Pangalanes Canal & East Coast

The Canal des Pangalanes is an over 600 km long system of natural lagoons, rivers, and artificial canals running parallel to the east coast — created by the French during the colonial era as a protected waterway. Today, it is one of Madagascar's most atmospheric travel routes.

By Boat Through the Pangalanes Canal

The most popular route runs from Mananjary to Manakara (or vice versa) — a day trip by motorized pirogue through a world of water, palms, and villages that have changed little over decades. Along the way, you pass:

• Fishing villages on stilts, where children wave from the shore
• Rice fields stretching to the water's edge
• Fragments of primary forest with lemurs and water birds
• Palm forests and vanilla plantations

The tour can be booked as an organized trip (20–40€ per person in a group) or by private boat. Overnight stays in simple lodges on the canal bank or in Manakara, a sleepy coastal town with French colonial charm.

Manakara

Manakara is the endpoint of Madagascar's last functioning passenger train — the legendary Fianarantsoa–Côte Est (FCE) route. The 163 km journey through rainforest, over bridges, and through tunnels officially takes 8 hours but regularly takes 12–18 hours. It is not a journey — it is an adventure. The train stops at every village, vendors sell bananas, coffee, and rice through the window, and the scenery is breathtaking.

Tamatave (Toamasina)

Toamasina (Tamatave) is Madagascar's largest port city and second-largest city. For tourists, it is primarily a transit point on the way to Sainte-Marie or the Pangalanes Canal. Worth seeing: the Boulevard Joffre (seaside promenade), the colorful Bazary Be (main market), and the cityscape with Art Deco facades from the colonial era.