Antananarivo is Madagascar’s capital and you will need to pass through it if you want to travel to the country. Known to the Malagasy by it’s French name of Tananarive or simply Tana is located in central Madagascar and is it’s largest city.

The international airport serving Madagascar is Ivato Airport located just outside of Antananarivo You can fly here from Paris, Milan or alternatively you can get a stop over in Johannesberg.

You can rent a car from Ivato Airport to get around the country but will usually be required to have a local driver. See Madagascar Car Hire for more information on driving and renting a car in Madagascar.

The ring taled lemur is unique to Madagascar

Antananarivo Hilton - Madagascar's tallest building

Antananarivo doesn’t have much in the way of regular tourist sights and for many that is the attraction. Most visitors don’t stay in Antananarivo more than a couple of nights and use it to rest before exploring the more interesting parts of Madagascar. The two main hotels in Antananarivo are the French run Colbert Hotel and the Madagascar Hilton which is the tallest building in Madagascar.