Madagascar Safety Guide
Health, security, and travel safety information
Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before your trip.
Healthcare
What to know about medical care in Madagascar.
Madagascar has a tiered system: basic state clinics, regional hospitals, and a handful of private facilities in Antananarivo and provincial capitals.
Befelatanana Hospital (public) and Centre Hospitalier de Soavinandriana (private) are the main referral centres in Antananarivo. In the north, Hôpitaly Be Amparafaravola in Toamasina and Centre Médical de la Côte Est are recommended.
Pharmacies are plentiful in Antananarivo, Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, and Toliara. Stock common antibiotics, rehydration salts, and anti-malarials before leaving the capital. Brands outside these cities can be counterfeit.
Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended. Immigration officials may ask to see proof.
- ✓ Bring prescription medications in original packaging plus a doctor's letter; local substitution is unreliable.
- ✓ Pack a basic first-aid kit including sterile needles, clinics in remote parks such as Isalo and Andasibe often run short.
Common Risks
Be aware of these potential issues.
Pickpocketing and bag-snatching, in Antananarivo's Analakely market, the Avenue de l'Indépendance, and crowded bus stations in Toamasina and Toliara.
Overloaded minibuses, unlit trucks, and wandering zebu herds after dusk.
Malaria and dengue present year-round, peaking after the rainy season (November, April).
Scams to Avoid
Watch out for these common tourist scams.
Individuals posing as miners offer stones at 'mine-gate prices' near Antsirabe or Ilakaka. Stones are low-grade glass or synthetic.
Men at Antananarivo airport or Tana-City bus station claim to be your pre-booked guide, then demand an inflated fee.
Safety Tips
Practical advice to stay safe.
- • Carry a colour scan of your passport and visa. Leave originals in the hotel safe.
- • ATMs in Antananarivo and large towns accept Visa. Withdraw during daylight and avoid standalone machines at night.
- • Pre-book transfers from Ivato Airport through your hotel. Taxi fares double after dark.
- • Seat belts are not always present in taxis-brousse, check before boarding.
- • Drink sealed bottled water or water purified with chlorine tablets. Avoid ice in roadside stalls.
- • Eat hot, freshly cooked meals. Steer clear of uncooked salads outside reputable Antananarivo restaurants.
Information for Specific Travelers
Safety considerations for different traveler groups.
Solo women travellers report few problems beyond occasional street remarks in urban centres.
- → Sit next to other women or families on taxi-brousse routes such as Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa.
- → Use ride-hailing apps like Yango in Antananarivo instead of hailing cabs at night.
Same-sex relations are legal for adults, but same-sex marriage is not recognised.
- → Book twin-bedded rooms in advance to avoid questions. Most hotels in Antananarivo and on Nosy Be are welcoming.
- → Avoid political demonstrations where anti-Western slogans may surface.
Travel Insurance
Protect yourself before you travel.
Medical evacuation to Réunion or South Africa can exceed average annual salaries if uninsured.
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