The hook
A cluster of Indian Ocean islands ringed by turquoise lagoons and towering sand dunes, where traditional dhows sail warm clear water that shelters coral reefs, whales, and one of Africa's last populations of dugongs.
01Why it's worth it
The Bazaruto Archipelago, off Mozambique's southern coast, is the picture of an Indian Ocean idyll: a handful of islands with dazzling white beaches, high vegetated sand dunes, inland freshwater lakes, and, all around, shallow turquoise lagoons and reefs in impossibly clear, warm water. It is protected as a marine park, and its waters are exceptionally rich, hosting excellent diving and snorkelling among reefs and abundant fish, seasonal humpback whales and whale sharks, and, rarest of all, a surviving population of dugongs, the shy, gentle "sea cows" that have vanished from most of the region. Traditional dhows still sail these waters, and the classic experience is a barefoot island lodge from which to dive, snorkel, sail, and simply drift. It is remote and upmarket, reached by light aircraft and boat, and it offers one of the finest tropical-island experiences on the continent, an easy add-on to a southern African safari.
02How to experience it
Fly in to an island lodge and fill your days with diving or snorkelling the reefs, dhow sailing, and beach time, with whale watching in season. Go in the dry season for the calmest, clearest conditions. It pairs beautifully as the beach finale to a South Africa or Zimbabwe safari.