Just Landed in Madagascar? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is how most people get online; fixed home broadband from Yas or Orange exists in Antananarivo but installation is slow and coverage patchy. No operator reliably sells eSIMs to prepaid customers, so buy a physical SIM in person with your passport. Yas is generally considered to have the best network and data value, Orange has strong urban coverage, and Airtel is a budget alternative; all three fade fast off the main roads.

Typical cost: SIM MGA 500-5,000; a monthly data bundle roughly MGA 20,000-50,000 (Yas around MGA 20,000-25,000 for ~15GB); small daily top-ups from MGA 100-1,000

Madagascar runs on cash in ariary, one of the world's lower-value currencies, so everyday spending involves fat wads of notes. Cards work in upscale hotels, some Tana supermarkets (Shoprite, Leader Price, Score/Jumbo) and larger restaurants, but almost nowhere else. Mobile money is the real backbone of daily payments and transfers, and having a wallet set up early saves endless fumbling for change.

Opening an account: Opening a local account at BNI Madagascar, BOA (Bank of Africa), BFV-Société Générale or BMOI generally requires a residence permit, passport, proof of address and sometimes a local reference or employer letter. BFV-SG is favoured by expats for its international links and BOA for its branch and ATM network. Expect the process to be paper-heavy, conducted in French, and to take several visits over a couple of weeks.

Cash: Predominantly cash. Keep small notes for taxis, markets and street food, and never rely on a single ATM outside major towns. Mobile money via MVola (Yas), Orange Money and Airtel Money is used everywhere for topping up airtime, paying merchants, splitting bills and sending money to family, and agents on most street corners handle cash-in and cash-out.

Tipping: Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory: round up or leave 5-10% in restaurants, a small note for guides, porters and drivers, and remember that in a low-wage economy modest tips are genuinely valued.

Foreigners staying beyond a short visit must regularise their stay through the immigration authorities, moving from a tourist entry visa to a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour) or residence permit tied to a purpose such as work, business, marriage or retirement. The process links your residence to a registered local address and to a sponsoring employer, spouse or activity, and it is documentary and in French. This legal immigration registration is entirely separate from the optional, informational registration you do with your own embassy, and it cannot be substituted by it.

Deadline: Regularise before your entry visa or visa-on-arrival period expires; long-stay and residence permits are handled through immigration and should not be left until after the visa lapses, as overstaying complicates renewals and departures.

Where: Service de l'Immigration et de l'Émigration (immigration office) in Antananarivo, or the relevant regional immigration office; work-related permits also involve the Ministry of Labour.

In Antananarivo you will mix ride-hailing, ordinary taxis (older cream-and-beige cars, no meters, negotiate the fare first) and crowded taxi-be minibuses that run fixed city routes very cheaply but are cramped and confusing for newcomers. Between towns, long-distance taxi-brousse bush taxis are the norm; roads are slow, often in poor condition, and journeys that look short on a map can take all day. Avoid hailing cabs on the street at night and prefer a known driver or ride-hailing after dark.

From the airport: Ivato International Airport (TNR) is about 15-20 km northwest of central Antananarivo. Use a pre-booked hotel transfer or a Yango ride; a regular taxi runs roughly MGA 50,000-80,000, and the trip takes 45-60 minutes with the capital's heavy traffic. There is no train or metro link, so road transfer is your only realistic option.

Most newcomers rent through local agents, expat Facebook groups or word of mouth, as very few listings appear online. Furnished flats and gated villas cluster in northern and eastern Antananarivo neighbourhoods such as Ivandry, Ambatobe, Andraharo and Ambatoroka that are popular with expats and diplomats. Always factor in a standby generator or inverter and a water reserve given frequent JIRAMA cuts, and check security arrangements like walls, gates and a guardian (gardien).

Typical rent: A furnished expat-standard two-bedroom in a good Antananarivo neighbourhood runs roughly MGA 1,500,000-4,000,000 per month; a simple local unfurnished flat can cost a fraction of that. A one-bedroom in a central, well-located building typically sits around MGA 900,000-1,800,000.

Deposit norm: Two to three months' rent as a deposit is standard, often with several further months paid in advance; higher-end landlords and some agencies quote and expect payment in euros, and leases and receipts are usually in French.

Public healthcare is under-resourced and best avoided for anything serious; expats rely on a handful of private clinics in Antananarivo. Standards are limited even privately, so for major surgery, serious accidents or complex conditions, medical evacuation to Réunion, Mauritius or South Africa is the realistic plan, and that is why evacuation insurance is non-negotiable.

How to access it: Go directly to a private clinic such as Polyclinique d'Ilafy or the Clinique et Maternité de Saint François d'Assise in Antananarivo; there is no gatekeeping GP system, so you present, pay upfront in cash, and reclaim from your insurer afterwards. Keep a personal stock of any regular medication, as specific drugs can be hard to find and pharmacies run short. Watch for malaria, especially outside the highlands, and confirm your vaccinations before arrival.

Insurance: Comprehensive international health insurance that explicitly covers medical evacuation and repatriation is essential; local cover is minimal, and an air ambulance to Réunion or South Africa can cost tens of thousands of euros if you are uninsured.

• Greet people and exchange a few pleasantries before getting to business; rushing straight to the point reads as rude and damages relationships.
• Learn the concept of fihavanana (kinship and solidarity) and a few Malagasy phrases such as 'salama' (hello), 'manao ahoana' (how are you) and 'misaotra' (thank you).
• Dress modestly and neatly; smart casual is respected in offices and towns, and beachwear stays at the coast.
• Ask before photographing people, tombs or ceremonies, and respect local fady (taboos), which vary by region, village and family.
• Use your right hand or both hands to give and receive items, and accept offers of food or drink graciously as a sign of respect.
• Be patient and soft-spoken in dealings with officials and neighbours; a calm, respectful manner opens far more doors than pressure or frustration.
• Show deference to elders, who hold significant social authority, and let them lead in greetings and decisions.

• Fady (taboos) are taken seriously and differ from place to place; if a local says something is forbidden, do not argue, test it or push past it.
• Avoid public criticism that could embarrass someone; keeping face matters and blunt directness can offend even when you mean well.
• Political demonstrations can turn tense and violent quickly; steer well clear of protests, roadblocks and large gatherings, especially given the recent unrest.
• Do not photograph or approach government buildings, military, police or airports, which can attract suspicion or trouble.
• Be discreet with visible wealth, phones and jewellery in crowded areas and markets, as displays of money draw pickpockets.