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I haven't been there in 35 years, but I would say it is certainly worth the trip.
Tananarive is a beautiful city, but one of only two that I've been to where biting fleas are everywhere and inescapable (the other is Valparaiso, Chile). The people of Madagascar are a beautiful mix of mostly polynesian, with Africans mainly on the coast. They speak a lovely language, and their indigenous music is pleasant and relaxing, but increasingly influenced by African and "world beat"..
It is a VERY big island (as big as Texas) with relatively undeveloped transport, so getting around can be problematic. You'll need to fly on tiny bush airlines to anywhere other than a small part of the central highlands, or spend long days and nights on slow buses on poor roads.
For everyone? Probably not if your idea of travel is to fly into the capital and have nice, well organized guided tours to places of historical or scenic or cultural interest. Wildlife tours are popular, but you won't see big or spectacular animals. The chief attraction to Madagascar's natural history is the fact of its isolation, which means most of its species are endemic (unique to Madagascar)---but that doesn't necessarily make them interesting or easy to observe, for the non-specialist.
Here are a couple of videos that might give you a general picture:
Pros = thorn in the side to prevent someone from getting the 3 point Africa bonus, plus on your card turn-in round can attack thru South Africa which nobody can afford to defend.
Cons = when isolated almost impossible to reinforce with merged forces so expensive maintenance situation stationing enough armies there to make it an unattractive mop-up exercise for the dominant Africa player.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Man, being a naturalist, its high on my list. Amazing numbers of endemics.
Expensive to get to, pricey to get around, but damn, the flora and fauna.
Must see.
The people of Madagascar are a beautiful mix of mostly polynesian, with Africans mainly on the coast.
With Africans mainly on the coast? Is this all of the coasts all along the Island? So the Polynesian/Asian/Malay types went inland into the mountains? It seems a bit strange as they were originally more of a seafarer people. But, on the other hand, it also makes sense that Africans would have access more easily on the coasts, and would populate there more as well.
I just saw yesterday part of a travel show (don't recall the name as I missed the beginning) on TV. It was about Madagascar and it looked like the nature part was fabulous for a nature minded tourist.
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