Sainte Marie Island

Sainte Marie, a beautiful island 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of Madagascar’s main island, earns a reputation as a “tropical island paradise” and attracts tourists worldwide with its stunning beach scenery. Every July to September, humpbacks migrate to warm waters near Sainte Marie, making it the most ideal place to watch these giant marine creatures in the Indian Ocean. Besides, pirate and jazz festivals and celebrations are held in Sainte Marie every year.

What to Do in Sainte Marie Island

Watch Humpbacks Every July to September

Humpbacks that seek a warmer environment migrate to the Sainte Marie waters from July to September every year, making the island one of the hottest spots to watch whales worldwide. They mate and give birth to babies here. It’s amazing to take a speedboat to closely watch them sporting under the sea and leaping out of the seawater suddenly. With an average body length of about 15 meters (16 yards), these giant animals can spout a water column more than 10 meters (33 feet) high. While watching them, you can also hear their distinctive calls. During the humpback season every year, people in Sainte Marie celebrate the Whale Festival to welcome humpbacks and hold various activities including concerts, craft work exhibitions, and canoe races.

Admire Wonderful Beach Scenery

Walking on the fine and sun-drenched beaches of Sainte Marie Island, you will see turquoise seawater and feel gentle sea breezes. With a nickname of “Garden Island”, Sainte Marie has abundant flora resources including dense primitive forests, lush and tall palm trees, verdant mangroves, and fragrant orchids. Lying on a hammock between two coconut trees, you can obtain your moments of relaxation.

Surrounded by seawater, the island further provides various activities for you to appreciate the breathtaking sea scenery. A total of 18 diving spots will help you enter a fabulous underwater world with colorful and delicate coral reefs, tropical fish, and sea turtles. You can also take pleasure in snorkeling and kitesurfing.

Enjoy Various Leisure Activities

Plenty of activities can be chosen to spend your leisure time in Sainte Marie. On the island, you can hike in the primitive jungles, ride a bike to explore the beauty of the island, and visit an ancient lighthouse. The island further features natural swimming pools in which you can swim without any disturbance, and you can throw a coin into a holy swimming pool to make wishes.

Pirate Island Celebrates Pirate Festival

Sainte Marie once was a pirates’ lair, and in the 18th century, more than 1,000 pirates lived here. Nowadays, this island still retains pirate-related sites including an open-air museum of pirate culture and an ancient pirate graveyard. Local people set up the Pirate Festival for tourists to engage in joyful activities including treasure-hunting games. The festival is organized every year and the latest one will be held from November 31 to December 2, 2025.

Another festival will share the charm of jazz music with people in Sainte Marie in March or April every year. During the festival, musicians from all over the world gather in Sainte Marie Island to present high-quality music shows.

How to Get to Sainte Marie Island

If you depart from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, there are two ways to get to Sainte Marie.

1. By plane: There are flights between the capital and Sainte Marie, but not every day. From July to September, the hottest travel season of Sainte Marie, flights are more, but still cannot meet the considerable needs of tourists. If you plan to visit Sainte Marie, please book your air ticket in advance.

2. By ship: Ships set sail from three ports on the east coast of Madagascar’s main island to Sainte. They may depart very early or be delayed or canceled due to bad weather. All the tickets need to be booked in advance. From Port Toamasina, the largest port in the country, it takes 4 to 5 hours to get to the island. From Port Mahambo, it takes about 3.5 hours. From Port Soanierana Ivongo, it takes 1.5 hours.

 Recommended visiting duration: 1 day.