African High Sea

These offshore waters lie east of Madagascar, beyond the Betsimisaraka coast. The island's settlement history links it to both sides of the Indian Ocean. Austronesian voyagers established communities during or before the mid-first millennium CE, while people from East Africa also crossed to Madagascar in later centuries.

These migrations provide a broad background to the sea around the island, though they do not establish a particular voyage through this offshore zone. The coast and open water formed part of a wider Indian Ocean world linking Madagascar with African and Asian shores.