Toamasina, also called Tamatave, is a port city on the east coast of Madagascar. Its old town district features Creole houses built on stilts. Place Bien Aimé, a large park shaded by banyan trees, is home to a decaying colonial mansion. Wide, palm-lined Independence Avenue leads to a seaside boulevard. Archaeological exhibits and traditional tools are on show at the University of Toamasina Regional Museum.