Humpback whales, the Pangalanes Canal and the scent of vanilla along the island's greenest coast.
The East Coast is Madagascar’s lush face: rainforest, lagoons of the Pangalanes Canal, vanilla and clove plantations, and Sainte-Marie Island resting offshore like a tropical garden. Every austral winter, humpback whales come here to calve in calm waters — one of the finest marine spectacles on Earth.
Whale-watching safaris in season, Île aux Nattes and its lagoon, the pirate cemetery of Sainte-Marie, boating on the Pangalanes between Betsimisaraka villages, and Andasibe Park, close to Tana, to hear the indri sing at dawn.
A gentle destination, between boating, coconut-fringed beaches and lush nature — perfect at the end of a tour or as a beach stay in its own right.
Adventure
Tour · East & Highlands & South
Antananarivo → Sambaina → Antsirabe → Ambalavao → Isalo via the Anja Reserve → Toward Tuléar → Anakao → Itampolo → Lavanono → Berenty → Fort-Dauphin → The East coast by bivouac → Manakara → The Pangalanes Canal → Ranomafana Park → Ambositra
Tour · East & Highlands
Antananarivo → Andasibe National Park → Andasibe → Palmarium Reserve and Aye-Aye Island → Palmarium → Tana → Sainte Marie
The best time to discover Sainte-Marie & the East Coast: June → September (whale season).
Recommended time on site: 5 to 7 days.
Flight Tana → Sainte-Marie, or by road plus boat via Soanierana Ivongo.
Humpback whales cruise off Sainte-Marie from June to September. The East Coast sees rain year-round — a light poncho comes in handy. Taste the coast's vanilla straight from the growers, around Antalaha or Sambava.
