Get ready for an innovative trip to Mananjary!

 Located away from the hustle and bustle of large cities, Mananjary is the perfect place to go for an innovative trip. On the edge of the Canal of Pangalanes, this small village in the southeast of Madagascar will answer all your desires.
 
Mananjary, a city in the southeast of Madagascar, is located 161 km north from Manakara. Classified as a port city, this area is home to Lake Mahela directly overlooking the sea. This stretch of water is known as the place where French Jean Laborde's boat ran aground. The inhabitants will tell you that the anchor chain which you find on the spot is the anchor from that industrial adventurer’s boat.
 
A veritable garden of exoticism, Mananjary will delight nature lovers. To satisfy your escape desires, lose yourself in the plantations of coffee trees and clove trees, and then learn about the region’s biodiversity! Enjoy a refreshing treatment at the beach of Sidi Eden! The rest of your journey will be an excursion by dugout canoe in the Canal of Pangalanes, leading you to some fishermen villages.
 
During your visit, you will always be welcomed by the local people with a smile which you will find nowhere else. These people with their exemplary kindness are always ready to serve you. A stop by the river port and the marketplace will help you to better imbibe the lifestyle of the Antambahoaka people.
 
You will learn more about the Antambahoaka culture through the Sambatra event. This great traditional circumcision ceremony, taking place every 7 years, marks the passage of teeagers into adulthood. You will also hear about the legend of the twins.
 
This article was featured in Prime Magazine July 2017

Useful Information

When to go

Mananjary offers a tropical climate. During the month of February, the precipitation rate is very high and the temperature can vary from 27°C to 30°C in daytime and comes down to 23°C at night. It is preferable to plan your trip during the dry season, in other words between June and November. We recommend that you bring a raincoat on your next vacation in this southeastern city of Madagascar.

How to get there

The only way to reach your destination, which is located 525 km away from Antananarivo is by road. This first part of your journey, joined by Fianarantsoa will take about nine hours. After a relaxing stopover in the capital city of the Betsileo region, take the RN25 road through Vohiparara, which will take you six to seven hours on an adventurous road.

Where to stay

For your accommodation in Mananjary, we suggest you book your rooms at Hotel Jardin de Mer, Hotel Le Patio or Hotel Vahiny Lodge. These hotels offer services which will meet your expectations.

Where to eat

Mananjary has good restaurants where you can order typical dishes. Le Picadow and Le Patio are among the best addresses in town. La Boucane is also credited with a very good rating by visitors. However you can eat at your hotel's restaurant.

What to see

Mananjary can be the beginning of your adventure in the southeast and east coasts of Madagascar. You can indeed get onboard of a boat at the river port of the city and sail down the Canal des Pangalanes to Mahanoro. You will travel in the middle of a rich and unique vegetation.