Travel advisory · MadagascarSome governments advise against travel to parts of Madagascar.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
Also named by one government: Anosy region (France), Battery Beach (Germany), Betroka (France), Pic Saint-Louis (Germany), Tsiribihina river banks (Germany)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | No specific advice; general precautions only | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Exercise increased caution | Dec 5, 2025 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Exercise a high degree of caution | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | No advice against the whole country (regional advisories) | Oct 16, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Exercise increased caution | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Vigilance renforcée (en jaune) sur l'ensemble du territoire (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Madagascar
Madagascar is an island off southeastern Africa known for lemurs, baobab avenues and rainforest parks, and about 90% of its wildlife and plants live nowhere else.
Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off southeastern Africa, separated from the mainland by the Mozambique Channel. It is the world's fourth-largest island. About 90% of its wildlife and plants are found nowhere else. Lemurs, the flagship animals, have more than 100 species and subspecies recorded as of 2012, nearly all rare, vulnerable or endangered.
Travelers come for the baobab avenues and spiny forests of the south and west, and for the rainforest parks of the east, where six national parks make up a World Heritage site. The capital, Antananarivo, sits in the central highlands. Most roads are unpaved, so allow extra time for overland trips. May to October is the cooler, drier season and the best time to visit, when cyclones are less likely. The rainy season runs from November to April, and east coast cyclones peak between January and March.
Five things to know before Madagascar
- Get your visa on arrival or as an e-Visa
Visitors can buy a visa on arrival at the airport, or apply online first on the official eVisa portal. The fee depends on the length of stay, up to 90 days, so check the current amount. Visas and entry
- Carry your passport, not a copy
Police make random ID checks and do not always accept photocopies. Keep a copy apart from the original in case it is lost. UK travel advice
- Allow whole days for road transfers
Many national routes are slow and potholed, and heavy rain closes some roads. Domestic flights save days on long hops such as Antananarivo to the north or the southwest.
- Avoid the west coast in cyclone season
Cyclones mostly strike between January and March, when the west and north can flood and tracks close. April to November is drier across most of the island.
- Declare cash of €7,500 or more on arrival
Undeclared foreign cash above that amount can be seized when you leave. Exports are limited too, for example to 2 kg of vanilla. UK entry rules
Madagascar travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Visa on arrival, the e-Visa and passport rules.
Read the guideTravel insuranceMedical and evacuation cover, and what policies exclude.
Read the guidePhones and eSIMGetting data in Madagascar from the day you land.
Read the guideMoney and costsCash, cards, ATMs and what to carry for rural stretches.
Read the guideGetting aroundDomestic flights, long-distance buses and hiring a driver.
Read the guide
Destinations in Madagascar
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- MGA 30,000
- Food
- MGA 15,000
- Transport
- MGA 2,000
- Sights
- MGA 10,000
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- MGA 100,000
- Food
- MGA 50,000
- Transport
- MGA 15,000
- Sights
- MGA 30,000
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- MGA 250,000
- Food
- MGA 120,000
- Transport
- MGA 50,000
- Sights
- MGA 100,000
When to go
- Rainy days
- Best
- JanuaryRain23 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Wet, cyclone riskJanuaryRain
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 404 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, cyclone risk
- FebruaryRain21 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Wet, cyclone riskFebruaryRain
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 296 mm
- Rainy days
- 21
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, cyclone risk
- MarchRain21 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Cyclone riskMarchRain
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 227 mm
- Rainy days
- 21
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cyclone risk
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Green, dryingAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 58 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, drying
- MayPartly cloudy3 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Dry, mildMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 15 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, mild
- JuneClear3 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Cool, dryJuneClear
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 15 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°CoolestJulyClear
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 8 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Coolest
- AugustClear2 rainy daysHigh22°Low10°Cool, dryAugustClear
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 9 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- SeptemberClear1 rainy dayHigh24°Low11°Dry, warmSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 7 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, warm
- OctoberClear6 rainy daysHigh27°Low14°Warm, dryOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 37 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, dry
- NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh28°Low16°Warm, rains nearNovemberRain
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 154 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, rains near
- DecemberRain19 rainy daysHigh26°Low16°Rains startDecemberRain
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 233 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains start
Average daily high and low in Antananarivo, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Madagascar
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
20
- Feels like
- 20°
- Humidity
- 85%
- Wind
- 10 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 10%
Antananarivo
11:36 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today29°16°10%Monday: Fog. High 29°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Tue29°17°28%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 28%.
- Wed28°18°98%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 28°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Thu26°15°22%Thursday: Drizzle. High 26°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 22%.
- Fri27°15°4%Friday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Sat28°15°4%Saturday: Cloudy. High 28°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Sun29°15°8%Sunday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 8%.
Updated 08:38 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 4,589 MGA
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Madagascar
Madagascar FAQ
Do I need a visa for Madagascar?
Yes, but you can buy one on arrival at the main airports or apply online before travel. The fee depends on how long you stay, up to 90 days; check the current amount on the official eVisa portal.
When is the best time to visit Madagascar?
April to November is the dry season and the easiest time to travel. September to November is warm and good for lemurs with young; January to March brings cyclones and closed roads.
How many days do I need in Madagascar?
Two weeks covers one route, such as the RN7 south from Antananarivo to the parks and the coast. Three weeks lets you add the baobabs in the west or the north by domestic flight.
Can I use cards in Madagascar?
Only in larger hotels and some shops in the capital. Most payments are in ariary cash, so use ATMs in cities and carry enough for rural stretches.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for Madagascar?
Only if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. Ask a travel clinic about malaria tablets, which matter more on most routes.