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Where It's At
Vilanculo, on the east coast of the province of Inhambane
about a 500 mile bus ride north of Maputo, is the gateway
to the stunning Bazaruto Archipelago. Often compared
to the Galapagos Islands in South America, this is the premier
place to dive in Africa.
Beach Atmosphere
The town has a thriving nightlife, luxury lodges, and white
sand beaches that make this a tropical paradise. From the
beach at Vilanculo you can look out at the islands of the
archipelago. It's a great place to take a walk and buy from
the local people selling their crafts on the beach. Although
small, the town has cafes, internet cafes, a market, and a
few hostels. Vilanculo is a relaxed base from which you can
organise a boat to tour the Bazaruto Islands. To get
to the islands either barter for a dhow, the local fishing
boats, or join an expedition with Sail Away, the tour
company in town.
Day Trips
If you're feeling flush, take a boat out to Bazaruto Island
and book into the exclusive Indigo Bay Resort where
you could experience the perfect tropical island holiday.
It will set you back anything from $175 a night. If that's
out of your budget but you still want to be based on the island,
it is possible to camp but numbers are limited. You'll need
to find out about this from the tourist office in the town.
Diving Attractions
Declared a national marine life park in 1990, the islands
are pristine with clean white sands, crystal clear waters,
and excellent coral reefs. Bazaruto is the largest of the
five islands, whose waters are home to over eighty percent
of all marine fish families of the Indo-Pacific oceans.
Diving is a must here. Species to spy include the dugong,
a large underwater herbivorous grazer similar to a walrus,
although there are only 30 left in the area. You may also
see sailfish, Black Tail Reef sharks, Blue-banded snapper,
Manta rays, Spotted Eagle rays, barracuda, and perhaps
a Zambezi shark - plus a whole array of corals.
The visibility in the waters around the Bazaruto Archipelago
is excellent. The best dive spots are Two Mile Reef, Five
Mile Reef, Turtle Ridge, Rainbow Runner Reef, Manta Ray Reef
and Potholes.
When To Go
The southern hemisphere winter season is from May to September
and the best time to go to Vilanculo is June to August when
rainfall and temperatures are lower and the risk of catching
malaria is reduced. During this period you may also see Humpback
whales and Manta rays.
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