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.

Rock-climbing on Red Rock’s towering boulders is just as popular as ever. Several months ago, a three-by-three-foot chunk of rock tumbled onto the sand, but didn’t hurt anyone. A very short uphill climb north of Punta Bunga is BUNYAGAN BEACH, another secluded strip of white sand. Beyond it stand widely-spaced coconut trees and flatland, ideal for picnics. Climbing is not allowed anywhere on Haystack Rock, not only for the safety of the birds but for your safety as well! Federal and state law requires boats to remain at least 500 feet away and any aircraft (including gliders) must stay at a minimum of 2,000 ft.