Most of the population speak Malagasy, which is derived from south-east Asia, where they originated about 1,500 years ago. In towns and cities, some speak French, since Madagascar was colonised by the French around 1896. In hotels, front-of-house staff generally speak some English. I spotted this fabulous stylised picture of Zebu hanging in a restaurant on our last day, and haggled (in French, no less!) to buy it.