SMS · medium airport

Sainte Marie Airport

Vohilava, Madagascar

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SMSmedium airport

Sainte Marie Airport

Vohilava, Madagascar

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Routes out

Destinations

FMMS

ICAO

7 ft

Elevation

TravelerPulse profile

Gateway to the Island of Pirates off Madagascar's east coast.

Location

Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar

Sainte Marie Airport (IATA: SMS, ICAO: FMMS) serves the island of Île Sainte-Marie (also known as Nosy Boraha), located off the northeastern coast of Madagascar. The airport is the primary air link connecting this remote island to the Malagasy mainland, particularly to Toamasina and Antananarivo. The airport operates as a small regional facility handling light aircraft and turboprop services. It plays a critical role for residents and tourists, as the island has no fixed road connection to the mainland and sea crossings can be lengthy and weather-dependent. Île Sainte-Marie is a popular tourist destination known for its whale-watching season, historic pirate cemetery, and pristine beaches. The airport thus supports a modest but important tourism industry for this relatively isolated island community.

Terminals

The airport features a single small terminal building suited to the low passenger volumes typical of a remote island destination.

Getting to & from

Ground transport on the island is limited to taxis and locally arranged transfers, as the island itself has only basic road infrastructure.

Airlines here

Air Madagascar and regional carriers such as Tsaradia have historically operated services to Sainte Marie Airport connecting it to Antananarivo and Toamasina.

Notable facts

›Île Sainte-Marie is historically associated with 17th and 18th century pirates who used the island as a base.
›The island hosts one of the world's notable humpback whale calving grounds, attracting tourists from July to September.
›The airport runway is short, limiting operations primarily to small turboprop and light aircraft.
›Sea access via ferry from Soanierana-Ivongo on the mainland is an alternative to flying.
›The airport serves a dual role supporting both local residents and the island's growing ecotourism sector.

Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Route map (3 destinations)

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap © CARTO

Airlines serving this airport

Air Madagascar

Routes

SMS → RUNMD · AT5

SMS → TMMMD · AT5 AT7

SMS → TNRMD · AT7 AT5

Aircraft operating here

Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 42-5003 routes Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 722 routes

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