« Lahaly eh! Tsara be fanotsafa e! » Such is how we greet people in Manambato, in the eastern side of the island. Many holidaymakers travel to Manambato because of its free clean air. Manambato is simply put a touristic destination. Yet, it is noteworthy that Manambato has its own history.

The unique feature of Manambato lies in its blue river along with its beautiful beaches. Geographically, Manambato is part of the fokontany that makes up Vohitranivona, in the district of Brickaville.

In the past, Manambato was just a simple green forest. The city of Manambato was formed only in 1947 and divided into four parts. The name of Manambato comes from the presence of rocks in the lake. The people who came first to Manambato were its first settlers. Then they made many of friends and became a whole population.

As for the freshwater lake, embellished by a fine sandy beach, it was a lake of a certain giant named Darafify - a ruler at that time.  According to legend, Rasoabe was named after the first wife of the giant Darafify. Legend tells that she lived in the place where the lake stands and where her husband had put her to make rice fields. The lake bears her name now. When her husband was away, Rasoabe cheated on him with another man and when he found out, Darafify drowned her in the lake. She then built a village at the bottom of the water where she lived with her slaves. Some say that when the water is calm, you can still see the falafa – traditional huts— at the bottom of the abyss.

Pork remains one of the taboos still observed in Manambato because of the river's virtues that no one dares to abuse. If someone does it intentionally, rituals must be performed to break the curse, otherwise it is believed that the person will die.
Besides, other taboos do exist due to the presence of crocodiles in the lake of Manambato. Therefore, the inhabitants of Manambato have imposed the Fanidy – other small taboos such as removing all gold jewelry before bathing – to stop the crocodiles from attackingpeople passing on the beach. By respecting all these guidelines, your stay will be more than pleasant.

Manambato is also home to products highly valued in the eastern part of the island.  During the litchis harvest, Manambato produces up to 50 tons of litchis per day. In addition to litchis, coconuts are also harvested.  What makes Manambato similar to other parts of Madagascar is the fact that it also produces rice but only for local consumption. Manambato is also famous for fishing— one of the main means of subsistence for local people. The Manambato River is connected to the sea which also makes it a shipping lane.

Sources: Madagascar Treasure Island, Madagascar Green Island Discovery