Destinations

Sainte-Marie (Nosy Boraha)

A long island off the east coast, Sainte-Marie combines coconut-fringed beaches, a pirate past and one of the world's best humpback-whale-watching spots.

Photo: Anai171 — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By Mirado Rakotoarison · updated on 14 July 2026

Nosy Boraha, better known as Sainte-Marie, stretches some sixty kilometres along Madagascar's east coast. Every austral winter, humpback whales come to calve in the channel between the island and the mainland — an unforgettable sight. The rest of the year, visitors come for its calm lagoons, fishing villages and timeless atmosphere, best explored by bicycle or scooter.

At a glance

Location: Island off the east coast, opposite Soanierana Ivongo.
Best time to visit: July to September for the whales; May to December for the driest weather.
Getting there: Domestic flight from Antananarivo, or boat from Soanierana Ivongo.
Suggested stay: 3 to 5 days.

What to do in Sainte-Marie

From July to September, boat trips bring you close to humpback whales as they breach, sing and parade with their calves — a highlight of any trip to Madagascar. On land, the pirate cemetery recalls that in the 18th century the island was one of the Indian Ocean's most famous buccaneer hideouts. Touring the island by bicycle or scooter, from cove to village, is the other great classic.

Nearby

To the south, separated by a channel a few hundred metres wide that you cross by dugout canoe, Île aux Nattes is a postcard come to life: translucent lagoon, white sand and palm-thatch huts beneath the coconut trees. In the north of Sainte-Marie, the natural rock pools and the deserted ocean-side beaches of Ampanihy reward those who venture beyond the tracks.