Toamasina
Toamasina, meaning "like salt" or "salty", unofficially and in French Tamatave or in the past as Port aux prunes, is the capital of the Atsinanana region on the east coast of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean.
The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated 215 km (134 mi) northeast of its capital and largest city Antananarivo. In 2018 Toamasina had a population of 325,857.
Getting to Toamasina
Air Austral from Saint-Denis de la Reunion. (You can use Air Austral to go via Reunion too Mauritius or Nosy Be.) Madagascar Airlines Avenue De Independence. from Antananarivo and Sainte-Marie. From Antananarivo to Toamasina is 355 km, which takes six hours by car. Cotisse Transport to and from Antananarivo, (9 hours) 7 trips a day. Lite 30,000, Premium 45.000.
- 01Toamasina
The train runs every Saturday to Moramanga 152 km via Brickaville 102 km.
Worth seeing
- 01Saint Joseph Cathedral
Things to do
Canal des Pangalanes. There are overnight trips on this amazing man-made and natural canal that effectively extends half way down the east coast of Madagascar. Ask at the Hotel Joffre or the travel agents nearby. The boat service is run by a French man who only runs services when there is sufficient clientele.
Where to eat
LA Terrasse Bar and restaurant. Good priced food and drinks.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.