People of the South

Surf n’ turf safari in Mozambique

For nature enthusiasts, southern Africa is synonymous with the ‘big five’ – elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions and buffalo – all of which can be seen (with a bit of luck, of course) during a safari expedition through one of the region’s great parks or game reserves. While South Africa continues to hold court as the reigning safari destination, Mozambique, next door, is primed to be the beachy coda to your wildlife holiday with a whole other set of animals… underwater.

Largely untouchable during the 1980s and ’90s due to a devastating civil war, the 2470km coastline of Mozambique (or the distance from London to Istanbul as the crow flies) feels as though it has been locked away in a time capsule, emerging only in the last 15 years for sand seekers. Development has been slow and purposeful, with stringent conservation laws preserving as much of the crystalline seaside as possible.

As the tourism infrastructure continues to blossom, Mozambique will undoubtedly take its place as a healthy competitor to the coterie of blissful beach destinations on the Indian Ocean like Mauritius and the Seychelles