Ambalavao's zebu market is one of the town's great spectacles, drawing herders, traders, and buyers from the surrounding highlands. The animals are wealth, transport, status, and food all at once, so the bargaining has real weight behind it.
Go early and stay out of the way. This is not a performance for visitors; it is a working livestock market with horns, dust, shouting, and quick decisions. A local guide helps you understand what is happening without getting underfoot.