Tips for traveling to Madagascar

1. Overview of Madagascar Madagascar became independent on June 26, 1960. It became a French colony in 1896 and later became the French Autonomous Republic. The population is 16.44 million (2004), composed of 18 tribes, the largest of which are: Imelina (accounting for 26.1% of the total population), Behemi Zalaka (14.1%), and Bejillo (12%) ), Himihet (7.2%), Sakalawa (5.8%), Antandro (5.3%) and Antesaka (5%), etc. There are still a small number of Comoros, Indians, Pakistanis and French people who have settled in Malaysia, as well as about 30,000 overseas Chinese and Chinese. The languages, cultures, customs and habits of all tribes are generally the same. The national language is Malagasy (belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian language family), and the official language is French. 70% of the residents believe in Christianity (Catholic and Protestant), 20% believe in traditional religions, and 8% believe in Islam.

2. Climate and natural conditions Madagascar is an island country and the fourth largest island in the world. It is located in the southwest of the Indian Ocean and faces the African continent across the Mozambique Strait. The southeastern coast has a tropical rainforest climate, which is hot and humid all year round, with an average annual temperature of 24 degrees. The central part has a tropical plateau climate, which is mild and cool, with an average annual temperature of 18 degrees. The west and south have a tropical plateau climate with drought and little rainfall, and the average annual temperature is above 26 degrees. Desertification in the southern region is becoming increasingly serious. Coastal areas are often hit by hurricanes and heavy rains, and even the entire island is not spared.

3. Visa Instructions (1) Madagascar visa types and regulations are as follows: 1. Non-immigrant visa. Under normal circumstances, it is issued by the Malaysian diplomatic or consular mission in a foreign country, or by the immigration commissioner of the Malaysian ports and airports and other border crossings. Under special circumstances, it may also be directly accepted and issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives. This type of visa is valid for one or more entries and exits (not more than three times) and is valid for three months. If your visa expires, you can apply to the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Interior for an extension, but the cumulative time shall not exceed three months. This visa cannot be changed to a long-term residence visa. The holder is not allowed to engage in salaried labor or any other profitable activities in Malaysia. 2. Business visa. It is issued to foreign industrial and commercial persons who regularly travel to Malaysia. Applicants apply to the Malaysian diplomatic or consular agencies in their place of residence, or the Ministry of Interior of Malaysia directly accepts and issues the application. This type of visa can be entered and exited multiple times and is valid for three years, but the stay in Malaysia cannot exceed three months at a time. 3. Immigration visa. Applicants may apply to the Maldives diplomatic or consular agency in their place of residence, or the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs may directly handle the application. It cannot be issued at border crossings such as ports or airports. This type of visa is valid for one month. During this period, the holder needs to apply for a residence visa from the relevant authorities. If necessary, you can apply for an extension of the validity period, but it shall not exceed three months at most. (2) If the visa is refused and revoked under any of the following circumstances, the Ministry of Interior of Maldives has the right to revoke or declare the visa invalid: 1. Those who do not meet the conditions for issuing the visa, or the visa holder violates the entry and residence regulations of Maldives; 2 , Those who are considered to be likely to cause harm to public order and safety after entering the country. 3. The original reason for applying for a visa no longer exists. Those who are refused a visa extension must leave the country within the specified time limit. Such a limited time departure visa is marked with the words "not allowed to be extended". Due to force majeure or justified reasons, the Ministry of the Interior has the right to decide whether to grant an extension, but it shall not exceed thirty days. (3) Relevant regulations on entry and exit. Entrants must present valid identity documents. In principle, entry visas and international vaccination certificates (yellow copies) are required to be obtained overseas. Fill out the immigration card when entering the country. If you carry items that are taxable according to horse regulations, you need to declare to the customs and go through relevant entry procedures. Those whose visa expires must leave the country unconditionally. Those leaving the country must present their valid identity documents. There are limits on the amount of foreign currency you can carry and you must declare it to the customs. If you want to bring horse products out of the country, such as petrified wood, gemstones and other prohibited export items, you need to go to the Ministry of Land and Mines or the customs to go through exit procedures. 3. Security Situation, Public Security Situation and Relevant Laws and Regulations There is currently no danger of terrorist attacks in Malaysia. Social security is good, with few murders and violent incidents, but robberies and thefts are on the rise. Due to various reasons, the efficiency of judicial agencies in handling cases is poor. Generally, cases are difficult to detect and often remain unsolved. In Malaysia, only banks and offices that are allowed to carry out foreign exchange exchange have the right to conduct foreign exchange trading business, and all private foreign exchange transactions are illegal.

4. Common diseases and medical conditions The health conditions of horses are backward, and some common diseases on the African continent can be found everywhere, such as malaria, dengue fever, amoebic dysentery, etc. Local doctors have long been short of medicines, especially in remote villages.

In the capital, the Army Hospital and some foreign clinics have better conditions, but the related costs are higher and ordinary civilians dare not pay attention to them. Chinese expatriates generally bring a small amount of commonly used medicines and self-diagnosis for minor illnesses. For more serious illnesses, they can go to the Chinese medical team for treatment (about 60 kilometers away from the capital) or return home or go to a third country for medical treatment.

5. Prices and Supply Madagascar is one of the least developed countries declared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development! Ranked 150th among 177 countries in the world. Ma's industrial base is relatively weak, and its main industrial products and daily necessities rely on imports. Agricultural production is quite primitive. It basically depends on the weather. It is self-sufficient in good years and requires imports in bad years. However, Ma is rich in local products, including a full range of fruits and seafood. At present, there are several supermarkets in the capital of Maldives, and most of the products come from France, South Africa, China, and Mauritius. The supply of materials is not a problem, but the prices are relatively expensive. In other provinces, the variety of goods was insufficient and supplies were in short supply. Foreign exchange rate: 1 US dollar = 427 Ariary (August 2006).

6. Transportation and travel The total length of highways is 498.37 million kilometers, of which 5,781 kilometers are asphalt roads. The capital and the main roads extending around the capital are in good condition, but the roads are narrow and winding, making them more dangerous. Roads in other provinces and remote towns are seriously damaged. The total length of the railway is 732 kilometers, with single-track roadbed, slow running speed and limited load capacity. There are only 3,500 kilometers of inland waterways and only over 400 kilometers of shipping capacity. There are 18 coastal ports. 80% of shipping is concentrated in the eastern port of Tamatave, with an annual throughput of approximately 1.4 million tons. Antananarivo, the capital of Macedonia, has regular flights to Paris, France and Milan, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa and Kenya in Africa, and Bangkok, Thailand, in Asia. There are no direct flights between Malaysia and China, so you can choose to go to Malaysia via the Hong Kong-Mauritius or Thailand route.

7. Tourism and Attractions Madagascar and Sri Lanka are rich in tourism resources, but service facilities are insufficient. Since the 1990s, the Maldives government has listed tourism as a key development industry and encouraged foreign businessmen to invest in the tourism industry. Allow tourists to apply for visas on arrival, and at the same time eliminate the practice of high hotels charging foreign tourists. There are currently 717 hotels in Malaysia, including 111 star hotels (3,040 beds). The number of tourists and benefits are increasing year by year. In 2002, the number of tourists was approximately 61,674, and the hotel occupancy rate was 22%. In 2005, the number of tourists was nearly 300,000. Tourists mainly come from France (more than 50%), Reunion, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany and Italy, with French tourists accounting for more than 50%. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia has also been changing quietly. In the past, most of them were for work visits or official business trips. This year, travel agencies have organized individual tours. The main tourist spots are Nusi Be Island, Saint Marie Island, National Nature Reserve and folk-style attractions. The main attractions on the island are as follows: Andasibe National Forest Reserve Andasibe National Nature Reserve is 130 kilometers away from the capital, covering a total area of ??about 1,850 hectares. The reserve is dominated by tropical rainforest, with lush vegetation and rich species. In addition to plants, there are also a variety of rare and unique birds, amphibians and reptiles. One of the most famous giant lemurs, Indri, lives in the reserve. Nosybe Island is located on the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is the largest coastal island in Malaysia and the most famous tourist destination in Malaysia. In recent years, with the Malaysian government’s continuous emphasis on the development of tourism and the improvement of tourist facilities, more European and American tourists have begun to turn their attention to Nusi Be Island. Italians, in particular, have a soft spot for the island. Every week There are two direct flights from Milan to Nusibe. Saint Marie Island Saint Marie Island (SAINTEMARIE) is located on the east coast of Malaysia and has the reputation of a tropical island paradise. The whole island is about 300 square kilometers, about 60km long from north to south, and only 5km wide from east to west. Island tourism projects, such as forest hiking adventures, bicycle island tours, diving, etc. The most attractive thing is the Whale Festival from July to September every year. A large number of whales will swim from south to north to the waters near St. Mary to mate and give birth. This time of year is a rare opportunity for whale enthusiasts and casual tourists around the world to get up close and personal with whales. St. Mary's Island has convenient transportation. You can take a boat from Tomasina, the largest port in Malaysia, or you can fly directly to the island.

Mulundawa Mulundawa is more than 700 kilometers away from the capital. There are patches of baobab forest growing here. The baobab tree is one of the ancient and unique tree species on the earth! Currently, they are only distributed in the African continent, parts of North America and Madagascar. Seven of the eight species of baobab trees in the world can be seen in Madagascar. In addition to the complete range of species, the baobab trees on the Madagascar Island are also known for their tall, sturdy and peculiar shapes. famous. The road conditions to Mulundawa are poor and some areas are impassable by car. Most tourists go there by domestic flights.

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