Mozambique has long been on our bucket list. We both share a love of Africa but Sally is definitely an underwater person whereas I prefer to keep my head above it 😊. Mozambique offers different land and water experiences and we both fell in love with it.
So from me, Helen, the one with her head above water, if I had to choose three words – idyllic beaches, sealife and seafood. (I know that is four 😊) Actually Sally agrees with me, but perhaps not in that order!
What a beautiful destination with huge, deserted, pristine beaches that are off the beaten track, a wonderful heartfelt welcome, food – peri peri and fresh seafood in the quality and quantity I could have only dreamed of – and an underwater safari that surpassed my dreams as I am no diver and not even a particularly good snorkeller. Dunes and beaches without another soul, pristine but wild in places (boogie boarding heaven), cycling, kayaking with turtles and SUP (another first for me in water a foot deep which made me a whole load braver). I felt like an explorer rather than travelling on a well trodden path, safe (not a word I expected to use for Mozambique) and more ‘once in a lifetime bucket list experiences’ than any destination should offer! The reaction to our social media posts was extraordinary. Maybe everyone is used to us posting about our safari experiences and we possibly posted too many pristine white sand and azure sea photos and yet many of our experiences could not be caught on camera (well not our iphones) such as a dugong gracefully lifting its head as we transferred back to the mainland, snorkelling with a whale shark for an hour, drifting in a boat with turtles popping their heads up, spotting dolphins at breakfast and we understand that in whale season many a meal is paused whilst people watch these beauties, swimming through shoals of fish on protected coral reefs with no one else around. Piles of prawns, lobster tails, freshly caught fish, peri peri offered with every meal (even breakfast!), coconut and fruits to accompany and possibly the odd cocktail or two.
Sally, as our underwater expert, was in the water as much as time allowed. Highlights for her were definitely the snorkelling with the whale shark, the different reefs off Benguerra and Bazaruto islands, kayaking with turtles, seeing the dugong and various dolphins and the expansive, remote and stunning beaches. Feeling completely safe and at home everywhere we went. She loved finding the hidden gems like Sava Dunes and Zenguelemo and strongly felt that her 3 words for Mozambique were: remote, unspoilt and safe.
There are so many opportunities there in terms of both new properties, new experiences, community upliftment and all to match different budgets. We were travelling in May so it was not whale season but can imagine the escalation that seeing whales every day would be exceptional. Next trip needs to be between July and November, we hope! We continue our three words for each of the places we saw or stayed at and would welcome the opportunity to dive deeper and share our experiences with you, to chat about the combinations that work well and places to break up long journeys or about the hidden gems.
Vilanculos and Bazaruto Archipelago
- Rio Azul – relaxed, independent, private
- Sussurro – instagram, stylish, zen
- Benguerra Island (And Beyond) – charming, polished, diving
- Azura – resort, bustling beach, efficient
- Kisawa – private, vast, immaculate
- Zenguelemo – community, location, staff
- As Dunas – polished, charming, tented
- Santorini – manicured, Instagram, chic
Massinga
- Travessia Beach Lodge – wild pristine beach, relaxed, remote
Barra & Tofo
- Sava Dunes – hideaway, charming, views
- Umbila Beach Lodge – community, friendly, local
Maputo
- Polana Serena – old world, business, historical
- Palmeiras Guest Lodge – guesthouse, quaint, traditional
Machangulo
- Colina Verde – special, private, family
We are heading further north on our next trip. Give us a call to hear more.
Cheers from Mozambique on the Sussuro dhow
