The East holidays

but in a more open setting next to the Pangalan Channel. Alternatively, or as a lovely combination, just a short flight from Antananarivo lies the laid back island of Il Sainte Marie off the east coast. The island has shed its gritty pirate past (they would plunder ships carrying the profits of the spice trade) and is now an extremely friendly place where you'll find sandy beaches lined with coconut palms, wonderful coral reefs and small, intimate hotels. It feels a lot like the Caribbean, basically. The channel between the island and the mainland is also a hot spot for whale watching as large groups of humpbacks make their way from the Antarctic to breed in warmer waters between June and September.