Tamatave or Toamasina, the port city in Madagascar

The second largest city in Madagascar, Tamatave is a city with many facets. Tamatave is located in the eastern part of the island and is home to the largest port on the island. Once populated by fishermen, Tamatave is now a tourist attraction where foreigners and locals alike discover the best the city has to offer.

About 370 km from Antananarivo and there are many means of transportation to access Tamatave. However, the long distances between Antananarivo and Tamatave can be covered in a rental car or on a motorcycle. Moreover, it is the best way to discover at the same time all the richness that the country has to offer in this part of the island.

On the way to Tamatave to discover

To get to this famous eastern port city, you must take the RN2 north from Antananarivo. However, the road leading to Tamatave is rich in villages and towns that are also worth a detour.

Meeting with the cheese producers of Ambatomanga

It is also the RN2 that leads to the mythical village of Ambatomanga. A detour to this village, famous for its cheeses, will allow you to taste the soft flavor of the local cheeses. Only 18 km from Antananarivo, Ambatomanga is the cradle of pure cheese. The Fi cheese factory, which has existed for more than 30 years, is the leading brand of dairy products in this region. A visit to the factory will allow you to learn more about the preparation of the famous Ambatomanga cheese and participate in a tasting.

Moramaga and its virgin forests

Moramanga is a 3-hour drive from Antananarivo and is the first town you will pass through before you Reach Tamatave. You will be in Moramanga not be out of place, because there is no shortage of activities. From the city you can visit the Lake Alaotra, Andasibe or the city Ambatondrazaka discover

To get to Andasibe National Park, you just have to continue on RN2 and drive about 25 km from Moramanga. A detour to the left on the same road will take you to the Mitsinjo Reserve or to the VOIMMA Park.

Brickaville and its tropical fruits

If you continue on the RN2, you will reach the next town after Moramanga. Brickaville is characterized by its abundance of fruits. In the fruit-growing region of the country, you will have the opportunity to taste wonderful fruits depending on the season: mangoes, lychees, bananas, sugar cane and many others.

If you are adventurous, Brickaville also offers many places suitable for trekking and hiking.

Discover Tamatave in all its glory

The eastern region of Madagascar is characterized by the density of its forests. This also explains the hot and rainy climate all year round. Nevertheless, Tamatave has much to offer its visitors and many activities await you.

A pirogue ride

As a port city, Tamatave offers you the opportunity to visit the Pangalanes Canal to cross by pirogue. This walk will allow you to discover the Palmarium Reserve. During your walk along the canal you can appreciate the beauty of the city and the small islands around it.

A visit to the Ivoloina Park

Once in Tamatave, you will appreciate the beauty of the city. Also called by some the "Malagasy Venice". It is important to know that Tamatave is often exposed to light rain. However, the sun is present there most of the time.

In the east of the island is the Ivoloina park. To get there, you need to drive another 12 km north from Tamatave. A route leading to the park is passable by motorcycle all year round. This gives you the opportunity to admire the beauty of the landscape of eastern Madagascar at close range.

Ivoloina Park is open to the public until 5 pm and can be visited with or without a guided tour. You will discover the famous lemurs of Madagascar. Some are kept in captivity others live in complete freedom. You will have the pleasure of discovering 13 different species of these famous lemurs. During your visit to the park you will also be confronted with chameleons and turtles radiata and pryxis.

Visit the lighthouse on the island of plums

The building, which is considered the tallest lighthouse in Africa, is almost 60 meters high. Built between 1931 and 1933, the lighthouse is one of the many tourist attractions of Tamatave. To get there, you need to make a crossing of 1 h 30 towards Alagnagna Island in the northwest of Tamatave. Besides the lighthouse, you can also visit the islet and its natural riches.

A tour to discover the lychee

The city of Tamatave is considered the most important Lychee producer known in Madagascar. On site you have the opportunity to participate in guided tours around the cultivation and production of this exotic fruit. Especially interesting for this is November. Aware of the role of the lychee industry in his region, one of the lychee exporters decided to link this sector with that of tourism. According to this exporter named Faly Rasaminana, national and international tourists are interested in knowing what stages this fruit goes through before it reaches their plate. Hence the idea of a special tour around the lychee that leads the tourist to discover the cultivation fields to the processing plant, without forgetting the tasting of the fruit and its preparations at will. The Regional Tourist Board of Toamasina is in favor of the introduction of this new route, which will obviously benefit the company Faly Export,. At the same time, it is the image of the entire lychee sector that will benefit from the spin-offs of this innovative approach. This particular lychee tour lasts half a day, so it does not take too much time of tourists.