Vamizi Island

Vamizi Island lies off the coast of northern Mozambique in the Quirimbas Archipelago. A pristine marine wilderness with eight kilometres of white beach lying between indigenous tropical forest and turquoise waters – this is a genuine tropical island paradise.

Vamizi has 10 spacious, ocean-facing villas set along the beach, on both sides on the main lodge area.

Each of the palm-thatched houses are spaced 70 metres apart and look onto their own private stretch of beach, and the ocean beyond.

All the villas have a private open-fronted sitting room, with cane sofas and colonial style planters chairs, that leads to the bedroom where a large paddle fan sits above the king-sized bed (there is no air-con).  The style of the interiors is a very cool mix of old hand carved furniture and natural fabrics.

A spacious en suite bathroom has an open-plan marble shower with twin sinks and a generous selection of luxury toiletries.  In addition there is a personal safe, hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities and a mini fridge in the lounge.

The main dining room is on the beach and open-fronted and the food that is served there is always delicious.  Alternatively you may prefer to take lunch at the cool “Muntu Nkulu” – a new “castaway” style restaurant open during the winter season on the north side of the island. Or why not take the desert island approach – alone with a “shipwrecked” picnic on some deserted beach?  The lodge also has a very chilled bar area where you can enjoy drinks.

Evenings are a more sophisticated affair, with a castaway twist, fuelled by grills on the beach, or more elaborate dishes under lantern light in the dining room.

The quality of diving here is superb – 350 species of fish have been identified in the unbleached coral reefs around Vamizi. There are 16 different dive sites from shallow dives for beginners, to vertical wall dives for more experienced divers.

There is also excellent big-game and fly fishing, whilst between August and October whale-watching by boat is spectacular as the humpback whales migrate up the coast.

To get to Vamizi you can connect with international flights straight from Pemba (Mozambique) or Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on charter flights into the Vamizi Island airstrip.

Vamizi Island is a wonderful place – luxurious with an unpretentious atmosphere and ambience.  It’s hard to fault which is why we think it is arguably the best beach lodge in Africa.