Nosy Boraha (Sainte-Marie Island)

• Whale watching
• Stunning beaches and coves

The island of Nosy Boraha is a slender 57km long granite island situated 40km off the north east coast of the mainland and is commonly known as Sainte-Marie. 

The island boasts numerous stunning beautiful beaches and secluded coves. Many believe the island is prettier and quieter than its better known counterpart Nosey Be, and is lined with beautiful coconut rimmed beaches with extraordinary rainforests.

As a result of its outstanding beauty and the activities available, Nosy Boraha is slowly overtaking Nosy Be as one of the prime tourist destinations in Madagascar. Neither of the resorts have yet become a ‘resort’ of the Mediterranean or Hawaiian ilk and Sainte-Marie still fortunately has escaped large-scale tourism development.

The island’s exoticism is at it’s highest with impressive coral reefs, natural aquariums and underwater flora and fauna. The coral reefs offshore offer excellent snorkelling and Scuba diving.

Nosy Boraha Island became a popular hideout for pirates in the 17th and 18th century, and was a hideaway for more than a thousand.  They used to hide in the islands tiny bays ready to pounce on unsuspecting cargo ships.

Special Features Include:

• Whale watching tour
  During the summer months (July to September) humped-back whales migrate just offshore the island to breed and have become a huge attraction.
  
  
• Scuba diving
  The best time to go Scuba diving is between October and December.  Off its idyllic beaches are some of the best reefs in its region. Safe from sharks, the lagoon of Sainte-Marie Island is gifted with important coralline constructions.  It’s underwater flora and fauna forms a preserved natural heritage and a first-class diving site in the Indian Ocean.