In Nosy Be - a little paradise of palms and white seaside in the north of Madagascar- as much as in Cuba, a lot of men go in search of sex and sometimes love. One could easily give it the dreary name of sexual tourism taking place in one of the poorest countries in the world: on one side misery and need, on the other money and presents which will fulfill the desire of an exotic adventure .
This is not, however, the only aspect of the phenomenon, and Nosy Be is not exactly a brothel island or not only something like that, at least not in the western meaning of the term.
Mixed couples are quite common: the majority of Europeans who live here end up by marring a Malgasy girl. Then there are some part-time marriages: she lives in Madagascar and he lives and works in Europe, every three or four months he joins his Malgasy family; who knows if he has another wife in Europe? And then, there are the distant girlfriends (or lovers): the European man goes back to Nosy Be every year for his holiday and there's a girl waiting for him; he's sure it's easier to find her if now and then he sends her a present.

Where: Nosy Be (Madagascar)
When: august 2000
Images : 15 B/W prints, 10 colour slides , HR and LR scans available
Text: English, and Italian versions available, French version on demand; about 1800 words