In Madagascar, eating well means eating a lot. Malagasy cooking is based on a large serving of rice with a dressing of sauces, meat, vegetables and spicy seasoning. The people of Madagascar enjoy very hot food and often serve dishes with hot peppers. True to its reputation as the Vanilla Island, many of the country's desserts are flavoured with vanilla. Local restaurants are often referred to as hotely. The choice of beverages is limited.

National specialities:
• Ro (beef and pork marinated in vinegar, water and oil, then cooked with leaves, onion, pickles and other vegetables and seasoned with pimento).
• Ravitoto (meat and leaves cooked together).
• Ramazava (leaves and pieces of beef and pork browned in oil).
• Vary amid ’anana (rice, leaves or herbs, meat and sometimes shrimps), often eaten with kitoza (long slices of smoked, cured or fried meat).

National drinks:
• Malagasy drinks include litchel (an aperitif made from lychees).
• Toaka gasy (distilled from cane sugar and rice).
• Three Horses lager.
• Non-alcoholic drinks include ranon ’apango or rano vda (made from burnt rice) and local mineral waters.

Tipping: Not customary, although waiters expect 10% of the bill.

There are a few discos, sometimes with bands and solo musicians. Casinos can be found at Antananarivo, Toamasina and on Nossi Bé. Most main towns have cinemas and theatres, and touring theatre groups perform local plays throughout the country. Traditional dance troupes can also be seen.

Handicrafts include lamba (traditional squares of cloth in various designs and woven materials); zafimaniny marquetry, which is applied to furniture, chessboards and boxes; silverwork such as mahafaly crosses and vangavanga bracelets; jewellery made from shells and precious stones; items woven from reeds, raffia and straw; antemore paper decorated with dried flowers; and embroidery. All products incorporating Malagasy flora or fauna (including dried flowers) often require export permits (see Duty Free section).

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1800.