Antsirabé (ant-sira-bay) is the third largest city on the island of Madagascar. In 1872, a Norwegian missionary discovered its cool climate, serene environs and therapeutic thermal springs and set up a retreat here. Very soon the French, who were regular visitors to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, found Antsirabé to be the ideal getaway from the din and bustle of Antananarivo. Antsirabé'spopularity grows still today, with more and more visitors discovering the beauty of Antsirabé every year. You can do the same today: Just a few hours drive from Antananarivo, you can experience the thermal-spring ambiance of the town with a stay at one of the many Antsirabé hotels.
Palm fringed boulevards, scenic excursion spots, exotic shopping - you can find them all in Antsirabé.
Today Antsirabé is cluttered and chaotic. People of very modest economic means vie with each other to earn their daily bread from the tourists. Still, it retains a certain old world charm and a distinctive character. Palm fringed boulevards, scenic excursion spots, exotic shopping - you can find them all in Antsirabé.
As soon as you step off the taxi brousse at Antsirabé, you will be besieged by the pousse-pousse drivers. Pousse-pousses are brightly coloured rickshaws pulled by very persistent drivers who need to pay off their daily rentals and feed their families. They are the best mode of transport in Antsirabé, with their drivers being among the most well informed and resourceful people to take you around the town and the neighbouring tourist spots. There are pousse-pousses on every nook and corner. The competition between the drivers is stiff, so you might get yourself a very good bargain. Look for a younger driver if time is a constraint for they are quicker, otherwise take an older driver whose experience you can benefit from. Using the local knowledge of the pousse-pousse drivers to explore the town is a great way to take yourself on a self guided Antsirabé tour. Check out our map of Antsirabé to help you plan your Antsirabé tours.
Antsirabé has a lot to offer in terms of local handicrafts. Do explore its small streets and discover the numerous small shops in Antsirabé dealing in Malagasy handicrafts and artefacts. The artefacts themselves are unique and exhibit the skill of the craftsmen and their eye for minute detail. The shop keepers are aggressive in their marketing strategies! So beware and do not get persuaded into picking up items which you are really not serious about. Also do bargain. You are expected to and since there are many sellers, you can afford to drive a hard bargain.
The best way to discover these Antsirabé shops is to hire a pousse-pousse with a resourceful driver as many of these shops are tucked away in small lanes and his eagerness to retain your custom will make him take you to the most efficient ones. The pousse-pousse fare for one shop is about AR 400. Subsequent fares will depend on the number of shops you would like to visit. You will have no trouble finding a pousse-pousse driver as many as ready and waiting near to all Antsirabé hotels.
Antsirabé also offers semi precious and precious stones which make interesting mementoes and souvenirs. Ask the driver to take you to the street where these sellers are concentrated. Choose your stones and watch the craftsmen cutting and polishing them to suit your specifications.
There are some nice excursion spots and exciting things to see & do in Antsirabé. The Tsirbihina River in West Madagascar involves a three day trip that can be organised by a tour operator. Then there is Lac Ranomafana and the hot thermal springs near it. Lac actually means ‘lake' and Ranomafana means ‘hot water'. Small private cubicles in a complex near the springs enable you to have a bath with the spring waters with a massage thrown in at rock bottom prices!
Lac Tritiva and Lac Andraikiba are also worth visiting. Lac Tritiva is 20 kilometres away while Lac Andraikiba is only 7 kilometres away. You can hire a mountain bike and bike your way to these lakes. But do remember, contrary to what the Lonely Planet guide says, the rides could be strenuous and difficult. The roads are uneven and involve steep descents which could be treacherous. The ride is likely to be time consuming and tiring. Do start early. As the day wears on, it becomes hotter and there are only a few booths on the way which also serve only unrefrigerated refreshments. The small footpath shop on the Avenue de L'independence, near Hotel De Eau leases out sturdy bikes.
Lake Tritiva is the smaller but busier of the two as it is more scenic. Lake Andraikiba is larger with numerous small alcoves for resting either after a swim or a bike ride. You have to pay a small fee at the road that leads to the lakes.
Further down on the same road is Betafo where you can soak in the flavour of a typical Merina village. The road is straight and flat so you can get there either by taxi or mountain bike.
Antsirabé has adequate tourist infrastructure with many Antsirabé hotels and restaurants available to ensure your get the most out of your Antsirabé holiday..
