Hostels in FIANARANTSOA, MADAGASCAR

City Fianarantsoa in Madagascar

A city in the South Central Madagascar, Fianarantsoa is capital of Haute Matsiatra region of Fianarantsoa region. In fact Fianarantsoa means excellence in education. That is why it has become the cultural and intellectual centre for the entire island. Besides education it is also the wine capital of Madagascar.

Accommodation
Hotels and hostels nearby the taxi brousse station are easier to locate. Hotels in the city are mostly clean and have nice restaurant as well. Amenities of modern life like cable TV, telephone, and Internet are all available in the standard and classy hotels. Hotel staff could also be good guide without being expensive. Besides budget hotels, bed and breakfast joints, guest houses, and resorts are also available. One can also consider the youth hostels though in them and in some low cost apartments, the amenities may not be as good as the hotels and guest houses. Classy hotels have excellent architecture and some of the hotels and hostels have boutique designs.

Brief History
Built in the first part of the 19th century by Merina, Fianarantsoa was the administrative capital of the Betsileo kingdom.  In the 20th Century the city emerged as a major commercial and industrial hub of the country.

Geography and Climate
Average altitude of 1,200 meters from the sea levels makes the climate cooler than most other places in Madagascar.

Places of Interest
City Fianarantsoa is the location of numerous old Protestant and Lutheran cathedrals. Lutheran theological seminary is the oldest and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa is almost as old.  City was placed on the watch list of 100 most endangered sites by the World Monuments Fund in 2008. An interesting place to visit is the paper factory where one can witness each stages of paper manufacturing. Free products are available in samples that make great gifts and souvenirs for visitors. Rova site where tyrant kings beheaded the slaves is another place of great interest where one can simply walk along.

Getting Around
New tourist bus service called Gasy Bus travels from Antananirovo to Toliara via Fianarantsoa. However the service runs into problems often and at the time only the expensive alternatives of hired taxis or cars are available. Taxis in the city often refer to mini buses, Renault 4 and 6, and old style Peugeots. Boarding places are crowded and travel is not all that pleasant. Travel in the city also includes some steep walks since the city is all hills.

Taxi-brousse station along Rue MDRM is the place to find taxi services to the next destination or hotels or hostels nearby. More often than not the hotel staff and taxi drivers turn out to be good albeit inexpensive guide for those who travel to the city.  Topping the list is a wonderful market for shopping.  One can use the Fianarantsoa to Manakara rail link for getting around the nearby places.

Currency
The currency that is used in Fianarantsoa is the Madagascar Ariary or MGA. As on date the exchange ratio for one US dollar is around 2152.34 MGA. Going through the international currency exchange news would help one remain updated on latest currency exchange ratio.

Fianarantsoa group accommodation | Cheap hostels & budget hotels