This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.
10/10 Excellent
Greg S.
6 Oct 2009
"This is a great house in...
"This is a great house in an extremely beautiful location right on the beach front of the village of Moroala, about 15-20 minutes by car from the western port city of Mahajanga.
It is rare to find such a tranquil, clean and unpolluted beach as this. Each morning, from the shaded verandah, you can see the small fishing boats (pirogues) setting off for deeper waters, with their triangualar sails set against the wind. In the evening there are the most beautiful sunsets over the Mozambique Channel.
The beach itself is clean and free of the plastic objects and other detritus etc usually washed up on the beaches of many other developing countries, and is free of mass tourism developments.
The house has air-conditioning in both bedrooms and the main bedroom looks out onto a beautiful cool garden, as does the front verandah, which is perfect for whiling away the day. There is a dining room/lounge area with satellite television. The verandah also has table and chairs for eating alfresco, overlooking the garden and the sea, and comfortable chairs for lounging about.
Each morning, sellers of fish, prawns, crayfish, tropical fruits and vegetables come to the front gate to ask if you need anything for the day. The seafood, straight from sea to table, is cheaper here (and fresher) than in most other parts of the world.
There is an onsite caretaker who lives with his wife next to the property. He and his wife are lovely people. They will advise you on whether the seafood on offer is really fresh, and will clean and barbecue your fish, crayfish and prawns on a traditional Malagasy brassiere. A young house lady comes to clean each day, so the house is always clean and well-maintained. A cook is also available for a modest daily sum if you prefer not to cook for yourself.
The house is well provisioned with everything you might need, and the kitchen has modern and traditional cooking implements.
The city of Mahajanga is an architectural delight, with many buildings in the old city dating from the colonial years, with wide verandahs and collonades; In Mahajanga there are supermarkets and traditional Malagasy markets selling everything from fresh vanilla pods (delicious when added to your freshly ground Malagasy Arabica or Robusta morning coffee) to local and imported French cheeses. Madagascar offers perhaps the best quality and greatest range of fresh foods you are likely to find anywhere - a true culinary and gourmet's delight.
In the evening in Mahajanga, the local people promenade along the seafront until late evening. Sellers of delicious local treats are spread along its length.
A car is available with the house at a reasonable additional price (with driver) or you can walk about 15 minutes along a small track to take local buses or taxis into town.
It is also possible to make day excursions to parks and other sites of interest in the region.
I recommend this house and region to anyone: whether individual, small group, or family with young children, looking for a restful holiday by the sea, in an unspoiled region.
If you are disposed to treat the local people with respect and friendship, you will learn a great deal about the customs of the Malagasy, particularly the Sakalava people who inhabit the western coast of Madagscar - and you will have the holiday of a lifetime."
