Antsirabe

Relax in the Hot Springs

Travelling to Antsirabe takes you along one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the central highlands.
Antsirabe is the third largest city in Madagascar situated in the high altitude (about 1, 500 metres). The cool temperatures in the high altitude are the reason why the Norwegian Missionaries chose this city in 1872. Antsirabe is the home of one of the award winning best beers in Madagascar THB (Three Horses Beer). Its name means “where there is salt” honouring the large number of hot springs the town has, a fact that has given the city the nickname of “Malagasy Vichy”. The thermal baths had been long appreciated for their curative effects by the local population when French colonists decided to locate a thermal bath here in the 19th century.

Take a pousse-pousse rickshaw tour of Antsirabe to discover this interesting city mixed with architectural styles of the colonial and evangelical past. In the European district, French cottage-style houses are built next to Scandinavian villas with English style gardens. The tree-lined avenues always give some freshness whenever the sun is too bright.