Madagascar - Has anyone been?

Interested in all you could tell me about the place - travel time, things to do, food, approximate pricing, etc.

Thanks in advance!

I used to live in South Africa.
It will take 18 hours to get to Johannesburg, South Africa from NY and then a few hours after that to get to Madagascar. You might be able to get a direct flight from Johannesburg to Madagascar but I'm not sure.
Why Madagascar?
I know South Africa is a very popular destination these days and I loved it there.