Île Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie (beach) — Nosy Boraha, or Île Sainte-Marie, is an island off Madagascar’s northeast coast. Near the main town of Ambodifotatra, the pirates’ cemetery includes graves marked with skull and crossbones. Off the south coast, Île aux Nattes and Ilôts aux Sables are tiny islands with coral reefs and sea turtles. Antanandava Waterfall is surrounded by rainforest. On the east coast, traditional pirogue boats dot Baie d’Ampanihy’s lagoon.
This is a popular destination for snorkelers and divers as the island lagoon is incredibly rich in underwater fauna and protected from large predators such as sharks. The island has also become a hotspot for whale watching, due to the substantial groups of humpback whales that use the islands protective geography for breeding and raising their young.