Mozambique
Stretching for very nearly 2,500 km along the warm turquoise waters of southeast Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline, Mozambique boasts a heady mix of empty palm-fringed beaches, stunning architecture, remote island getaways and an ever-improving array of animal sightings.
Many visitors jet straight from the international airport in the capital, Maputo, to the private airstrips and first-rate sands of the Quirimbas or Bazaruto Archipelagos. Here, a romantic sailing through the shallows on a traditionally-constructed dhow is a way of life, while snorkelling, diving, and game fishing run alongside whale watching of resident minke and southern right whales.
However, mainland Mozambique is also well worth exploring. In the far south, the tiny town of Ponta d’Ouro lives up to the English translation of its name – Golden Point – with a much-loved arch of yellow-orange sand and a plethora of fine resorts to opt between, while nearby Maputo Special Reserve offers regular elephant sightings.
But it’s Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique that is making a name for itself as the country’s go-to destination for traditional safari experiences. Among its variety of lake, mountain, grassland and forest landscapes, big game species include lion, elephant, antelope, highly-endangered African Wild Dogs, and more than 300 different species of native and migratory birds.
