Madagascar Ariary
Madagascar has the Malagasy ariary as its official, national currency. It is an interesting currency because it is not a decimal currency (1 of only 2 currencies in the entire world that is not decimal). Each ariary is divided into 5 iraimbilanja and it is not further divided.
The currency is issued by the Central Bank of Madagascar, which is known locally as La Banque Centrale de Madagascar. In coins, the currency is issued in the form of 1 and 2 iraimbilanja as well as 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20 and 50 ariary.
The currency is identified internationally by the letters MGA.
History of the Ariary
The ariary is not a new currency, having been in use since 1961, when it was brought in to basically circulate alongside the Malagasy franc, which was a legacy from the days when the French had ruled Madagascar and the French franc was initially in circulation. The French had actually introduced the Malagasy franc in 1925, as a means of giving some independence to Madagascar, but it was on a par with the French franc, so the two were somewhat inter-changeable, although the Malagasy franc could only be used in Madagascar.
After the ariary was introduced it was equivalent to 5 of the old Malagasy francs. This meant that one iraimbilanja was the equivalent of 1 franc, hence why it made sense to divide the ariary into five!
Until 2005 the ariary was in circulation along with the Malagasy franc. The ariary then became the only official currency in use on the 1st of January of that year.
Getting Hold of Ariary
ATMs are not abundant in Madagascar, but you can make withdrawals from ATM machines in most of the major cities and if you have a Visa card or a Visa Electron card then you should be able to withdraw cash without too much difficulty. MasterCard is also becoming more accepted and you can use MasterCard cards at the BNI bank network, so there are a few opportunities for ATM usage.
If you bring in cash to exchange, then you can do this at a bank or a bureau de change. Many hotels will also exchange money for you, but their rates will be poor, so you will pay heavily for the privilege.
The ariary is a currency that cannot be converted, so you should be careful only to exchange as much as you need and then change them back before you leave the country, or you will find that they are simply unexchangeable.
Traveller's cheques can be taken in, in the form of US dollars or euros. Euros are preferred to dollars, but if travelling from the UK try not to take them in the form of British Pound sterling.
Banks tend to open from 8 am until 11 am and then again from 2 pm until 4 pm, so be careful to make it to the bank during its opening times! Banks close at 4 pm on Fridays and do not re-open until Monday at 8 am.
Some hotels and many of the larger restaurants will accept euros as payment, but it is always best not to rely on using euros as payment, just in case the management have decided that they don't wish to accept them and you will find that the exchange rate is pretty low so best avoided, unless you are absolutely desperate.
Safety Issues
Madagascar is a relatively safe country. That is not to say that it is completely 'crime free' but compared to many other countries, it enjoys a very safe and hassle free way of life.
The risk of violent crime is very low in Madagascar. The risk of terrorism is also very low. There are no organised gangs waiting to rob you at the first opportunity and there are no real problems with muggings or car jackings, it is all relatively peaceful and quiet.
Pick pockets are the only thing that you should be wary of. Pickpockets tend to operate in very crowded places, or if you are seen to be somewhat off your guard, then this can be a problem, but overall, it is simply a country to relax in and see some fantastic wildlife, scenery and meet some great people.
One thing that you should, however, be aware of is that the island has its fair share of beggars. Many of these are very poor and will directly ask you for money, often with imploring tones (you can tell, even if you don't speak Malagasy or French). This presents difficulties for many travellers from western countries. It feels quite 'hard' to just ignore people and if you continuously give, then it simply encourages people to rely on hand outs from Westerners. But if you don't give, are they going to go to bed hungry that night? Some agencies advise that a way round it is to try and have some food available to hand out, fruit or similar and to give this or if it is a child, then something that may interest them, like a pencil or a pen etc. There is no right or wrong, but unlike many countries in the West, there is no comprehensive state aid system and so many people who have fallen on hard times, often through no fault of their own, will have to resort to begging. So, they may be an inconvenience to travellers, but they do deserve to be treated as humans.
Spending Ariary
Money is tight in Madagascar, with some 70%+ of the population living on US$ 1 per day. However, these type of incomes will not go far in tourist areas, which are much more expensive than locals would pay.
In some ways this is very good, because it means that the revenue from tourists can then be ploughed back into the local economy, supposing of course that the hotel is not owned by an international conglomerate!
But if you eat not just in your own hotel, but in some of the local restaurants, then you will generally find that they are very good value and for only 6-8 euros you can eat very well. Obviously if you choose a more upmarket or tourist orientated hotel restaurant the costs will escalate; quite dramatically in fact.
The local restaurants are known as 'hotely' and they are often very small, but generally clean and offer some standard fare to travellers as well as locals.
Drinks are available, but the choice can sometimes be limited, apart from in expensive hotels, because they have to be imported. If you drink locally produced beer and wine it is significantly cheaper.
Shopping tends to be orientated towards handicrafts and markets, although many people love to smell the pure Madagascan vanilla, which is very exotic and yet comforting at the same time. You can buy Madagascan vanilla quite cheaply but you are only permitted to take home 100 gms, which is a good way of making sure you don't export it.
Aromatherapy oils, such as benzoin, ylang ylang and vanilla scented items are also a good buy.
Out and About
When you are in Madagascar you will see the famous lemur monkeys, of which there are about 50 different types in Madagascar. They are cute, cuddly and seem to be just about everywhere and it takes a hard heart not to fall in love with them!
When in the capital, Antananarivo, try to squeeze in seeing the Zoma market, which is reputedly the 2nd biggest in the world and it is absolutely massive. There are also some great architectural sights, such as the Queen's Palace and the Royal Village,
Try to also visit the north of Madagascar which is home to two huge mountains, with the Montagne d'Arbre (Forest mountain) being a national park that has two wonderful sights to offer: orchids and even more lemur monkeys.
Nossi Be is the most important holiday resort on Madagascar and is a lot more 'tourist orientated' than most of the island. It is very much a chill out on the beach with a drink and think about how you are in paradise place, but many people like to have a two week holiday here and in the first week, they stay within the resort and chill and then, during the second week, they get out and about on the island.
If you are considering doing any activities such as water sports or diving, then it is always advisable to check that your insurance policy will cover you for such activities. The policy should also cover you for any eventuality that may happen whereby you would need to be flown by air ambulance to a bigger hospital. If you are seriously injured, you may also want to have a policy that will fly close family members out to stay with you in hospital. Otherwise, any accident that happens when you are participating in water sports or climbing etc, could prove very expensive.
Overview
Madagascar is a wonderful place to visit. It is not a destination that has been affordable to many people for a long period, so the island has not been over run with travellers, which makes a pleasant change.
There is a real feeling in Madagascar that it is a place that people are please to show to travellers and they are very proud of their little island, which has stood proud for so long.
The poverty and begging are the only downsides to Madagascar and it can get a little wearing at times. You want to help, but then after a while, it feels like all you are is a wallet or walking ATM machine, to disperse money to locals.
Yet when you are surrounded by the most beautiful beaches, scenic scenery, basking in the sun and watching the lemur monkeys at play, you really can feel like you have entered some kind of earthly paradise.
For an insiders 'take' on Madagascar, there is a very interesting website at http://www.madagascar.nu/, which gives an interesting insight into the local people, their customs and beliefs. It is only one person's views, but nevertheless, exceptionally interesting and with lots of good links.