Toamasina, Sainte Marie & the East

Toamasina, better know by its former name Tamatave, is the biggest seaport of the country. Apart from that, it is the gateaway to the East and the Island of Sainte Marie. The latter one famous for its pirates history and the annual humpback whale migration. Halfway Antananarivo and Toamasina, we find the rainforests of Andasibe and Mantadia, the natural habitat of the biggest of all living lemurs: the Indri indri. Due to its proximity to the capital, this national park is often chosen as opening destination for a roundtrip. Toamasina is also the northern end of the Pangalanes Canal, a vast wetland that reaches as far south as Manakara. Hardcore adventurers will choose Toamasina as there starting point for the infamous National Route 5.