I ran several simulations on Skyscanner and was shocked by the prices.

A direct flight from Paris to Dubai with Emirates is 1,400 € per person (one way), and the return from Mauritius to Paris (also with Emirates via Dubai) is 1,350 € per person.

Given these outrageous prices, I decided to book a flight with a layover. The best value I found was with Qatar (via Doha) for 650 € per person, with a 2.5-hour layover in Doha, and a direct flight from Mauritius to Paris with Corsair for 750 € per person.

With the More At Sea package, we had a 300 € credit per person for flight tickets (as long as we booked through NCL).

I requested a quote, and they offered: OUTBOUND: April 18, 2025 – Egyptair CDG-CAIRO 10:05 PM-2:30 AM February 19, 2025 – CAIRO-DUBAI 5:30 AM-10:55 AM RETURN: May 3, 2025 – Kenya Airways Port Louis-Nairobi 6:50 PM-10:10 PM, Nairobi-CDG 11:50 PM(+1)-7:30 AM (price: 950 € per person).

Sure, the price was good, but we didn’t want to fly with those airlines, and NCL didn’t have any other options. So, we booked our flights ourselves.

D-Day: Departure from Paris on April 18 with Qatar via Doha:

Two days before leaving, I checked in online and took the opportunity to buy seats near the emergency exits since my wife tends to get swollen legs on long flights. So, she prefers having extra legroom (cost: 132 € per person). It’s a bit pricey, but peace of mind is priceless.

Usually, when I have an early flight from Roissy, I always book a hotel the night before (near the airport) to avoid stress and not miss my flight. But since it was school vacation time and Good Friday, we decided to leave very early from home...

The flight was scheduled for 9:05 AM. We live 70 km from the airport and had to be there by 7:05 AM.

We barely slept... Up at 4:30 AM, and by 5:45 AM, our Uber was outside. We arrived at the airport (Roissy Terminal 1) by 6:50 AM.

Check-in was smooth—less than 10 minutes, and our bags were dropped off with boarding passes in hand.

This was my first time flying out of Roissy Terminal 1 since it was renovated for the Olympics. Wow, it’s a huge improvement—nothing like the old “camembert box” we used to know!

A few photos:

















Coming up: Layover in Doha
Driver in Madagascar for RN 7
by Belanov31 · 2025-03-29 · 7 replies
Hi there, Could you recommend any reputable local agencies for a driver with a vehicle to travel along the RN7 from Tana to Tulear with stops? Or alternatively, a driver you’ve personally "hired" for your trip? Thanks! Xavier
Exchanging money in Antananarivo
by Arakane · 2025-02-08 · 6 replies
Things may have changed... 10 years ago, we were advised not to exchange money at Ivato Airport when arriving, but rather in shops like electronics stores. We’ll be arriving on a Friday early afternoon—I’m wondering if Malagasy banks in Tana are open on Friday afternoons and Saturdays? Do you have any tips for exchanging euros to ariary?
Currency exchange at Nosy Be
by CoSteph · 2025-02-01 · 10 replies
Hi, We're heading to Madagascar in just over a month. Our flight arrives at Nosy Be, and I was wondering if there are any currency exchange offices at that airport since it doesn’t seem very big? I’d like to exchange 500 € for incidentals (souvenirs, vanilla purchases, etc.). Our hotel is already paid for (half-board) as well as the excursions. What do you think? Thanks for your help!
Tana to Tamatave by minibus
by Arakane · 2025-01-28 · 5 replies
Can you tell me how long (on average...) the Tana to Tamatave trip takes with local minibus transport? Which reliable company do you recommend for booking?
Trains and ferries in Madagascar
by Laurent5607 · 2025-01-12 · 4 replies
Hi there I’m heading to Madagascar soon and I’m looking for two pieces of info: - Is there a passenger train between Tananarive and Tamatave? - Are there maritime connections again between Madagascar and the Comoros from Majunga? If so, can you buy ferry tickets online? Thanks Laurent
What to prioritize in Mauritius?
by Ruam · 2024-11-28 · 2 replies
Hi there, we’re heading to Mauritius in December-January. The question is: what should we visit first?

Thanks for your tips!

JP
Inter-island transfers in the Seychelles
by Muriel18 · 2024-11-28 · 4 replies
Hi there,

I’m heading to the Seychelles in March and I’d like to know how far in advance it’s best to book the boat transfers from Mahé to Praslin round-trip. Should I also book the transfers between Praslin and La Digue in advance, or can I just grab them on the day?
Two weeks in the Comoros – my feedback
by Rotsaka · 2024-10-24 · 3 replies
Some impressions and info after two weeks in Grande Comore and Anjouan. Trip mid-2024.

First and foremost, the Comorians are absolutely lovely. I don’t usually like generalizing, but I honestly don’t know what else to say beyond what struck me most: kindness everywhere, great friendliness, curiosity—basically, every interaction was super pleasant, whether at the hotel, in the street, or in shops.

On the less positive side (because it needs to be mentioned), I was also struck by the overwhelming amount of waste along the coastline (and elsewhere, especially roadsides and riverbanks) in pretty shocking quantities. Of course, it improves once you get away from populated areas, but it was still a bit of a shock.

That said, underwater—even at sites where the shore was littered with plastic—the corals are stunning, snorkeling is fantastic, the seabeds are truly beautiful, and there’s a great diversity of fish.

The islands and landscapes are gorgeous, especially Anjouan’s interior and highlands. I can’t say much about Mohéli since I didn’t go, but I only heard glowing reviews.

In Moroni and Mutsamudu, the medinas are really charming, far from the tourist crowds of Stone Town, for example. Winding alleys, old buildings, stairs, and twists and turns—I spent hours just wandering and getting lost. Really nice.

In Moroni, I stayed at the Retaj. It was good, with great service, an evening buffet, and a pretty extensive menu. There’s a beautiful ocean view and a small volcanic beach at the end of the grounds. I snorkeled there, and it’s lovely (though, being close to the city, there were bags and wrappers on the rocks). Around 100 € per night if I remember correctly—not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either (prices in the Comoros are generally quite high). I also stayed at the Jardin de la Paix, closer to the city center. Also very good. The rooms were spotless. Fewer meal options, mostly chalkboard specials, and sometimes very long waits. On the plus side, there’s a large tree-filled inner courtyard, but no ocean view or small beach. From memory, it was cheaper, but I’m not 100% sure.

Among the few travelers and tourists, many were heading to Itsandra Beach Hotel at the entrance to the city when coming from the airport. It’s in a much higher price range. I only went there for the hotel’s beach, Petite Itsandra, because the snorkeling is amazing.

In Anjouan, I only stayed at the Hôtel des Îles in Mutsamudu. The owner is very welcoming and super nice. There’s a lovely terrace with an ocean view, where you can watch the boats coming and going in the morning and evening. Peaceful and really pretty. You can also see the huge fruit bats up close since some like to hang out in the tree across from the terrace. It’s easy to walk to the medina, the coast, or even the market and port—everything’s close by.

For meals, I mostly ate at hotels, but also tried some evening street food stands. In hotels or restaurants, expect to pay around 10 to 15 €. Oh, and one thing: in the evenings when the fishermen return to Moroni, there’s *tons* of tuna. So it’s on the menu pretty much everywhere. But either because of the type of tuna or the preparation, the tuna steaks are dry and honestly not great. Nowhere I tried was an exception. The only non-hotel restaurant I remember is New Select, in the courtyard out back where you could order skewers of different kinds while religious chants played in a relaxed but respectful atmosphere. You could also order a shisha. Really nice and not too expensive.

As for activities, like I said, I mostly walked around the cities—markets, medinas, ports, and the seafront. Chatted with people I met along the way. Did some snorkeling, especially at Itsandra Beach Hotel, but didn’t get the chance to go to Itsandra Beach (which is public). Did a bit of hiking in the countryside, especially in Anjouan—just wandering random paths, so I can’t really give much detail on that.

I can’t say anything about climbing Mount Karthala, the Prophet’s Hole, etc. I would’ve liked to spend some time in Domoni (Anjouan), but didn’t get the chance.

A few roads have been recently redone and are in great condition, but a lot are still in really bad shape, which makes travel times longer. The inland roads often offer stunning views of dramatic landscapes with the ocean and sometimes lagoons in the background.

To get from one island to another, you can take a plane or a boat. Local airlines aren’t very reassuring—technical issues are common. It’s also possible to arrange flights with Precision Air (from Tanzania). From experience, it’s better. I didn’t take the boat, but I’m considering it for next time.

In short, these are islands to discover where tourism is still in its early stages. Great encounters and a beautiful experience
Trip report: 2,700 km scooter ride from Lacanau-Océan to Névache (Briançon)
by Chnoupi · 2024-10-12 · 10 replies
From Lacanau Océan to Névache, July 4–13, 2024. Stopping at roadside markers and signs in towns, on trails. I left home in Corsica, took the boat from L'Ile-Rousse to Sète, then headed up to Lacanau-Océan for the start of the 45th parallel. Destination: north of Briançon, Plampinet (Névache municipality). For more info and photos, check out my FB page "45th Parallel". I did it solo, on a 125cc scooter, a Honda Forza with no mechanical mods. Under-seat storage, a top case, a bag strapped to the rear seat with bungees, and two side bags that gave out in the first few days due to poor quality. Used a GPS, smartphone apps like the famous "68°", "my exact location", and "Ventusky" for weather. Plus paper road maps and a travel journal. Various accommodations (camping, B&Bs, a yurt, and staying with friends). In total: 2,700 km total, including 1,800 km from Lacanau to Névache via small, lost-but-so-pleasant backroads. Crappy weather from Sète to Lacanau, then nice conditions. Estimated fuel consumption: 3 liters per 100 km. No mechanical issues—neither with the scooter nor myself. One regret: I didn’t take enough time to meet people. For info...: At nearly 77, I still feel the need to do things differently—like the GTA (Grande Traversée des Alpes 😠, the climb to the metallic globe at Nordkapp, Norway (which I did by sea)😠, the trip to southern Portugal😠, etc. On top of that, after an accident and two major knee surgeries, I can’t hike, bike, trek in the desert, or even walk 1 km on sand. That’s also why I can’t ride a motorcycle with bent legs… * Feel free to share your thoughts or ask for more details.
Quel forfait téléphone local pour Madagascar? English translation pending
by Etranger · 2020-06-03 · 2 replies
Bonjour, pour la première fois je pars avec un smartphone, comme d'hab' je vais acheter une sim locale quel est à votre avis le meilleur opérateur à madagascar actuellement ? je voudrais pouvoir utiliser maps, whatsapp et un peu FB ou vaut-il mieux utiliser mon forfait sfr ? merci de vos tuyaux
Des infos sur la culture malgache English translation pending
by Mancha · 2020-05-11 · 2 replies
Bonsoir, Je viens faire appel à celles et ceux qui connaissent bien les Malgaches, pour avoir vécu au pays ou fréquenter la diaspora. Je fréquente depuis peu un Malgache et sans vouloir tomber dans des généralités de bas étage, j'aimerais mieux comprendre sa culture et notamment certains "traits culturels", ou tout du moins m'aider à distinguer ce qui relève de sa personnalité propre et de nos différences culturelles... 1- Avez-vous un peu de lecture à me conseiller pour avancer dans ma réflexion ? Dans une approche disons ethno/socio. 2- Vos retours d'expérience m'intéressent aussi, bien entendu. En tout respect, vous aurez compris ma démarche : mieux comprendre l'autre :)

Merci!
Hôtel Lambert à Antananarivo English translation pending
by Povcomjob · 2020-02-07 · 3 replies
j'aimerais savoir si l hotel LAMBERT a Tananarive est toujours en activité les derniers commentaires sur cette hotel datent de 2009 quid merci pour votre réponse cordialement pov
Insécurité dans le nord de Madagascar? English translation pending
by Manuella119 · 2020-02-06 · 6 replies
Avez vous rencontré des problèmes d insécurité dans le Nord de l île ?

Advanced search

Your search

More filters

Filters

By member

Display