Things to see and do Sainte-Marie

Whale watching is the star activity from mid-June to early October. All hotels offer this excursion. The^2nd outing is often offered at a discount, because one outing is not enough: the spectacle is so beautiful! Choose a service provider affiliated with Cétamada, so you can board a quality boat that respects the code of conduct, and be well guided. More info at Cétamada headquarters, on the port (documentaries, local crafts, etc.). Recommended providers: Princesse Bora Lodge & Spa, Libertalia, and Maningory (Île aux Nattes).

Near Ambatoroa and its coconut grove, near the lighthouse of Albrand, take the track of Ambodiatafana and its sacred basins: it is a white sand beach flanked by many basins, one of which evokes a bit a wave pool! A relaxing moment to enjoy after having broken your back on the broken tracks. In this wild part of Sainte-Marie, we cross villages surrounded by vanilla plantations, banana trees, clove forests and rice fields. A real paradise!

This cemetery houses the graves of the buccaneers, privateers, pirates, traffickers and slave traders who ended their days on this island. The headstones are often surmounted by a skull and two crossed tibias. Here, a captain seems to have been buried upright, while there, a sailor has had an unusual epitaph carved by his best friend... While the panorama from the hill is lovely, the site itself is not maintained. Right next to the cemetery, you can enjoy a drink or lunch at the Jardins d'Eden.

This zoo and botanical park of 5,000 m ² on the south road, in the heart of the village of Vohilava, allows to discover local fauna (turtles, chameleons, lemurians, snakes, frogs…) and its flora (orchids and euphorbes in particular). Arnaud has done a very good job. Visitors feel that this is very good and refreshing.

In Ambotifotatra, you can climb up to the old fort which still bears the company of the Compagnie des Indes (it is a little higher than the central post), then go to the church of St Mary, known to be the oldest Christian church in Madagascar (1859): This is where Bishop Dalmond (1800-1847), the first apostolic prefect of Madagascar, was buried. Note: one of the altars is a gift of the Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, and the cast iron that forms it have been sunk into the arsenals of the French navy. Finally, the old Bâtiment building (built in 1922) also deserves a stop.

On Madame Madame, the history buffs will take a look at the former residence of Governors and Administrators, dating back to 1871, as well as the old solar dial of sailors.

The mangrove forest of Ampanihy on the east coast is a natural site of the most admirable nature.

A must-see information point with a very professional welcome. The structure has been completely modernized to offer visitors a place to meet and exchange ideas about the island's heritage and traditions. On the theme of pirates, a treasure hunt atmosphere, an interactive journey that continues in real immersion with walks and pirogue rides with a certified guide. Follow in the footsteps of the privateers and discover the forbidden island, the cemetery, etc.