Madagascar : a fabulous “safari whales” at Ste Marie

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We took a domestic flight from Antananarivo Airport at 8am and landed safely 45 minutes later at the Ste Marie island in the Indian Ocean, along the east coast of Madagascar.The view from the plane’s window is so breathtaking : large blue sea, surrounding a colorful land.The small “Ile Ste Marie” is famous and known as a touristic location . Every year, from June to September, humpback whales make migration here.

A humpback whale. Ā©Mizou

Humpback whales migrate to engage courtship or to nurse their babies. So, there are so many tourists for the expedition and also a considerable range of hotels and restaurant. We began our visit by taking a Tuc Tuc, this kind of vehicle-bike and setting out a tour of the township . You can as well pay a visit to the tomb of pirates .The town is animated and people are so friendly. The local restaurant serves you of course rice with a plate of seafood : the popular fish with coconut cream. After lunch, we were hanging around the small town and heading back to our hotel to lay on the hamac while enjoying a splendid view of the Indian Ocean. At dinner time, a local band gave a show of Malagasy songs and dance .

Ā©Mizou

The next day, we were so thrilled to go to the safari whales. This expedition will give us an opportunity to see whales in their natural habitat. It was our first time to take a speed boat. A local tourist guide from the association CETAMADA which provides care for whales environment, came with us. We left the port of Ambodifotatra at 6.30am wearing life vest. A few kilometres far from the coast, in the deep water,we met the first group of humpback whales told to be active:one female followed by two males.The males would perform their best acrobatic moves to court her .Then, she’s going to choose one of the two males to be her partner. It was a fantastic moment,watching a lot of these charismatic cetaceans in the deep sea. Despite their enormous size,they seem peaceful and gentle.

Ā©Mizou

The third day, we took a traditional canoe to reach the tiny island called “Ile aux Nattes”.It’s a paradise location : quiet, spectacular view, emphasizing your feeling with nature! We enjoyed swimming in the blue lagoon for the whole day. Later, we had a delicious lunch made of grilled fish , steamed rice and fresh vegetable salad: carrots, tomatoes, homemade garlic sauce. It is possible as well to make an hour tour around this small island with a traditional boat.

Ā©Mizou

Then, the fourth day, on Sunday morning, we went to the first Catholic church, built by France in Madagascar. The old centenary furniture is still inside. After the mass, we went back to our hotel and enjoyed again the nice view of the blue ocean in front of us. Of course, if you are keen on diving, there are many hotels that can plan this activity. One of them is Libertalia Hotel. And there is also an interesting park nearby where you can see the lemurs.

Ā©Mizou

On the fifth day , we’ve planned to visit the North part of Ste Marie. We had a brief stop at a waterfall , admiring the beauty of the wild nature before heading to a restaurant . Once again, we had a delicious meal, like before, it had a very unique taste! Around 3 pm, we continued our road to the “piscine naturelle“, a natural basin, a sort of small pool surrounded by the corralling. It is such a breathtaking area. After one hour, the local inhabitants warned us to come out from the pool because the high tide is starting to come up. So, we left the northern area, heading back to our hotel after buying some “souvenir” like spices : cinnamon powder, ylang ylang perfume.

Ā©Mizou

We just hung around our hotel for our last stay at Ste Marie: eating breakfast full of fresh fruits, laying on the hamac, sunbathing… And as we were looking at the sea, we had a nice surprise : a chance to see a whale splashing around by the shore! After a while, we had a great lunch, a nice nap under the sun and the breeze from the ocean. A beautiful sunset reminds us to pack our bags and keeping in our minds full image of all the memories we made .

Of course, the next morning we had to leave this magical island with joy and peace in our heart! And I know, I’m going to write down very soon my next post about another incredible trip to Madagascar !

For more posts, please check out the link below :

Mahajanga, ā€œla ville des fleurs!ā€

PS : See you soon with another destination. And, If you enjoyed this post, please like it , comment it or follow my blog

Published by Mizou

My Name is Mizou, and I've dreamed a lot about travelling. It's a great pleasure for me to share my posts with you. I hope you'll enjoy reading them.

62 Replies to “Madagascar : a fabulous “safari whales” at Ste Marie”

  2. Safari whales??? Mustā€™ve been an awesome sight! šŸ³ šŸ‹ Such a fun post! Loving the adventures you share on your blog. I agree ….. sharing is the coolest! ā¤ļø

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply
  3. Pingback: Rome : an unforgettable City. Day 3 – pe blog
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