'''Morondava This is a picture-postcard town in the Menabe region in south west Madagascar. In former times Morondava was a centre of the [[Sakalava]] Kingdom and a popular stop-over for sailors. Today the area is rich in sugar and rice farming, while remaining a popular stop-over in particular for tourists travelling to and from [[Tsingy de Bemaraha]] National Park.''' [[File:Morondava 0102.jpg|600px|none|thumb|Schooner in Morondava]] <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="margin-right:10px;"><tr><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0078.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Nosy Kely]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0082.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Zebu owners]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0088.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Zebu market]]</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0065.jpg|189px|none|thumb|[[Big fish]]]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0110.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Zebu cart]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0036.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Zebu cart at sugar cane field]]</td></tr> </table> As the population has grown in the region the forests have also been gradually cut down, except the baobab trees which the locals has preserved for religious reasons. However, unfortunately deforestation to make way for sugar cane plantations continues in large areas including some of the remaining baobabs. Morondava can be reached by a 700km drive from [[Antanarivo]]. However, the road conditions in the latter part of the journey, the 120km between [[Miandrivazo]] and [[Malaimbandy]], are especially poor and can take six hours. The entire drive can take between 11 and 18 hours. As such, Morondava is best reached by plane. There are daily flights by [[Air Madagascar]] connecting Antanarivo and [[Tulear]]. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="margin-right:10px;"><tr><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0051.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Schooner]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0010.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Beach at Nosy Kely]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0061.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Beach more helupfl than anything else Ive looked at Nosy Kely]]</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0117.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Morondava from the air]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0060.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Beach at Nosy Kely]]</td><td valign="top">[[File:Morondava 0001.jpg|189px|none|thumb|Round rice fields]]</td></tr> </table> Nearby attractions include [[Kirindy Forest]] (40km northeast), [[Baobab Avenue]] (15km east), [[Belo sur Mer]] and [[Kirindi-Mitea National Park]] (70km south) and [[Tsingy de Bemaraha]] (150km north). Scenic charter flights over the most spectacular areas of [[Tsingy de Bemaraha]] can be booked in Morondava at the [http://www.baobabtour.com Baobab Café]. Available aircrafts are Cessna 172 (max. 3 passengers), Cessna 210 (max. 5 passengers) or Cessna 421 (max. 7 passangers). Air charters elsewhere in Madagascar can also be booked here. About 12km from town enroute Baobab Avenue is [[Parc Menabe]], a small zoo including a couple of lemurs, a crocodile, various chameleons and a collection of green Malagasy lovebirds. Additionally, this is an ostrich farm set up by a South African expat who brought the ostriches to Madagascar. As such, Morondava may be the only place in Madagascar where ostrich meat can be found on restaurant menus. '''Update March 2010:''' As a likely result of a downturn in tourism, this nice zoo along with the ostrich farm appears to have closed. However, the animals are still roaming around the park area and are being fed by by zoo a keeper. ''Taxi de la mer'' is a boat transfer that runs twice a week between Morondava and Belo sur Mer and which takes about 2½ hours. The price is 50,000 each way. Reservations can be made at the office in the port or at the ''Hatea Café'' on Nosy Kely. Tel: +261 032 0469261. <!-- or email: [mailto:hatea04@yahoo.fr hatea04@yahoo.fr]. BOUNCED! --> <table width="600" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #cecfce"><tr><td><googlemap version="0.9" lat="-20.290819" lon="44.277091" type="satellite" zoom="15" controls="large">-20.291705, 44.278121Morondava</googlemap></td></tr></table> == Accommodation == Morondava offers plenty of accommodation alternatives, ranging from budget backpacker rooms to comfortable beach bungalows. The hotels are either in the town or on Nosy Kely peninsula, a few minutes walk from the town centre. '''Baobab Café'''<br>Tel: +261 9552012<br>Email: [mailto:baobabtours@blueline.mg baobabtours@blueline.mg]<br>Website: [http://www.baobabtour.com www.baobabtour.com] '''[[Chez Maggie]]'''<br>Tel: +261 9552347<br>Email: [mailto:info@chezmaggie.com info@chezmaggie.com]<br>Website: [http://www.chezmaggie.com www.chezmaggie.com] '''Hôtel Les Bougainvilliers'''<br>Tel: +261 209552163 <br>Email: N/A<!-- Email: [mailto:bol_nd@yahoo.fr bol_nd@yahoo.fr] BOUNCED! --> '''La Piroge''' (about 30km north of town in a small Makao fishing village across a river)<br>Tel: +261 320778293<br>Email: [mailto:piroguiers@yahoo.fr piroguiers@yahoo.fr] '''Les Mantalys''' (near the airport)<br>Tel: +261 324204877<br>Email: [mailto:hotelmantalys@yahoo.fr hotelmantalys@yahoo.fr]<br>Website: [http://www.hotel-mantalys.com www.hotel-mantalys.com] '''Les Philaos''' (managed by same company as Hotel Central)<br>Tel: ++261 209552081<br>Email: [mailto:sica@wanadoo.mg sica@wanadoo.mg] '''Morondava Beach'''<br>Tel: +261 209552318<br>Email: [mailto:mbeach@aic.fr mbeach@aic.fr]<br>Website: [http://www.hgi-mbeach.com www.hgi-mbeach.com] '''Hotel Renala'''<br>Tel: +261 20 9592089<br>Email: [mailto:renala.sabledor@mel.wanadoo.mg renala.sabledor@mel.wanadoo.mg] '''Hotel Trecicogne'''<br>Tel: +261 2095 520 69<br>Email: [mailto:trecicogne@wanadoo.mg trecicogne@wanadoo.mg] '''Hotel Le Betalage'''<br>Tel: +261 9552732<br>Email: N/A<!--'''Cheval de Mer'''<br>Tel: N/A<br>Email: N/A--> '''Zoom Hotel'''<br>Tel: +261 9592059<br>Email: N/A '''Hôtel L'Oasis'''<br>Tel: +261 9552222<br>Email: N/A <!-- Email: [mailto:vezahabe@dts.mg vezahabe@dts.mg] BOUNCED! --> <!--'''Hôtel Central'''<br>Tel: N/A<br>Email: N/A--><!-- <gallery>File:Morondava 0001.jpgFile:Morondava 0002.jpgFile:Morondava 0003.jpgFile:Morondava 0004.jpgFile:Morondava 0005.jpgFile:Morondava 0006.jpgFile:Morondava 0007.jpgFile:Morondava 0008.jpgFile:Morondava 0009.jpgFile:Morondava 0010.jpgFile:Morondava 0011.jpgFile:Morondava 0012.jpgFile:Morondava 0013.jpgFile:Morondava 0014.jpgFile:Morondava 0015.jpgFile:Morondava 0016.jpgFile:Morondava 0017.jpgFile:Morondava 0018.jpgFile:Morondava 0019.jpgFile:Morondava 0020.jpgFile:Morondava 0021.jpgFile:Morondava 0022.jpgFile:Morondava 0023.jpgFile:Morondava 0024.jpgFile:Morondava 0025.jpgFile:Morondava 0026.jpgFile:Morondava 0027.jpgFile:Morondava 0028.jpgFile:Morondava 0029.jpgFile:Morondava 0030.jpgFile:Morondava 0031.jpgFile:Morondava 0032.jpgFile:Morondava 0033.jpgFile:Morondava 0034.jpgFile:Morondava 0035.jpgFile:Morondava 0036.jpgFile:Morondava 0037.jpgFile:Morondava 0038.jpgFile:Morondava 0039.jpgFile:Morondava 0040.jpgFile:Morondava 0041.jpgFile:Morondava 0042.jpgFile:Morondava 0043.jpgFile:Morondava 0044.jpgFile:Morondava 0045.jpgFile:Morondava 0046.jpgFile:Morondava 0047.jpgFile:Morondava 0048.jpgFile:Morondava 0049.jpgFile:Morondava 0050.jpgFile:Morondava 0051.jpgFile:Morondava 0052.jpgFile:Morondava 0053.jpgFile:Morondava 0054.jpgFile:Morondava 0055.jpgFile:Morondava 0056.jpgFile:Morondava 0057.jpgFile:Morondava 0058.jpgFile:Morondava 0059.jpgFile:Morondava 0060.jpgFile:Morondava 0061.jpgFile:Morondava 0062.jpgFile:Morondava 0063.jpgFile:Morondava 0064.jpgFile:Morondava 0065.jpgFile:Morondava 0066.jpgFile:Morondava 0067.jpgFile:Morondava 0068.jpgFile:Morondava 0069.jpgFile:Morondava 0070.jpgFile:Morondava 0071.jpgFile:Morondava 0072.jpgFile:Morondava 0073.jpgFile:Morondava 0074.jpgFile:Morondava 0075.jpgFile:Morondava 0076.jpgFile:Morondava 0077.jpgFile:Morondava 0078.jpgFile:Morondava 0079.jpgFile:Morondava 0080.jpgFile:Morondava 0081.jpgFile:Morondava 0082.jpgFile:Morondava 0083.jpgFile:Morondava 0084.jpgFile:Morondava 0085.jpgFile:Morondava 0086.jpgFile:Morondava 0087.jpgFile:Morondava 0088.jpgFile:Morondava 0089.jpgFile:Morondava 0090.jpgFile:Morondava 0091.jpgFile:Morondava 0092.jpgFile:Morondava 0093.jpgFile:Morondava 0094.jpgFile:Morondava 0095.jpgFile:Morondava 0096.jpgFile:Morondava 0097.jpgFile:Morondava 0098.jpgFile:Morondava 0099.jpgFile:Morondava 0100.jpgFile:Morondava 0101.jpgFile:Morondava 0102.jpgFile:Morondava 0103.jpgFile:Morondava 0104.jpgFile:Morondava 0105.jpgFile:Morondava 0106.jpgFile:Morondava 0107.jpgFile:Morondava 0108.jpgFile:Morondava 0109.jpgFile:Morondava 0110.jpgFile:Morondava 0111.jpgFile:Morondava 0112.jpgFile:Morondava 0113.jpgFile:Morondava 0114.jpgFile:Morondava 0115.jpgFile:Morondava 0116.jpgFile:Morondava 0117.jpg</gallery>-->