Toliara

• • Arboretum d'Antsokay — This impressive botanical garden outside of Tulear gives you a taste of the spiny forest. English speaking guides are extremely knowledgeable of the plant life. Birds, chameleons, and other lizards are sure to be spotted. — Hours: 07:30-17:30 — Price: 15,000 Ar includes an optional guide — Phone: +261 34 07 600 15 — Email: info@antsokayarboretum.org — Website: http://www.antsokayarboretum.org
• • La Table — La table is a small table mountain outside of Tulear. The 15-minute climb to the view point is fairly scenic. From the Arboretum d'Antsokay, it's 3 km further out of Tulear, walkable in 45 minutes. — Price: Free
• • Musée Rabesandratana — there are many oceanographic experts who can help you explain the marine world: corals, algae, sponges, shells, echinoderms, fish, and turtles. In the central room, a large aquarium houses a coelacanth, fished in 1995 near Anakao. — Address: Av. de France — Directions: within the grounds of the Tolliara Fisheries and Marine Sciences Institute — Hours: M-F 08:00-12:00, 14:30-17:30
• • Musée du recyclage Tule'Art — An art gallery dedicated to art made from recycled materials. — Address: Mahavatse, Route du port, across from SEMS Toliara — Hours: M-F 14:00-18:00

• • Etoile de Mer — Large restaurant with a thick menu, this restaurant serves French and Indian dishes as well as pizza. There is a wide, breezy terrace and a pool table. Occasionally the restaurant is closed to the public for marriages or private events. Free Wifi. — Directions: Main coastal road not for from center of town — Hours: Open for lunch and dinner — Price: 12,000 Ar
• • La Maison — French restaurant and bar with a slick atmosphere a big TV (usually playing music videos softly) and a pool table. Many of the French residents of Toliara frequent this restaurant for a taste of home. Free Wifi — Address: Avenue d'Independence — Directions: Across from the post office — Price: 12,000 Ar
• • La Terrase — French-owned restaurant on a terrace. Specializes in breakfast (including English breakfast), salads, and pizza. Offers large glasses of fresh made juice. Has free wifi, but charges a small fee to plug in to power socket. — Address: Toliara Centre, near Galana station — Price: 11,000 Ar

• • Traveaux — The local watering hole, this is where Toliara's residents turn out in force to drink beer and spirits, each kebabs, grilled chicken, and taro and generally just hang out. Food and bars start serving around 18:00 but the place doesn't get going until 20:00. This is the only place to get food in Toliara past 22:00. — Directions: Behind (towards town) B52 Casino and Etoile de Mer

The downtown craft market "Tsena Cociagy" is behind Etoile de Mer and the Alliance Francais. Numerous handicrafts and shells are available. Dome of these shells are endangered species and bringing them into your home country can get you in a lot of trouble. Handicrafts are not made locally, but are brought in from Ambositra and Fianarantsoa so if you come down the RN7, better to buy them there or in Tana as prices are lower there and the selection is greater.

• • Auberge de la Table — A wonderful place to stay on the grounds of the Arboretum d'Antsokay. The bungalows are clean, spacious, and luxurious -- much attention is paid to detail. You'll wake up to the sound of birds who call the arboretum home. Being far out of the city, this is a place to get away relax. A swimming pool and restaurant round out the grounds. Free Wifi. Accept Visa and MasterCard payments. — Address: Toliara — Directions: 12km east of Tulear on RN7 — Price: Bungalows start at 100,000 Ar — Phone: +261 34 07 600 15 — Email: info@antsokayarboretum.org — Website: http://www.aubergedelatable.com
• • Bakuba Hotel — This African-themed luxury hotel is guaranteed to stand out as one of the most unique lodging options of your trip. Designed and managed by a couple from Belgium, the lodge has three spacious rooms and two suites, each custom decorated with a specific theme. Meals (with enormous portion sizes) and drinks are prepared in a spacious central room, with options for dining on a second-floor patio that overlooks the ocean, a first-floor deck that overlooks the hills, or inside in a communal kitchen area. The lodge has a pool, and is a five minute walk from the beach. It is worth noting that this lodge was designed by an artist, and there are some aspects that may seem odd - the bathroom and shower area are not separate from the rest of the sleeping area in a couple of rooms, and some of the custom light fixtures or plumbing fixtures may seem a bit odd. Despite these inconveniences, however, the lodge is an experience, and the owners make every effort to ensure an enjoyable stay. The location is about 14 km outside of town and 7 km from the airport along a dirt road. — Price: €105-160 per night, depending on room choice — Email: bakubaconcept@gmail.com — Website: http://www.bakubaconcept.com/en/hotel-madagascar
• • Central Hotel — Small hotel in the center of town with spacious rooms and terraces overlooking the street. Terraces have swings which are perfect for napping in the hot mid-day sun. Rooms have large ceiling fans and internal showers. Some rooms have internal toilets, others share. Don't let the central location put you off, the center of town is very quite during the night, whereas other areas can be very noisy with dogs, music, and roosters. The market starts to get a bit noisy at 07:00, but not enough to really disturb. Rooms are very reasonably priced and discounts can be wrangled for longer stays. — Address: Bazary be — Directions: Center of town near the Ganivala Internet Cafe — Price: 25,000 - 35,000 Ar — Phone: +261 20 94 428 84, +261 32 02 553 25, +261 34 01 410 80
• • Chez Lala — Rooms are basic and a bit dingy, but the price is right. WiFi is available in the restaurant area, and you are close enough to walk anywhere else in Tulear. — Price: 21,000 Ar
• • Hôtel Le Palétuvier — Toliar's largest hotel and main conference center. Has a pool and a small internet cafe. — Address: Boulevard Lyautey — Directions: Located on the seaside road near the intersection with the Boulevard Philibert Tsiranana — Price: From 60,000 Ar — Phone: +261 20 94 440 39, +261 32 02 542 83 — Website: http://www.madadecouverte.com/le-paletuvier
• • Le Refuge — Small, smart hotel with beautiful garden and swimming pool — Directions: On road to Anketa from downtown, on left — Price: From 40,000 Ar
• • Serena Hotel — Small hotel with 8 rooms downtown. Has free Wi-Fi connection in the rooms and a nice tea parlor overlooking the street. — Address: Boulevard Philbert Tsiranana — Directions: Near BNI bank towards the market. Above the Evolution Super market — Price: From 40,000 — Phone: +261 20 94 411 73, +261 32 05 600 39 — Website: http://www.serenatulear.com
• • Hotel Victory — A modern hotel with 43 rooms and suites fully equipped in a beautiful tropical garden with swimming-pool. Large menu. Very good English spoken here. 10 minutes from the airport with pick-up by hotel bus. Many possibilities for excursions, sailing, diving, snorkelling, big game fishing. — Price: €50/80 — Website: http://www.hoteltulear-victory.com

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• • Toliara Airport — Madagascar Airlines flies from Antananarivo (daily), Morondava (once a week), Taolagnaro (twice a week). Book your flight early as these flights often fill up.

Rickshaws, locally called, "pousse-pousse" are seemingly everywhere in Toliara. They are the cheapest form of transport available and are great to get you out of the hot sun or to go short distances with heavy luggage or shopping bags. While it may seem a bit odd for the first-time tourist to be pulled around the street by a man, rest assured that this awkwardness is only one way. These guys are proud of their pousse-pousse and the work they do. These aren't just for tourists, everyone uses them so go ahead and hop on-board!