The whales of Île Sainte-Marie
Off the east coast, Île Sainte-Marie, or Nosy Boraha, covers 222 km². It is known for whale watching, its unspoilt beaches and its history as a pirate haven.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Toamasina, where ferries leave for the islandÎle Sainte-Marie (Wikivoyage)
- GPS coordinates
- -16.96667, 49.86667Nosy Boraha (Wikipedia)
- Best season
- Whales from June to SeptemberÎle Sainte-Marie (Wikivoyage)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
Lodges arrange activities, from pirate history tours to whale watching.
Île Sainte-Marie (Wikivoyage)Villages of bamboo huts dot the island, lined with quiet beaches.
Île Sainte-Marie (Wikivoyage)The Betsimisaraka are the largest group on the island.
Nosy Boraha (Wikipedia)
Plan the trip
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Keep exploring
Madagascar
The Avenue of the Baobabs
Along 260 m of the unpaved Road No. 8, between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina, stand 20 to 25 Grandidier’s baobabs about 30 m tall.
The Tsingy de Bemaraha
Near the west coast, razor-sharp limestone needles rise above the cliffs of the Manambolo River.
The canyons of Isalo
In the south-west, wind and water have carved Isalo’s sandstone into outcrops, plateaus and canyons up to 200 m deep.
Sources · 2 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Nosy Boraha (Wikipedia)
Nosy Boraha […] also known as Sainte-Marie […] is an island off the east coast of Madagascar. […] covers an area of 222 km2. […] Nosy Boraha is known for its preserved character, whale watching, beautiful beaches, and history as a pirate haven. […] The Betsimisaraka are the largest ethnic group on the island […] (coordinates -16.96667, 49.86667)
- Île Sainte-Marie (Wikivoyage)
Villages dot the island, where the locals live in bamboo huts, while quiet beaches line the island […] These lodges will facilitate your activities on the island […] from pirate history tours to whale watching. […] From June until September is the best time for whale watching. […] get to Toamasina […] where there are ferries that head to Île Sainte-Marie.
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