Sainte-Marie island is just off the East Coast of Madagascar and has in the past been home to pirates and even royalty. Now it is a haven for holidaymakers seeking an unspoilt vision of luxury in Madagascar. Here you will find palm-lined beaches, colourful coral reefs and as much rest and relaxation as one could possibly need at the Princess Bora Hotel. Built in a palm grove almost on the white sand beach overlooking a lagoon where between July and September the whales come to frolic, what more could you really ask for?
There are fifteen villas spread out amongst the palm trees and tropical gardens, they are not as over the top as many luxury hotels, here the luxury is rooted more in the magnificence of the natural surroundings than in the man-made. Each of the rooms is styled according to the characteristics of a different tropical fish and all are built from the same local materials, rosewood, stone and palm fronds. The occasional hammock hangs between the palm trees and a cool breeze comes off the lagoon, rest comes easily here that is for certain. The Luxury Villas are pleasant to live in and offer all the facilities: vast, tastefully decorated living rooms with great suspended double bed, large bath rooms with shower, double basin, separated WC, storage, ventilator, air-conditioning and individual closets.
On this wonderful tropical island you are surrounded by history, here the remains of a fort, there a catholic church built in the French style and a graveyard where skull and cross-bones decorate some of the original graves. The main town of Ambodifotatra is small and inviting, the people friendly and the traffic virtually non-existent. You should definitely engage in whale watching at the hotel, where your efforts will be part of an international whale study that is hosted at the hotel. You should also visit Coco Bay and Clipper Bay, two private beaches belonging to the hotel surrounded by a large forest of coconut trees.
