Mantis Soanambo Hotel & Spa

Arrival on Sainte Marie is an entry into a slower rhythm of life. A short transfer along the island’s western coastline brings you to Soanambo. The hotel reveals itself not as a single structure, but as a series of low-slung, contemporary pavilions set within a garden of traveller’s palms and hibiscus. The sound of the Indian Ocean is a constant presence, a gentle percussion against the sand as you step from the vehicle and into the open-air reception.

Your room is a study in clean lines and natural light. A polished concrete floor is cool underfoot. The entire ocean-facing wall is glass, sliding open to a private wooden balcony that looks directly over the water. Mornings begin here, watching the local fishing pirogues drift past on the current. The day’s exploration ends in the large walk-in shower, tiled in stone, washing away the salt and sand.

Life at Soanambo is governed by the sea. From July to September, the channel becomes a procession route for humpback whales, their spouts visible from your balcony. You can join a small boat excursion to see them breach and fluke. A short pirogue paddle south takes you to the small island of Île aux Nattes, a place of small coves and footpaths. Or explore Sainte Marie itself, discovering pirate cemeteries and the quiet pulse of island life in its small villages.