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Ambatondrazaka is a small, delightful town situated over several hills at the southern end of [[Lac Alaotra]] in Madagascar. The town is surrounded by large rice fields and the region is commonly known as the rice granary of Madagascar. Due to lack of water the most southern part of lake Alaotra is overgrown and cannot be seen from the city anymore. In 2004 the town's population was estimated at 75,675. The town has several churches, a stadium, an old train station and a market offering fresh products from the region.
By car Ambatondrazaka can be reached from Tana via the RN2 direction [[Moramanga]] and from there via RN44 directly to Ambatondrazaka. To Ambatondrazaka it takes about 6 hours by [taxi-brousse] from Antananarivo and about 4 hours from Moramanga. A railroad once connected the city with the capital but is no longer in use. <!-- airport code WAM -->
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'''Excursions around Ambatondrazaka'''
* Trip around the lake passing small villages and rice fields (approximately 1 day by car).
* Visit to Bandro Park near Andreba (about 45 minutes by taxi-brousse) and take a pirogue ride on the lake.
* Chrome mines 80km west from Ambatondrazaka.
* Agricultural institute "Station Agricole CALA" located about 18km north on a peninsula.
* Trip around the lake passing small villages and rice fields (approximately 1 day by car).
* Trekking in the rainforest of Didy, about 60km from Ambatondrazaka.
* Zahamena National Park, north-east of the town of Ambatondrazaka (half day by car).
* Starting point for the Smuggler's Path from Lake Alaotra to the east coast.
