Ile Sainte Marie Madagascar

Ile Sainte Marie is about 60 kilometres long and 5 kilometres wide and has a colourful history: through the 17th and 18th centuries it was a popular base for the Indian Ocean?s pirates. There is one town, Ambodifotatra, with a couple of cafes, a large church and a busy market. The only drawback of Ile Sainte Marie is that there is no dry season though rainfall is generally at night and interspersed with calm sunny weather. Cyclones do occur from December to March, though not every year, but they can be violent.

For the first 40 years of the century they were hunted by whalers almost to extinction. Hunting of the species was outlawed by the international community in 1966. These behaviors generating some unbelievable spectacles mean something very significant for the whales. Thus these gestures are useful to communicate, to court or to mark their zone, etc? There are a host of things to do to partake in which includes guided sightseeing tours, jungle trips, deep sea fishing, whale watching, snorkeling and diving. Whatever your interests, you will explore a natural, exotic bliss on Ile Sainte Marie.

The reputable hotels on Ile Ste Marie arrange whale watching excursions that both adhere to the regulations to avoiding stressing the whales and contribute to our understanding of these majestic marine mammals. You will be invited to collect data about the behaviour, whale songs, diving length, location, etc. In August and September, hump-backed and other types of whales migrate here and are a huge attraction. The roads beckon mountain bikers and most hotels hire bicycles and snorkelling gear. This is when humpback whales migrate to the area annually for mating and giving birth. For the naturalist, Sainte Marie is also of interest because of its diverse orchid and reptile life.

There are also Grey bamboo and Brown lemurs, and many rare birds. Reptiles abound: look for the 2-ft long Parson’s chameleon; Madagascar tree boa and bright green Day geckos. Lemurs include mouse lemurs, the White-fronted brown lemur, Grey gentle lemur, and the beautiful and vulnerable Black-and-white ruffed lemur. The mountain is covered by jungle with small lakes and waterfalls, inhabited by lemurs and chameleons. The park can be toured either individually or accompanied by a guide, which we recommend.

Mountain bikes for exploring the island are available free of charge, or you can hire a motorbike, quads or a 4WD with driver. The nearby PADI dive centre offers courses and a full dive programme, including wreck and night dives. We bike to the southern part of the island. All the inhabitants are very happy and friendly and greet us with a smile.

It’s an unspoiled paradise of aloe, coconut palm and wild vanilla, endless deserted palm-fringed beaches and coral reefs teeming with fish. It has pristine beaches and the accommodation is mainly hidden bungalows. There is an impressive orchid known as l’orchidie rose, which is 2 m high and has deep pink flowers. The sandy beach at Princesse Bora Lodge is protected by a coral reef and is wonderful for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Tags: August And September, Calm Sunny Weather, Colourful History, Day Geckos, Deep Sea Fishing, Geckos, Giving Birth, Humpback Whales, Ile Sainte Marie, Jungle Trips, Lemurs, Marine Mammals, Mountain Bikers, Rare Birds, Sainte Marie Madagascar, Sightseeing Tours, Tree Boa, Types Of Whales, Whale Songs, Whalers