Île Sainte-Marie

Island Madagascar, Madagascar

Nosy Boraha, more commonly known as Île Sainte-Marie, is an island off the northeastern coast of Madagascar. From an administrative point of view it belongs to the province of Toamasina. The name of Île Sainte-Marie is associated with the history of piracy. In fact, between the 17th and 18th centuries, the island was chosen as a base by numerous groups of pirates and buccaneers who plundered the merchant fleets returning from the East Indies. The pirates integrated with the local populations, giving rise to an ethnic group of mixed blood, which took the name of Zana-Malata.

Today, Sainte-Marie is one of the most important tourist resorts in Madagascar, thanks mainly to whale watching.