Festival of whales, historic sites, heavenly beaches, Sainte-Marie remains an inescapable and a dream place for vacation.

Also known as Nosy Boraha, Sainte-Marie is a tropical island located at the heart of the Indian Ocean. It lies in the Northeast of Madagascar and is a small island – only 60 kilometers long and five kilometers wide. Thanks to its idyllic seascape and its places full of history, the island has become a popular tourist destination that amazes not only foreigners but also residents. Some Malagasy travelers who got attracted to the beauty of this small island nicknamed it “Andafy kely” which, figuratively speaking means piece of heaven.

Libertalia and the legend around the chair of miracles.

The story that is told about Ile Sainte-Marie is quite mysterious but somehow exciting. Known for being a former pirates’ habitat, the island is located on the zone of pirates who traveled by ships returning from the East Indies. Since it was near the maritime route, those so called bandits of the seas stayed there to finally settle in. Between the 17^th and the 18^th centuries, Nosy Boraha became a popular campground for pirates where a utopian free colony named “Libertatia”, commonly known as “Libertalia” was founded.

There is another legend that goes unnoticed by many, yet, still makes the charm of the place, that of the chair of miracles. This chair does exist for real and is located in the island of Forbans where legendary pirates lived at that time. The island of Forbans is found in the bay of Sainte-Marie’s main town, Ambodifototra. On this island, a chair believed to be magical is built. The legend of the chair has been linked to the enchanting story of a marginalized pirate called “Koko” and “Darafify”, the last giant from the East coast. The story relates that Koko was an unfortunate bandit of the seas who dreamt of good fortune and abundance. One day, he met with Darafify who unveiled the secret of making his dream come true. Darafify suggested him to make a wish that starts with “Dear Darafify” and ends with “Balawas Balawas” while contemplating the sunset and admiring the orange-colored sky. Koko did so, and the following day, his wish was fulfilled. To honor Darafify in exchange to his precious gift, Koko built a gigantic chair with a view of the sunset. From then on, the chair has been considered a place where wishes are welcomed and miracles occur, hence its denomination “the chair of miracles”.

These are perceived as legends; nevertheless do not necessarily mean unreal. No matter what, Ile Sainte-Marie remains a must-see destination for travelers and tourists. Enjoy its various historic places and monuments such as this chair of miracles and the pirate cemetery found downtown; the first Catholic Church in Madagascar established during French colonization and its smaller island filled with history and wonders – Ile Aux Nattes.

Sources : ONTM / Office du Tourisme de Sainte-Marie / Princesse Bora Lodge & Spa