Sainte Marie Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

Sainte-Marie airport is about 12 km from Ambodifotatra, the island's only real town and the starting point for the dugout canoes to Île aux Nattes, the tiny car-free island off the southern tip. Those with a dawn flight or a short stopover find an alternative just minutes from the terminal on the coast near the airport; those staying longer who want the quietest sea head down to the island's southern tip and then cross by canoe over the channel that separates Sainte-Marie from Île aux Nattes.

Near the airport

Airport area · About 5 km from the airport, 10-15 minutes by car or with the hotel shuttle.

Best for: Short stopovers or those arriving and leaving on flights in the first hours, just minutes from the terminal and already on the beach.

Pros

Beach and lagoon just steps away, without the trip into Ambodifotatra
Bungalows in natural materials with mosquito nets, designed for the tropical climate

Cons

Few restaurants outside the hotel: the town's life remains about 7 km away
Boarding the canoes to Île aux Nattes still requires a further trip

Recommended hotels in this area

Lakana Hotel: On the seafront about 5 km from the airport and 7 km from Ambodifotatra: lagoon bungalows with a private outdoor bathroom or land bungalows with an indoor bathroom.

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Ambodifotatra

Nearby town · About 12 km from the airport, 20-30 minutes by car.

Best for: Those who want the island's main town, the pirates' cemetery and canoe rentals just steps away.

Pros

The island's only real town, with a market, a port and canoe rentals for excursions
The most convenient starting point for seasonal whale watching, between July and September

Cons

Beaches less secluded than those of the north-east coast or Île aux Nattes
More limited restaurant offer than more touristy destinations

Recommended hotels in this area

Idylle Beach: In the heart of Ambodifotatra, a few minutes from the Île aux Forbans and the pirates' cemetery: the most central property relative to town among those checked.

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Île aux Nattes

Nearby town · From the airport you drive to the southern tip of Sainte-Marie (about 20-25 km, 30-40 minutes), then cross by canoe the roughly 200-metre channel separating the two islands, in about 5 minutes.

Best for: Those looking for the island within the island, without cars or scooters, accepting a final stretch by canoe.

Pros

Island free of cars and scooters, with some of the archipelago's quietest beaches
Tropical garden and direct access to the white beach

Cons

Final stretch only by canoe, to be arranged with the accommodation or local boatmen
Very few restaurants or shops outside the island's properties

Recommended hotels in this area

Villa la Ruche: Two-bedroom villa in a tropical garden of 2,000 square metres with direct beach access; covered terrace, barbecue area and rental of its own canoe.

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