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A collection of six palm-fringed islands lying off Mozambique’s southern coast, the Bazaruto Archipelago delivers a classic tropical beach holiday. All but one of the islands are made of white sand, surrounded by aquamarine water and flanked by coral reefs. The atmosphere is peaceful and unhurried; triangular-sailed wooden boats – dhows – punctuate the horizon, and local fishermen greet you as they head to your lodge with their catch of the day.
The two largest islands – Benguerra and Bazaruto – have most of the accommodation, a wide range of lodges and luxury retreats catering for all types of traveller: couples and honeymooners; multi-generational families; and watersport-lovers and scuba divers. There’s plenty to do – you can go horse-riding, sailing, fishing or bird watching for example – or you can slow things down and enjoy spa treatments, soothing massages and table-for-two room service.
The Bazaruto Archipelago is perhaps the most accessible Indian Ocean destinations: the mainland town of Vilanculos is the jumping-off point for the islands and lies less than a 2-hour flight from Johannesburg, South Africa’s travel hub. It’s even quicker if you fly from Nelspruit near the Kruger National Park. This makes Bazaruto especially good for a safari and beach holiday, enabling you to enjoy classic Big 5 game viewing in the Kruger as well as the chance to include destinations like Cape Town and Botswana’s Okavango Delta on the itinerary.
The best time for a Bazaruto beach holiday is during Mozambique’s dry season – May to September – which gives you the most comfortable weather – milder, drier and less humid than the rest of the year. This is also the best time to go on a safari in the Kruger Park or Botswana. It is less comfortable in October and November, however, as the heat builds and the rains begin. Bazaruto is hot and often wet over December and January, and wetter still in February and March – this is Mozambique’s hurricane season and usually a time to avoid travel to the coast.
If you want to get underwater, snorkelling and scuba diving conditions tend to be good all year, and the Bazaruto Archipelago remains Mozambique’s best destination for marine mega-fauna: migrating humpback whales pass by the archipelago from June to September and whale sharks can be seen from October to early December.
Be inspired by our top Bazaruto experiences below and browse our recommended itineraries or simply contact us with an idea of what you would like to do and we’ll take it from there.
If there’s one thing you can be sure of in life, it’s that a Bazaruto beach holiday is a time to slow down, power off & catch up – the perfect end to your holiday. Shady hammocks, your own pool, private dining & couple’s spa treatments – it’s all there.
With visibility up to 30 metres (just under 100 feet), the warm waters around the Bazaruto islands are a snorkelling & diving paradise. Much of the area is protected as a marine reserve, home to dolphins and dugongs as well as migrating whales & whale sharks.
Enjoy an afternoon on a dhow, the quintessential wooden sailing boat of the Indian Ocean & toast the setting sun as you return to your island; you can also explore by motor boat with a guide & perhaps visit a local community for an insight into life on the islands.
The smaller islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago can be walked around in a couple of hours but the larger ones can be explored on horse-back or even by 4X4, allowing you to see a different side to the islands. Great for a chance to spot island wildlife – birds, reptiles & even small antelope.
Keen angler? There’s world-class big game fishing to look forward to in these waters. The best time for marlin fishing is from September to January; sailfish from May to September. Ask us about the best lodges for fishing.
Experience the extraordinary with Safari Online, let us tailor-make your trip to Africa. Combine a Safari with a Beach Holiday.
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Our mom grew up in Central and South Africa so we had visited the continent many times. My sister and I wanted to take our teens and husbands to Africa to experience the magic. We had a limited budget but big and specific expectations and by some miracle Walter was able to manage both.
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Safari Online have been nothing but professional and incredible from the time we made our first enquiry to the last day of our stunning holiday. Nothing was too much trouble for Walter. We are now starting to plan our next family Safari for 2019. Guess who we will be booking with??? Safari Online we hope you are ready!!!!!
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Excellent service and they supplied good suggestions for our holiday they also organised all internal flights and arranged check in for us so we had no worries while on holiday. We have had a most memorable holiday staying at wonderful places thanks to Sabrina and Safari Online. Would recommend Safari Online to organise your holiday.
We have been to Africa for 24 of the last 27 years so know a bit about what is involved. Walter has arranged the details for the last couple of years, and has done a superb job. He is always quick to respond and comes up with answers immediately……..no evasive tactics, always head-on!
Our experience with Safari Online was excellent. After becoming very frustrated trying to search for a safari destination on our own, we turned to Karina for help and she was a lifesaver. We had an amazing safari adventure at the lodge–the experience of a lifetime–and are so grateful for her help. We literally couldn’t have done it without her!
Communication was excellent – I asked A LOT of questions and did a ton of research myself and Walter was extremely patient with me and very responsive. he was straight forward and extremely professional. Tour itself was excellent – an incredible experience and one never to be forgotten. Everything was spot on.
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