Antsirabe

Antsirabe sits at 1,500 metres among volcanic hills and was developed as a spa by Norwegian missionaries and then the colonial administration, which left it with thermal baths, wide avenues, a pink brick cathedral and a scattering of villas and hotels in a faded grand style. The town's living signature is the pousse-pousse, the cycle and hand-pulled rickshaw, present in thousands and painted in bright colours, which remains ordinary transport rather than a tourist novelty. Workshops around the centre make things from what other people throw away: zebu-horn carving, embroidery, miniature bicycles from wire and tin, gemstone cutting, and most are happy to be visited. The surrounding country is crater lakes and rice terraces. It is the usual first stop south from the capital on the RN7.

History

The name means "the place of much salt", and the thermal springs earned the town the nickname "the Malagasy Vichy". The area belonged to the Kingdom of Andrantsay from the early 1600s until it was absorbed into the Imerina kingdom in the early 1800s (Wikipedia, Antsirabe).

The main sights

• Pousse-pousse - thousands of painted rickshaws working the streets.
• Spa-town architecture - thermal baths, the cathedral and old villas.
• Craft workshops - horn, embroidery, gemstones and recycled-metal toys.
• Highland setting - volcanic hills and rice terraces around the town.

When to go

April to November for dry weather; the highlands are cool year round and genuinely cold at night from June to August. The wet season brings heavy afternoon rain but the town stays accessible.

What to expect

It is cold at night and many hotels have no heating. Rickshaw drivers compete hard for foreign passengers and the attention can be wearing. Workshop visits usually end with a sales pitch. The thermal baths are old and basic rather than a modern spa.

Nearby

Lake Tritriva and Betafo lie west; Ambositra is south on the RN7.

Key facts