Some mornings we were the only two people on mile after mile of sand. Indigo Bay Island Resort is really is one of the last pieces of paradise on Earth – unending stretches of silver beach with the palms almost reaching down into the clearest sea that I have ever seen anywhere in the world. Obviously this stunning hideaway is very popular with honeymooners – one couple never left their room but sounded very happy – and for the rest of us there was a wide range of activities. Of course the, the old favourite pastime of sitting in the ocean-view bar watching people fall off their windsurfers or half drown trying to get up on their water-skis, is as popular here as anywhere in the world.

Benguerra Lodge constantly strives to improve their guests’ overall experience. With this in mind they have, since the end of January, slowly introduced an informal Mozambique style butler service. The butlers were sourced from existing staff who volunteered for the intensive Butler training program. The butlers have really embraced the program with great enthusiasm and take pride in caring for their assigned guests.

Guests staying in the Casitas are assigned a personal butler on check-in to look after them for the duration of their stay. In keeping with our style of “bare foot luxury” our butlers are informal and friendly, adding a very special, personal touch to every guest’s visit.
Mozambique Holiday

In the southern most point of Mozambique, in a little town known as Ponta do Ouro or Point of gold, lies a little oasis amongst old buildings and sandy roads.

Kaya Kweru is the latest establishment to find a home in this fast growing little town of Ponta do Ouro. It offers very comfortable, clean rooms for all kinds from budget travelers, big groups and families alike. It’s beautiful pool deck and bar offers cool relief during those humid hot summer days. All the rooms are serviced on a daily basis and has en suite bathrooms, with hot showers and fluffy towels. All rooms have Air conditioners, linen and is fully tiled.

The Polana Hotel has a really great atmosphere. The Polana was a very pleasant experience. The pool is relaxing. The room decor was very upscale and tasteful. Nice use of woods and comfortable accents. The staff is friendly and speaks English well. The breakfast (included in the room price) is one of the best that I have had at any hotel. Views of the sea are wonderful from both the pool and most rooms. If I go back to Mozambique, I will stay here again!

Mozambique is home to the Bazaruto Archipelago – a group of remote, untouched islands. This area is off the beaten track and if you are looking for stunning beaches, clear azure sea and relaxation then Mozambique could be the place for you.

Accommodation varies from Eco lodges, such as Guludo Lodge – this is tents on the beach, very rustic and fantastic for scuba diving! – to 5 star deluxe resorts, such as Indigo Bay – wonderful for honeymooners. Ibo Island is steeped in history, guests stay in an old Portuguese house which has been renovated to a very high standard.

Many people think that Mozambique is inaccessible & hard to reach, but LAM, Turbo Max and SA Airlink all fly directly to various cities in Mozambique.

Mozambique is to expand its northern port of Pemba, in part to facilitate exploration for oil in the region, officials said. 

A multi-million dollar expansion will allow Pemba to handle the rapidly increasing volumes of cargo passing through the port. The US-based independent oil company Anadarko Petroleum is planning to drill six wells by 2012, including two underwater wells. During 2007, Canadian company Artumas signed an oil exploration and production concession contract with the Mozambique government.

“The volume of cargo passing through Pemba from October 2006 to 2007 increased from 66,939 metric tons to 75,990 metric tons,” Port Manager, Orio Benzane, said, quoted in the April newsletter of the US-backed Southern African Global Competitiveness Hub.

The Gaborone-based organisation is a US-government initiative to improve the region’s international trade, not only with the US, but also intra-regional trade. Pemba lies in the world’s third largest bay on the coast of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.

Despite its deep-water harbour and strategic location, it has been serving primarily as a regional feeder port.

Dutch group African Riviera plans to invest $324-million (about R2,4-billion) over the next two years to develop tourist projects in northern Mozambique, a top official said.Tourism Minister Fernando Sumbana said the company would build a floating hotel at Mozambique Island, the country’s former capital off the northern coast of the southern African country that is linked by a bridge to the mainland.“We recently held a conference on Mozambique Island after inviting the private sector and other interested stakeholders to draw up an ambitious plan to revamp the island, and African Riviera pledged to invest,” he told Reuters.

“They are currently finalising the proposal, and we are waiting for it, to analyse and approve.”

The company had also expressed interest in constructing a five-star hotel in the nearby mainland town of Lumbo.

“They told us that they want to develop an ambitious project worth $324-million in the next two years. The island will be our draw card for tourism attraction in northern Mozambique, therefore we need sound investments there,” Sumbana said.

African Riviera would work in partnership with Mozambican Port and Railway company (CFM), which owns key infrastructure in the region. Sumbana said construction was expected to start on the second quarter of 2008, once the company secured a licence and its proposal was approved.

Visiting Pemba, a coastal town at the mouth of a huge bay with a great beach, some interesting buildings and a lively atmosphere – Exploring llha de Mozambique, the northern half of which has been declared a Unesco World Heritage-listed site – Swimming at the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park Seeing the grand Zambezi River dammed by the Barragem de Cahora Bassa-set in stunning scenery at the head of a magnificent gorge – Lazing on the long, beautiful beaches of Tofo and Barra