The cheapest flights to Madagascar probably come out of UK bucket shops, but there are also direct flights from Paris, Rome, Singapore, Johanesburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Zurich. There are no direct flights from North America or Australasia, so if you are coming from there you will need to fly to Europe, Mauritius or South Africa and change there.

There are limited opportunities for travelling by sea to Madagascar and such aspirations will only be realized with plenty of time and determination. Expensive cruise liners, private yachts and the occasional cargo ship depart from several countries on the East African coast.

There are any number of ways to get around Madagascar, from air to zebu cart (a common form of transport in the back blocks); from pousse-pousse or rickshaw in the flatter towns to taxis-brousses (bush taxis) in the bush. Decrepit buses and sort of new minibuses are an alternative to the taxis-brousses between Tana and nearby towns, and they leave from the chaotic taxi-brousse stations. Taxis-brousses are the most popular and cheapest way to get around, and the term is generic to cover any form of public transport that is not a bus or minibus. They are often slow and break down, are overcrowded and sometimes dangerous, but are also usually great fun.

Because of the vast distances and the poor state of the roads, you may want to make some parts of your trip on 'Air Mad' as the national carrier is fondly known. It has an excellent network to over 60 cities and towns, and despite its nickname is a reliable carrier. It also regularly offers discounts of up to 20-30% on internal flights if you have used it to fly into the country.