The first track to follow is in the Indian Ocean and, more precisely, in Sainte-Marie on the island of Madagascar. This resort haven is delightful. Both wild and exotic, its long sandy beaches lined with coconut trees are surrounded by a coral reef and a turquoise lagoon suitable for scuba diving. It is even possible ►
The first track to follow is in the Indian Ocean and, more precisely, in Sainte-Marie on the island of Madagascar. This resort haven is delightful. Both wild and exotic, its long sandy beaches lined with coconut trees are surrounded by a coral reef and a turquoise lagoon suitable for scuba diving. It is even possible to meet lemurs and observe walks. However, this idyllic setting served as a perfect hiding place for pirates of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries who took the opportunity to attack the sea lanes and steal their gold, silver, precious stones, or spices from India. Legendary figures such as Avery, Christopher Condent, and Olivier Le Vasseur, also called La Buse, made Sainte-Marie famous because of their passage in this place. There is even a pirate cemetery to visit there. A little further on is what was previously called Bourbon Island, namely Reunion Island. In the eighteenth century, it was the perfect landmark for pirates. Nowadays, the island is famous for diving enthusiasts, flying over the volcano of Piton de la Fournaise in a helicopter, the geological walk in the plain of Cafres, or the night in an ecolodge. That said, the famous buccaneer Olivier Le Vasseur or La Buse had taken refuge on the island to hide his stolen treasure from the viceroy of India. This prodigious hoard seems to be very well protected since even the intervention of scientists and the pirate code message were not conclusive in finding the loot. Still in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles' turn is to be highlighted due to the tumultuous passage of pirates driven out of the Caribbean. Legends say that famous pirates such as Boudin, Hodoul, Avery, Kid, Halsey, or Taylor hid there for some time. Moreover, during a visit to the island, tourists will be able to see that the signs of restaurants or shelters have quite eloquent names referring to the passage of pirates. In addition, according to reports, after robbing many ships, the buccaneer Hodoul supposedly left as a legacy the Château Mamelles, built-in 1804 south of Victoria. Still, according to the locals, the pirate would have buried his biggest treasure on one of the virgin islands of Seychelles. In addition, to this day, it is still possible to visit his grave at the Bel Air cemetery. For the more adventurous, head for the Red Sea in the footsteps of Henry de Monfreid. He operated for many years as a trafficker, and all these expeditions brought him precious treasures. By tracing the trail of the pirates and his team, the scientists found that they had a solid attraction to operate on the coasts of Egypt, Jordan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. One of the greatest buccaneers of all time, namely Barbarossa, made Tunis his principal place of operation in the sixteenth century. Moreover, the seaside resort of Yasmine Hammamet in Tunisia today traces pirates' incredible adventures. Also, in Sousse, Port El Kantaoui, Hammamet, and Djerba, sea trips on pirate ships are regularly organized, and of course, the Barbarossa boat is the most popular. It is impossible to go on the trail of pirates without talking about the Caribbean. This turquoise water has been the favorite playground of pirates. Besides, under its clear waters, some pretty booties are well hidden. Turtle Island was the main stronghold of eighteenth-century pirates. In addition, Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, and Martinique are places to visit for this dive into this mysterious universe. There is also the Casa del Cordon and the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, not to be missed. Costa Rica is also known as a land highly prized by pirates between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Pirates like William Davis, Benito Bonito, Bennett Graham, and William Thompson made their way into the area, and it seems they took Costa Rica as their favorite safe. ◄
