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Is Madagascar safe right now? Political situation, risk areas and official advice
Not dangerous enough to cancel: as of November 15, 2026, none of the governments we checked advises against a whole region, and calm has returned since the change of regime in October 2025. But crime is high, night driving is out, and the southeast (Anosy, Betroka) is best avoided.
Is Madagascar safe right now? Safe enough that there is no reason to cancel your trip. As of November 15, 2026, none of the four governments we checked advises against travel to an entire region of the island. Calm has returned since the change of regime in October 2025, according to France and Belgium.
The country still calls for real precautions. Crime is high in Antananarivo, national roads are off limits after dark, and the southeast, around Anosy and Betroka, should be avoided. Here is what is risky, what usually goes fine, and the official advice, with its dates.
Is Madagascar safe? What governments say
Each country publishes its own travel advice. We reread them on November 15, 2026. When two sources disagree, we go with the more cautious advice.
| Source | Updated | Overall level |
|---|---|---|
| France Diplomatie | November 13, 2026 (map of March 10, 2026) | Whole country under increased vigilance (yellow); avoid Anosy and Betroka |
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | November 11, 2026 | No region advised against; caution in the Ihosy, Toliara, Fort Dauphin triangle |
| Canada | October 9, 2026 | Exercise a high degree of caution, everywhere |
| Belgium | July 31, 2026, alert of September 28, 2026 | Vigilance; Anosy, Betroka, the Tsiribihina and Batterie beach flagged |
France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice) places the whole country under increased vigilance. Its map has no orange or red zone. Canada asks travelers to exercise a high degree of caution, because of high crime and potential political instability.
This advice is not a rule for every reader. Also check your own government's travel advice. Your insurer often relies on it.
The political situation since 2025
This is why so many travelers ask the question. In late September 2025, protests against water and power cuts broke out in Antananarivo and other cities. The UK government notes that they included violence and looting.
In October 2025, an army unit joined the protesters. Canada dates the military takeover to October 14, 2025. According to Al Jazeera, Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on October 17, 2025, and former president Andry Rajoelina left the country.
Where things stand in November 2026
Here are the dated facts we were able to check:
- Late February 2026: the president publishes a roadmap for a two-year transition (Al Jazeera).
- March 15, 2026: after the government is dissolved, Mamitiana Rajaonarison is named prime minister (Al Jazeera). The presidential election is planned for late 2027.
- August 27, 2026: France Diplomatie notes that calm has returned for several months.
- September 28, 2026: Belgium also writes that calm has returned, while asking travelers to stay vigilant.
A return to calm, in terms of public order, has been observed for several months in Antananarivo and in the provinces.
The risk has not disappeared. The UK points out that political rallies can happen anywhere. According to France Diplomatie, water and power cuts still trigger protests, mostly in the evening, sometimes with roadblocks. Stay away from any gathering.
Watch out
Avoid demonstrations and crowds, even if they look peaceful. Roads can close without notice, and clashes with security forces have occurred, according to the UK government.
Areas to avoid or to approach with extra care
No region is off limits, but several places come up again and again in official advice.
The southeast: Anosy and Betroka
This is the only area France Diplomatie asks travelers to avoid. Large-scale cattle theft there leads to repeated clashes between security forces and armed gangs. Night travel there is “to be ruled out.” Belgium also reports possible shootouts between police and armed groups in this region.
The southern triangle and the RN7
The UK calls the situation “tense” in the triangle between Ihosy, Toliara and Fort Dauphin. It advises using a recognized tour operator and flying to Fort Dauphin. It reports attacks by criminal gangs on convoys on the RN7, between Antananarivo and Toliara. Canada cites armed attacks on the RN7 between Fianarantsoa and Toliara, and on the RN13 between Ihosy and Fort Dauphin, especially at night.
Cattle rustlers, known as dahalo, have killed people in the south and in central Madagascar. The UK specifies that tourists have not been targeted. It still advises against staying in rural areas without security arrangements.
The west, the Tsiribihina and a few specific places
- The west: between Besalampy and Morombe, the UK advises a recognized tour operator, because of violent highway robberies.
- Tsiribihina River: armed criminals have boarded boats and robbed passengers, according to the UK. France Diplomatie warns against unstable, overloaded pirogues with no life jackets.
- Anjozorobe: after several kidnappings, France Diplomatie asks travelers to check the situation before going.
- Toliara: do not go alone to Batterie beach, and do not spend the night there.
- Diego Suarez: at Montagne d'Ambre and Montagne des Français, always hire an official guide.
- Nosy Be: security has improved, but vigilance is still advised.
Is Madagascar safe in Antananarivo? Everyday crime
This is the risk you are most likely to face. France Diplomatie describes very common crime: bag snatching, pickpocketing, car break-ins and burglaries. It affects every neighborhood of Antananarivo.
Tourist spots are particular targets. The three governments that name them cite the steps up to the Rova, Avenue de l'Indépendance and Analakely market. Canada adds Tsaralalana. France Diplomatie also mentions restaurants and asks for particular care in the 67 ha neighborhoods.
At night, and taxis
Walking in town at night is “strongly advised against” by France Diplomatie. Take an official taxi; the ministry says they are numerous and inexpensive. Canada advises against hailing taxis on the street, recommends airport or hotel taxis, and says never to share a taxi with strangers. The UK recommends pre-booked taxis.
Good habits
- Keep bags, phones and jewelry out of sight, and carry only the cash you need for the day.
- Withdraw money in a protected place, such as a shopping center or supermarket.
- In a car, keep the doors locked and the windows up, even in traffic.
- Keep photocopies of your passport, visa and tickets.
- If you are attacked, do not resist, then file a report with the police or gendarmerie.
Watch out
Don't walk around Antananarivo after dark, even for a short distance. Take an official taxi or one booked by your hotel.
France Diplomatie also reports more harassment of and assaults on women. Avoid isolated places, especially after dark. Kidnappings do happen, but Belgium considers the risk low for Westerners: most known cases target wealthy Malagasy families.
The road: what makes Madagascar unsafe
Every source agrees on one point: do not drive on national roads at night. The UK explains that many vehicles have no lights and very few roads are lit. It reports frequent armed robberies on main roads, especially at night and outside major towns.
France Diplomatie describes attacks on vehicles by organized gangs as a recurring problem, rising with drought in the south. It advises flying or renting a car with a driver, not traveling alone in a vehicle, and sticking to main roads. Outside towns, a 4x4 is essential.
The UK and Canada also advise against taxi-brousses (bush taxis), because of robberies and fatal accidents. For the RN7, our guide to hiring a driver-guide on the RN7 explains how to choose one and what it costs.
Our advice
Leave early, arrive before dark, and fly for long trips to the south, such as Fort Dauphin. A driver-guide who knows the road beats a rental car you drive alone.
Cyclones, rain and El Niño
Cyclone season runs from January to April according to France Diplomatie and Belgium. The UK and Canada extend it from November to April: go with that range, the more cautious one. Storms usually arrive from the east coast. They bring floods, landslides and cut roads.
On November 5, 2026, France Diplomatie published a vigilance alert about El Niño. Canada says El Niño is expected to strengthen into 2027, with a higher risk of droughts, floods and severe storms. Belgium expects above-average rainfall in the last quarter of 2026.
In the rainy season, avoid hikes in the Isalo canyons, especially in the afternoon, because of flash floods. Follow Météo Madagascar and Météo-France La Réunion. The month-by-month details are in our article on the best time to visit Madagascar.
Health: malaria, plague, dengue and Ebola
Health risks matter as much as crime. Here is what France Diplomatie's health page, updated November 8, 2026, says.
| Risk | Where and when | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Malaria | The whole island, especially the coasts | Protection against bites, preventive treatment to discuss with a doctor |
| Plague | Remote highlands above 800 m, small outbreaks mostly from September to April | Avoid contact with rodents and dead animals |
| Dengue | Northeast coast (Antalaha, Sambava) and the Majunga area | Protection against bites, no anti-inflammatories if you have a fever |
| Measles | Rising cases, alert of March 13, 2026 | Up-to-date vaccination |
Canada considers the plague risk low for most travelers, higher for those who camp, hunt or handle rodents. The UK and Belgium also flag mpox. Hospitals do not meet European standards: get insurance that covers treatment and repatriation. Any fever during or after your trip means seeing a doctor quickly.
Ebola measures at entry
On November 13, 2026, France Diplomatie announced that Madagascar is temporarily barring entry to foreigners who have been in, or transited through, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 21 days. For Kenya and Nigeria, the ministry mentions a written pledge and phone follow-up. The UK goes further: time in any of these three countries may lead to refused entry. Go with that version, the more cautious one.
Before you go: paperwork, insurance and alerts
- Visa: it depends on your nationality. For most travelers, you get it on arrival or from an embassy. Check your case on our Madagascar entry requirements page and apply one to two weeks before departure.
- Insurance: check that it covers medical evacuation, and read the exclusions.
- Alerts: sign up for your country's service, such as Ariane for French citizens or Travellers Online for Belgians.
- Useful numbers: police 17, gendarmerie 119, fire department 118 from a mobile, according to our Madagascar guide.
- Power and water cuts: choose accommodation with a generator and a water reserve, as France Diplomatie advises.
Our advice
Reread your government's advice the day before you leave. The France Diplomatie and UK pages changed again between November 3 and November 13, 2026.
What usually goes fine
None of this rules out the trip. What makes Madagascar unsafe is mostly the night, the road and urban crime. These risks are known and manageable: don't travel after dark, go with a driver or a recognized tour operator, stay discreet in town, and fly to the far south. National parks visited with an official guide and the main daytime circuits are in the yellow zone, like the rest of the island.
So for a traveler, the real question is not just “is Madagascar safe,” but how to travel. A well-prepared trip, by day, with professionals, greatly reduces these risks. A night ride in a taxi-brousse in the south, on the other hand, combines every risk the governments list.
Frequently asked questions
Can you travel to Madagascar since the change of regime?
Yes. None of the governments we checked advises against travel because of the political situation. France Diplomatie and Belgium note that calm has returned, but ask travelers to avoid gatherings and follow the news.
Is the RN7 safe?
By day, with a driver, it is the road most used by travelers. The UK and Canada still report attacks, especially between Fianarantsoa and Toliara and at night. Never drive after dark.
Is Antananarivo dangerous at night?
Yes, on foot. France Diplomatie strongly advises against it. Get around by official taxi or one booked by your hotel.
Should you avoid cyclone season?
Not necessarily, but it complicates the trip. From November to April, build flexibility into your itinerary and follow weather alerts, especially on the east coast.