Whale Nursery
Sainte-Marie Island · Madagascar
Every July to September, humpback whales travel from Antarctic feeding grounds to give birth and nurse calves in the sheltered bay between Île Sainte-Marie and mainland Madagascar. Divers enter the water near singing males and mother-calf pairs in water so clear the whales are visible from the surface. The experience is strictly managed — no engines within 100 metres — making this one of the most respectful cetacean encounters on earth.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 25 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
23 to 29°C
5mm wetsuit
Your chances of seeing each animal
Bottlenose dolphinLeast concern
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Green sea turtleLeast concern
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Humpback whaleLeast concern
Rare
Now and then
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