Avenue of the Baobabs
A dirt road lined with giant baobab trees, some hundreds of years old, near Morondava. Photographers gather at sunrise and sunset when the tall trunks glow against the sky.
Avenue of the Baobabs (Morondava)
Tall, ancient baobab trees line up near Morondava, and sunrise and sunset are when they look their most photogenic.
Attractive locations
Kirindy Forest
Dry deciduous forest in western Madagascar, noted for wildlife found nowhere else. Guided walks, often at night, can show the fossa, mouse lemurs and giant jumping rats.
Andranomena Special Reserve
Protected dry forest near the baobab area, home to lemurs, birds and reptiles. Marked trails and local guides help visitors spot wildlife, and baobabs stand among the trees.
Menabe Reserve
Large protected area of dry forest in the Menabe region of western Madagascar. It shelters lemurs and other wildlife found only on the island, and is a base for guided nature walks.
Baobab Amoureux (Lovers' Baobab)
Two baobab trunks twisted tightly together, a short way from the main avenue near Morondava. It is a popular stop for sunset photos.
Morondava
A relaxed west-coast town on the Mozambique Channel and the usual base for visiting the Avenue of the Baobabs. It has a beach, fishing boats and simple restaurants.
Airports
Morondava Airport MOQ
It is about 11 km in a straight line from Avenue of the Baobabs (Morondava).
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Madagascar page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan27.6 °C307 mm
- Feb27.2 °C196 mm
- Mar27.2 °C125 mm
- Apr26.2 °C44 mm
- May24.6 °C13 mm
- Jun23.2 °C8 mm
- Jul22.9 °C5 mm
- Aug24.2 °C4 mm
- Sep25.9 °C14 mm
- Oct27.6 °C26 mm
- Nov28.7 °C56 mm
- Dec28.8 °C143 mm
Driest months: Jun, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Dec.
Costs
Prices here are about 31% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Reported numbers: police 117, ambulance 124, fire 118 - confirm with your hotel or guide.
local government
Office National du Tourisme de Madagascar (ONTM)
Helps with: Madagascar's national tourism office. Contact it for tourist information and any request about travel in the country. Its website also lists regional tourism offices.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Madagascar or planning a trip there.
Email: [email protected]
Address: Lot IBG 29C Antsahavola, B.P. 1780, Antananarivo
ngo
Croix-Rouge Malagasy (Malagasy Red Cross)
Helps with: Madagascar's national Red Cross society. It runs first aid training, disaster preparedness and response, and health and hygiene programmes in all 22 regions, with about 9,500 active volunteers.
Who qualifies: People in Madagascar who need its first aid, disaster relief or health services.
Phone: 020 22 221 11
Email: [email protected]
Address: 1 Rue Patrice Lumumba, Tsaralalana, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Madagascar
Helps with: The UN migration agency. In Madagascar it supports emergency shelter and displacement response, border management, and the return and reintegration of Malagasy nationals.
Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +261 20 23 308 09
Email: [email protected]
Address: Porte 108, 1er etage, Immeuble SONAPAR, Zone Galaxy Andraharo, Antananarivo 101
local government
Bureau National de Gestion des Risques et des Catastrophes (BNGRC)
Helps with: Madagascar's national office for risk and disaster management. Its website reports on cyclone and emergency preparedness and on ongoing emergencies.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Madagascar affected by a disaster or looking for official disaster information.
Phone: +261 34 05 480 68
Address: Avaratra Antanimora, Route Mausolee, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
local government
Police and ambulance emergency number 17 (landline)
Helps with: Reaches the police and the ambulance service in Madagascar from a landline. UK government travel advice says to dial 117 from a mobile phone.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 17
local government
Fire emergency number 18 (landline)
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Madagascar from a landline. UK government travel advice says to dial 118 from a mobile phone.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 18