Madagascar Travel Podcast with Hery Rakoto
A slow, place-based travel guide to Madagascar, the world's fourth-largest island. Host Hery Rakoto explores the country's coastal plains, central high plateau, and arid south, where Malagasy and French are part of daily life. Early episodes are based in Antananarivo, then move to Toamasina, Toliara, and Fianarantsoa. The show follows dry and wet seasons over two years, returning to familiar highland towns and the eastern coastline. It builds layered, lived-in knowledge of markets, routes, and local rhythms rather than quick tourist impressions.
Épisodes
Vohemar Port Ruins and Vanilla Season Reality
Day four in Vohemar: exploring the Rasikajy necropolises, documenting daily costs at local eateries, and reflecting on the town’s new role as a vanilla export hub.
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Vohemar Port Ruins and Vanilla Season Reality
Hery explores the Rasikajy necropolises, navigates Vohemar's new status as a vanilla export hub, and checks the local cost of living while settling into his flat in Andranomasibe.
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Vohemar Port Ruins and Vanilla Season Reality
Day two in Vohemar. I walk the RN5A past colonial ruins, check the vanilla flowering rush, and navigate the practicalities of living in a town that handles Madagascar’s northern trade but lacks basic infrastructure.
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Moving to Vohemar on the RN5A
Hery drives north from Sambava to Vohemar along the RN5A, settling into the northern SAVA coast. He explores the town’s history, markets, and daily costs before the rainy season begins.
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Sambava Spring Market Rhythms and Vanilla Curing
Hery spends his final full day in Sambava, navigating the tense vanilla markets of Antaimby, observing the Soavoanio coconut estate economy, and preparing for the Marojejy trek while reflecting on the region's shifting financial landscape.
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Sambava Last Day Market Rhythms
Final full day in Sambava before the Marojejy trek. Hery navigates the Antaimby market, checks residency logistics at BNI, and reflects on the shifting vanilla economy as he prepares to leave the SAVA coast.
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Vanilla Price Crash and Soavoanio Coconut Estate
Day nine in Sambava. The vanilla price collapse hits the markets, but the coconut economy at Soavoanio offers a different rhythm. I explore the estate, check the local banking logistics, and watch the drizzle fall over the beach.
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Sambava Market Rhythms and Vanilla Curing
Day eight in Sambava. Hery navigates the rotating market cycle, checks on vanilla curing at La Vanilleraie, and reflects on the shifting economic tides of the SAVA region.
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Vanilla Curing and Soavoanio Coconut Estate
Day four in Sambava. Hery visits the Soavoanio coconut estate to explore the local economy, navigates residency paperwork at BNI, and explores the Antaimby market before planning his trek to Marojejy.
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Sambava Market Rhythms and Vanilla Curing
Hery explores the weekly market rotation in Sambava, navigates residency paperwork at BNI, and visits the Soavoanio coconut estate. He breaks down daily costs, local transit, and the economic pressures of the vanilla trade.
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Marojejy Trek Prep and Market Rhythms in Sambava
Hery prepares for a four-day trek into Marojejy National Park, navigating the humid air of Sambava while exploring the local markets and calculating the costs of adventure travel in the SAVA region.
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Vanilla Curing and Soavoanio Coconut Estate
Day four in Sambava. Hery explores the vanilla curing season, visits the massive Soavoanio coconut estate, and navigates the local markets while reflecting on residency logistics.
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Sambava Market Rhythms and Vanilla Curing
Hery explores the rotating markets of Sambava, navigates the vanilla curing season, and plans the next leg toward Marojejy National Park.
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Sambava Vanilla Curing and Soavoanio Coconut Estate
Hery explores the heart of the SAVA region's vanilla curing season in Sambava, visits the vast Soavoanio coconut estate, and navigates the practicalities of banking and residency registration in the humid northeast.
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Sambava Arrival: Vanilla Curing and New Roads
Hery moves from Antalaha to Sambava on the RN5A coast road. He explores the vanilla curing season, Soavoanio coconut estate, and practical residency logistics in the SAVA region capital.
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Vanilla Curing and Final Markets in Antalaha
Hery spends his last full day in Antalaha, walking the Tanambao market for green vanilla auctions, visiting a curing house to see the drying process, and navigating the practicalities of leaving the SAVA region. He covers local costs, banking logistics, and the upcoming journey east.
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Last Day in Antalaha Vanilla Curing and Stone Cutting
Hery spends his final full day in Antalaha, navigating the heavy swell warnings, visiting the vanilla curing houses, and reflecting on the SAVA economy before heading east.
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Tanambao Market Rhythms and Stone Craftsmanship
Hery navigates the humid mornings of Antalaha, exploring the Tanambao market's vanilla auctions, the rhythmic clatter of stone-cutting workshops, and the practicalities of living in Madagascar’s spice capital.
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Vanilla auctions and stone cutting in Antalaha
I walk through the Tanambao market to watch green vanilla change hands, then visit a lapidary workshop where semi-precious stones are cut by hand. I also cover the heavy swell warnings and how to navigate the local banking system.
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Vanilla Curing and Stone Cutting in Antalaha
Day six in the vanilla capital. Hery walks through the curing houses of Tanambao, visits the semi-precious stone workshops, and navigates the heavy swell warnings affecting the port.
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Antalaha Stone Cutting and Market Rhythms
I walk through the semi-precious stone workshops of Antalaha, watch the vanilla auctions close for the week, and navigate the heavy swell warnings hitting the SAVA coast.
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Vanilla Curing, Stone Cutting and the SAVA Economy
Hery walks through Antalaha’s curing houses and stone workshops, explaining how vanilla prices shape the town’s economy. He visits a local cafe for coffee, checks on residency banking logistics, and looks ahead to Cap Est reef snorkelling.
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Vanilla Curing Houses and Stone Cutters in Antalaha
Day three in the vanilla capital. I walk through the curing sheds, watch stone cutters at work, and navigate the practicalities of living in SAVA.
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Antalaha Vanilla Auctions and Stone Cutters
Day two in Antalaha. I navigate the Tanambao market, watch green-vanilla buying, visit the semi-precious stone workshops, and sort out my residency registration.
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Arrival in Antalaha Vanilla Capital
Hery arrives in Antalaha by coastal boat, navigating the humid spring air to settle into a new flat in Tanambao. He explores the vanilla auctions, the Tanambao market, and the traditional pirogue yards, grounding the listener in the local economy and daily costs of the SAVA region.
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Last Morning in Maroantsetra Before Masoala
Hery spends his final full day in Maroantsetra, preparing for the Masoala trek. He navigates the port economy, observes marine patrols, and reflects on the town's shifting rhythms before heading into the rainforest.
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Last Morning in Maroantsetra Before Masoala
Hery packs for the Masoala trek, navigates Maroantsetra's final dry-day routines, and reflects on the town’s economy before heading into the rainforest.
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Masoala Trek Gear and Bay Patrols in Maroantsetra
Hery finalises gear for the Masoala rainforest trek, observes new marine patrols in Antongil Bay, and reflects on the shifting local economy as the dry season ends.
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Whale Watching and Trek Logistics in Maroantsetra
Hery navigates the tail end of whale season in Antongil Bay, books supplies for a Masoala rainforest trek, and sorts out the practicalities of living in Analanjirofo.
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Dawn Whales and Masoala Preparations
Day nine in Maroantsetra. Hery watches humpback whales in Antongil Bay before finalizing logistics for a five-day trek into Masoala National Park.
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Maroantsetra Dawn: Rain, Whales and the Bay
Day eight in Maroantsetra. Hery navigates the grey spring morning to watch humpback whales from Antongil Bay, checks the rough sea conditions affecting pirogue travel, and reflects on the town's ecotourism economy.
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Maroantsetra Rain and the Masoala Gateway
Day six in Maroantsetra. The spring rains are heavy, the RN5 is rough, and I am finalising the logistics for a five-day trek into Masoala National Park while navigating the local economy and whale season.
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Rain, Lemurs and the Masoala Gateway
Hery navigates the persistent spring rains of Maroantsetra on day six. He secures a guide for the Masoala trek, visits the Bank of Africa for residency logistics, and reflects on the local economy and wildlife opportunities.
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Masoala Treks and Bay Whales in Maroantsetra
Hery navigates the rainy streets of Maroantsetra, secures a guide for a five-day Masoala trek, handles banking and residency logistics, and reflects on the local economy and wildlife opportunities.
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Rain, Lemurs and the Masoala Gateway
Day three in Maroantsetra. The rain is heavy but the bay is calm. I walk through the fokontany, check on the Masoala trek booking, and talk about the real cost of living here.
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Maroantsetra Rain and Masoala Treks
Day two in Maroantsetra brings grey skies, swollen rivers, and the reality of living on Madagascar’s humid northeast coast. I navigate the local economy, book a trek into Masoala National Park, and discuss the practicalities of long-term residency in Analanjirofo.
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Maroantsetra Arrival and Antongil Bay
Hery arrives in Maroantsetra after the rough RN5 drive, navigating the grey skies of September. He checks into his new base, explores the port economy, and prepares for the Masoala expeditions.
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Final Clove Smoke and the RN5 Road
The last full day in Fenoarivo Atsinanana before heading north. Hery navigates the clove market, checks the RN5 road conditions for the journey ahead, and sorts out the practicalities of leaving this spice capital behind.
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Clove Smoke and the RN5 Road
The final day in Fenoarivo Atsinanana. Hery surveys the clove drying yards, checks the RN5 road conditions north toward Masoala, and packs up before heading to Sainte-Marie.
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Clove Smoke and Market Rhythms in Fenoarivo
Day six in Fenoarivo Atsinanana. The air is thick with drying cloves, the market hums with mobile money transactions, and I navigate the quiet bureaucracy of residency while watching the rain fall on the Sahavola fishing quarter.
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Clove Smoke and Market Rhythms in Fenoarivo
Day four in Fenoarivo Atsinanana. I walk the Sahavola fishing quarter, track the clove drying trade through the central market, and sort out my mobile money wallet for the long road north toward Sainte-Marie.
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Tampolo Forest and the Clove Road in Fenoarivo
Hery hikes into the Forêt de Tampolo to spot lemurs, navigates the RN5 clove trade logistics, and breaks down the daily costs of living in Madagascar's spice capital.
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Clove Drying and Market Rhythms in Fenoarivo
Day two in the spice capital. I walk the Sahavola fishing quarter, trace the clove trade through the central market, and explain how mobile money keeps this east-coast town running.
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Clove Harvest and First Steps in Fenoarivo
Hery arrives in Fenoarivo Atsinanana, the spice capital of the east coast. We explore the clove trade, register as a resident, and find our first foothold in Analanjirofo.
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Last Waves and Lobster Nights in Mahambo
Hery spends his final full day in Mahambo, riding the Iazafo river mouth one last time, eating at La Pirogue, and preparing for the taxi-brousse ride to Toamasina.
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Final Dawn in Mahambo Before Sainte-Marie
The last full day on Madagascar's east coast surf break. Hery packs his board, settles the bill at Onja Surf Camp, and navigates the quiet logistics of leaving a village that has become home for a month.
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Day Five Mahambo Mangroves and the Quiet Coast
Hery explores the Iazafo estuary by pirogue, navigates the local lobster economy, and reflects on the slow economic recovery of the Betsimisaraka coast.
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Malamby, Mangroves and the Morning Light in Mahambo
Day four on the east coast: a pirogue trip into the Iazafo estuary, the rhythm of the lobster trade, and the quiet reality of living in a village that moves with the tide.
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Malamby and the Long Right in Mahambo
Day three on the east coast. Hery navigates the Iazafo river mouth surf, hunts for lobster at the morning market, and breaks down the real cost of living in Madagascar's premier beach break.
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Lobster Markets and Salegy Nights in Mahambo
Day two in the surf village. I walk the beach market at dawn, taste the local lobster economy, and end the night with salegy music under a ravinala roof.
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Surf, Lobster, and Ravinala Roofs in Mahambo
Hery arrives in Mahambo via the rough coastal RN5, checks into Onja Surf Camp, explores the Iazafo river-mouth surf break, and discovers the village's lobster economy and musical nights. The real cost of a day here, from pirogue trips to street snacks.
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Rain, Rubble, and the Road Back to the Capital
On his last day in Toamasina, Hery visits the Bazar Kely fire recovery, samples the canal's fish market, and reflects on the town's expensive rebuilding and his return to Antananarivo. He offers practical tips on SIM cards, residence permits, and the cost of living, all under a steady winter drizzle.
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Tamatave Port Dawn and Sail East
Hery spends his final day in Toamasina watching the port come alive, checking on the Bazar Kely recovery, and preparing for his overnight boat to Sainte-Marie. He reflects on the cost of living, the fuel dispute's aftermath, and the city's layered history before bidding farewell.
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The Spice Warehouse and the Sail East
Hery explores Toamasina's spice warehouses and export trade, checks on the recovering Bazar Kely market, and prepares for his cargo-passenger boat to Sainte-Marie. Along the way, he reflects on the port's layered history and the practical costs of coastal living in Madagascar.
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Ivoloina's Lemurs and the Forest Lesson
Hery takes a break from the port to visit Parc Zoologique Ivoloina, meeting lemurs and chameleons, and reflecting on the cost of a day out in Toamasina. He also checks on the city's recovery from the Bazar Kely fire and the port's fuel dispute.
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Canal-Side Life and the Balconies of Tamatave
Hery spends day four in Toamasina exploring the Canal des Pangalanes by pirogue, visiting the ruined Bazar Kely market, and enjoying a seafood dinner at Bounty Ocean Bistro. He reflects on the cost of living, the port's fuel standoff, and the city's layered history.
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Pangalanes Pirogue and the Carpet of Cloves
Day three in Toamasina: Hery takes a morning pirogue ride down the Canal des Pangalanes, visits the spice warehouses near the port, and reflects on the cost of a coastal life as he plans the next leg to Sainte-Marie.
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Tamatave's Working Wharf and a Market's Ashes
Day two in Toamasina: Hery walks the working port at dawn, watches vanilla and clove exports being loaded, and visits the site of the Bazar Kely fire. He eats a Creole lunch at Darafify, checks rental prices in Tanambao V, and ends the day with a beer at the seaside as the port lights come up.
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Port Life and Pangalanes
Hery arrives in Toamasina after the long drive from Ambatondrazaka, walks the working harbour and the Canal des Pangalanes, tries the local seafood at Bounty Ocean Bistro, and checks out the cost of living in Madagascar's chief port before planning the next leg to Sainte-Marie.
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Rice Bowl Farewell and the Road to Andasibe
On his last full day in Ambatondrazaka, Hery walks the market, shares a final meal at Chez Tantine, checks the cost of living, and prepares for the ride east to Andasibe and the indri. Practical costs and travel tips for the rice-bowl region.
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The Rice Granary's Final Morning and the Road East
On his last full day in Ambatondrazaka, Hery walks the lake shore at dawn, checks the bandro conservation efforts one more time, shares a final meal at Chez Tantine, and girds himself for the long drive east toward Andasibe and the coast.
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The Rice Bowl's Last Light and a Goose Dinner
Day six in Ambatondrazaka. Hery walks the lake shore at dusk, checks the cost of a long-term stay, and shares a final meal of smoked eel and lake fish at a local hotely as the rice-bowl winter closes in.
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The Pied Paddy and the Paper Trail
Day five in Ambatondrazaka. Hery walks the rice paddies at the edge of town, follows an egret through flooded fields, and then wrestles with the practical paperwork of long-term travel in Madagascar — visas, SIM cards, and the cost of daily life in the rice bowl.
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Rice, Reeds, and Recovery in Ambatondrazaka
Hery explores the rice-bowl town of Ambatondrazaka on day four, visiting the market, the old railway, and the lakeshore, while reflecting on the region's recovery from Cyclone Gezani and the cost of living in rural Madagascar.
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The Rice Bowl, the Bandro, and the Long Road East
Day three in Ambatondrazaka: Hery walks the lakeshore, visits the old freight railway, and checks the price of a life in the rice bowl, before planning the road east toward Andasibe and the coast.
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Lake Alaotra: The Rice Bowl and the Bandro
On day two in Ambatondrazaka, I explore the Marché Municipal, eat tilapia at Chez Tantine, and take a pirogue at dawn to find the bandro, the only lemur that lives in marsh reeds. Plus the real cost of a day in the rice bowl.
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Rice Bowl Arrival and the Bandro Dawn
Hery makes the long drive north from Moramanga into the Alaotra basin, settles into Ambatondrazaka on Assumption Day, and plans a dawn pirogue trip to find the bandro, the only lemur that lives in marsh reeds. Plus the real cost of a rice-bowl town.
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The Cliff, the Rain, and the Last Night in Antondabe
On his final evening in Antondabe, Hery takes one last walk up the cliff, reflects on the celestite trade and the T18 road, and hears the forest's night chorus before heading east. A quiet episode about saying goodbye to a place that grows on you.
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Last Day in Antondabe: Cliff Views and Rain
Hery spends his final full day in Antondabe, revisiting the cliff, checking in with guide Tovo about the trek, and preparing for the road east. He reflects on the town's economy, the coming Assumption Day holiday, and the practical details of leaving a remote corner of Madagascar.
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The Cliff Economy and Celestite Dreams
On day five in Antondabe, Hery joins guide Tovo for a morning climb up the town's defining cliff, learns how the celestite trade actually works from a local miner, and turns it into a practical conversation about money in rural Madagascar — cash, mobile money, and what a day costs when the nearest ATM is 40 kilometres away.
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Tsingy, Valiha, and the Road to Vangaindrano
Hery spends his fourth day in Antondabe preparing for a trek into Midongy du Sud, learning about local celestite mining, and planning his journey to the coast. He talks money, mobile signals, and the art of being patient in a remote town.
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Celestite Crystals and the Cliff Community
Hery spends his third day in Antondabe learning about the local celestite trade, visiting the community guide cooperative, and understanding how the remote town survives between the rainforest and the coast. Plus practical notes on money, SIM cards, and the value of a good local fixer.
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The Cliff Town and Its Lemurs
Hery spends a full day in Antondabe, from a dawn walk with local guides to a night trek in Midongy du Sud. He hears the indri's call, learns about the celestite trade, and gets practical about money, SIMs, and the long road out.
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The Road East: Rice Bowls and Rainforest
Hery leaves Tana behind, drives the RN2 through Madagascar's rice bowl, and arrives in Antondabe at the edge of Midongy du Sud. A first dusk in the rainforest: mouse lemurs, tree ferns, and the cost of remoteness.
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Last Day in Tana: Flyover Chaos and Haute-Ville Calm
Hery spends his final full day in Antananarivo dealing with the new Anosizato flyover construction, finding a quiet corner in the Haute-Ville for a coffee, and reflecting on the city's contrasts before heading east. He also checks in on the Ivandry rental hunt and gets practical about costs and safety.
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Tana's Last Day: Flyover, Rain, and the Road East
On his final full day in Antananarivo, Hery checks the Anosizato flyover construction, navigates the city's energy crisis, visits the Andafiavaratra Palace, and plans his move east toward Andasibe and the coast.
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A Day in Tana: The French Bakery and Flyover Jam
Hery tackles the Anosizato flyover construction, discovers a French bakery in Haute-Ville, and navigates the energy crisis while hunting for a long-term rental in Ivandry.
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Tana's Heart: Markets, Haute-Ville, and Lemurs
Hery explores the Haute-Ville's colonial lanes, dives into the Analakely market's chaos, and gets up close with lemurs at Lemurs' Park. He also sorts out the practicalities of long-term life in Antananarivo, from mobile money to finding a flat, all with an eye on the road east.
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Highland Mornings and the Art of Waiting
Hery navigates Antananarivo's paperwork, power cuts, and a rainy day with coffee and croissants at Madagascar Coffee Roasters, then explores the silent halls of the Andafiavaratra Palace and the city's creative undercurrents. Practical notes on visas, money, and finding a flat in Ivandry.
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Tana's Pulse: Markets, Music, and Moving Cash
Hery navigates Antananarivo's practical heartbeat: haggling at Analakely for a suitcase, paying with mobile money, dodging the Jazz festival hubbub, and checking in from a baguette-fueled café. Day two is about making the city work for you.
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