Ile Sainte-Marie

This slender island off Madagascar's northeastern coast was historically a haven for pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries and retains a small pirate cemetery at Ile aux Nattes. Between July and September, humpback whales gather in the sheltered channel between the island and the mainland to calve and nurse their young, attracting whale-watching vessels. The island's beaches and quiet pace contrast sharply with the mainland's bustle.