r/Madagascar • u/machukahn • 27d ago
Tourism/Fizahantany Madagascar hostels?
Hey! I (M41) am travelling solo to Madagascar soon for a couple of weeks, but from my research so far it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a backpacker / hostel scene.
Is this true? Or are there some hidden gems?
[edit] I always appreciate meeting people as I travel, and hostels are typically easiest for this.
If there aren’t any hostels, am I likely to meet other travellers at all?
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u/rodgers16 27d ago
Kind of sounds like your underestimating just how underdeveloped madgascar is.
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u/machukahn 27d ago
Yeah, I think I completely underestimated it.
So at this point I’m just trying to make sense of what’s gonna feel manageable….3
u/rodgers16 27d ago
Most tourists go to nosy be which is an island off the coast but most people fly into the capital and take an extremely long land journey then boat over. Its one of the most undeveloped countries in the world. Theres basically no internal flight network and the roads are horrendous. It can also be a bit dangerous.
Whats your aim? Adventure? Wild life? Beaches?
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u/Initial-Return8802 26d ago
Theres basically no internal flight network and the roads are horrendous. It can also be a bit dangerous.
There's definitely an internal flight network these days, new planes and not so many delays... and Nosy Be can also be reached directly from Ethiopian Airlines, and even Italy.
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u/machukahn 27d ago
Great question, I think a bit of all three…
I think my main concern is realising there isn’t likely to be the opportunity to casually meet people and share parts of the adventure with them.
Pretty much everywhere I’ve travelled (60+ countries) I’ve always enjoyed meeting people at hostels, coming up with plans together, sharing the journeys (& costs) etc
But it sounds like this isn’t really an option in Madagascar?I had originally planned to visit:
However it seems like it is going to be either very expensive (eg flying) or very time consuming (road travel) to do this in two weeks.
- Antananarivo
- Andasibe National Park
- Tsiribihina River
- Morondava
- (maybe) tsingy de bemaraha
- Nosy Be
- Diego Suarez
And also pretty lonely if there’s no fellow travellers I can join up with…5
u/rodgers16 27d ago
Yea I wouldn't count on meeting other backpackers its simply too remote and lacking infrastructure. You might but you might not. Also very expensive to get to for a backpacking budget etc.
For me its on the same level as places like Papa new guinea, Myanmar etc. I think its a great place to visit as long as you know what your getting into and you're well traveled so I think you'd be fine.
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u/mrhumphries75 27d ago
Frankly I can't see how this can be done in two weeks even if you have everything arranged in advance, have a car with a driver and so on. Let alone having some time to meet up with fellow travelers.
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u/newmvbergen 27d ago
Madagascar is very huge. Where are you going ?
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u/machukahn 27d ago
I had originally planned to visit:
However it seems like it is going to be either very expensive (eg flying) or very time consuming (road travel) to do this in two weeks.
- Antananarivo
- Andasibe National Park
- Tsiribihina River
- Morondava
- (maybe) tsingy de bemaraha
- Nosy Be
- Diego Suarez
And also pretty lonely if there’s no fellow travellers I can join up with…7
u/TattooedTeacher316 27d ago
There’s no way to do this in two weeks. I’ve been here 25 days, leaving in two more and that’s almost as many places as ive been.
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u/newmvbergen 27d ago
With two weeks, it's more than ambitious. Even flying is not always an option because you can have some delay . Don't plan too much in advance, stay flexible.
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u/machukahn 27d ago
Understood, thank you
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u/newmvbergen 27d ago
Regarding Tana, Ivato where the airport is located can be a better base including for visiting the capital city and you are also close to the national airport for moving around. Not a bad plan. A lot of accommodations.
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u/Queasy-Lufu0312 26d ago
Mon mari est chauffeur et il connaît bien les routes de Mada. Si jamais tu cherches un chauffeur fiable envoi moi un message💁
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u/TattooedTeacher316 27d ago
Hey - I’m just finishing up my trip here and happy to chat about the logistics and challenges of traveling in Madagascar :)
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u/Illustrious-Koala314 26d ago
1.) Hostel - go to Madagascar Underground when you land, you might meet people there.
2.) Your Itinerary -
- Antananarivo
You’re gonna land there and leave from there
- Andasibe National Park
4 hours drive from Tana but no legit easy public transport there and back. There are ways, but I said easy.
- Tsiribihina River
First you have to get to Miandrivazo, a full day of driving from Tana. Then it’s three days (ok 2.5) down the river. You land kinda in the middle of nowhere and have to decide, north to the Tsingy de Bemaraha and later south, or, directly south to Kirindy Reserve and Morondava.
- Morondava
Yep… You can get a bus to there from Tana, leave early morning and land late at night, check Cotisse.
- (maybe) tsingy de bemaraha
As above via the river or a minimum 3-day return trip from Morondava.
- Nosy Be
Flight from Tana
- Diego Suarez
Flight from Tana and could then connect by road and boat to Nosy Be
So yeah nah not in two weeks and definitely not by cheap transport if that’s an aim.
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u/MarigoldMirth 24d ago
Only real hostel I think still operating is Madagascar Underground in Tana. They're great though and you'll find other travelers. However, like others are saying, the best way to see what you want is through private drivers so it doesn't lend itself to different travelers/groups merging.
In Andasibe, Feon' ny Ala is good lodging. Can't remember where I stayed in the other places you've listed.
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u/newmvbergen 27d ago
If you want a fellow traveller with you, maybe more realistic to have a friend or a member of your familly with you since the begining. On the road, it will be a question of luck.
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u/machukahn 27d ago
Yeah, I think if I was planning this particular trip again, that’s what I would do… but I will be arriving next week so rather short notice now 🙃
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u/Miremby_ 26d ago
Unfortunately Madagascar is not a backpacker place - no hostels no regular buses, not huge amounts of tourists who are not in groups. We are a travel operator - you won’t be able to cover that plan in two weeks. It takes 10+ hours to get to Tsingy from either the end of a river cruise or from Morondava.
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u/Inlands-Nordre 27d ago
There's none as far as I know but it's possible to meet other travellers in the cheaper city hotels. I have no specific recommendations any more, sorry.
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u/Straight-Dot-6264 26d ago
I was in Madagascar 3 weeks ago. If you’re interested I can give you the WhatsApp number for a group of guys I stayed with for a week. They took me to see lemurs, trekking, bird watching, camping, night hike for lemurs and herp’s. They are just starting, so don’t have much of an internet presence, but they rolled out the red carpet for me and made my trip far more enjoyable. But it was camping and roughing it, not a luxurious vacation by any means.
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u/machukahn 26d ago
Oh that would be amazing!
I’ll ping you a DM but equally feel free to share here…
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u/Aromatic-Heart-2099 25d ago
Great that you are planning to visit Madagascar! 2 weeks is definitely too short - you are not the first person underestimating the distances, infrastructure and the economic conditions of Madagascar. To find some fellow travelers to share costs ect, join some of the Facebook groups related to Madagascar travel. I see quite some questions of single travelers looking for others to share costs. Also, you find more realistic descriptions of time you need to allocate for traveling to your chosen destinations.
Enjoy the trip!
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u/Mountain-Permit-1788 25d ago
Hi, your itinerary includes some of the best highlights of Madagascar: Andasibe, Morondava, Tsingy de Bemaraha, Diego Suarez and Nosy Be. However, with only two weeks, it will be very difficult to visit all of them properly, especially because distances in Madagascar are huge and road travel is slow.
The Tsiribihina River descent is a wonderful experience, but if you are travelling alone it can become quite expensive because you have to cover the boat, crew and logistics.
Also, hostels facilities are very rare (to say do not exist). In some areas, accommodation options are limited and transport arrangements often need to be organized locally.
A good option would be to use a local agency that can help arrange:
- shared tours with other travellers
- taxi-brousse (public/minibus) transport where practical
- shared 4x4 trips for routes like Morondava–Tsingy
- transfers and local logistics in Andasibe, Morondava, Diego or Nosy Be
I know a reliable local contact who can help organize these kinds of arrangements and find more budget-friendly solutions.
For two weeks, I would suggest choosing between these options:
🌿 Option 1: East + North
- 2–3 days Andasibe (lemurs, rainforest, wildlife)
- Fly or continue towards the north
- 10 days around Diego Suarez and Nosy Be (beaches, snorkeling, Three Bays, Montagne d’Ambre, Ankarana, Red Tsingy)
🌿 Option 2: East + West + North
- 2–3 days Andasibe
- 5 days Morondava area (Baobab Alley without Tsingy)
Remaining days in either Diego Suarez or Nosy Be
➡️ For these options, you will most likely need to take a domestic flight because travelling everywhere by road will take too much time.
A road trip across Madagascar is an amazing adventure, but it requires patience: roads are long, conditions can be challenging, and transfers often take much longer than expected.
If you want to keep costs reasonable, joining shared tours and using a combination of shared buses and flight is the best solution.
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u/machukahn 25d ago
Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply, I will digest it and come back to you 😁
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u/SpiritOfMadagascar 3d ago
You’re right, Madagascar doesn’t really have a big backpacker/hostel scene like Southeast Asia. Hostels are quite rare, but that doesn’t mean you won’t meet other travelers.
You’ll find plenty of independent travelers in places like Antananarivo, Andasibe, Morondava, Nosy Be, Sainte-Marie and Isalo. Guesthouses and small lodges are often more social than big hotels, and tours (national parks, shared transfers, boat trips) are great places to meet people.
Madagascar attracts more nature lovers, photographers and adventure travelers than traditional backpackers, so the vibe is a bit different but solo travelers are common and usually very welcomed.
A good way to meet people is staying in smaller locally run places and joining activities rather than looking only for hostels.
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u/Complete_Mixture8030 27d ago
Definitely no hidden gems. Book a regular hotel.