I’ve always been skeptical about places being real versus touristy, but Madagascar sounds like it keeps it legit. From what I’ve read, the stuff you see – the markets, the food, the crafts – is honestly what locals do, not just staged for tourists. People speak Malagasy, and there’s a bunch of ethnic groups mixing their traditions. I saw that visitors can even check out music festivals and join community events if you’re respectful.

But yeah, you’ve gotta step away from those typical touristy spots. Like if you just stick to the big hotels, maybe you won’t see the real thing. But if you take a Lonely Planet guide and hit the smaller villages or go with local guides, you get the real culture – the food, how people actually live, and even their weird traditions (like respecting eggs during funeral stuff, which is wild). If you don’t mind being curious and open, Madagascar will show you the real deal, not just something made up for visitors.