6 Best Hotels in Mozambique

You'll find great food, friendly and efficient service, comfortable reed-and-thatch villas, and lots to do at this award-winning 5-star resort on Bazaruto Island, an acclaimed marine national park. The lodge prides itself on preserving the natural environment and investing in the community to help the locals. Its tag-and-release fishing activities have resulted in an almost 100% release rate for marlin and sailfish caught by guests. The Bazaruto Archipelago, one of Africa's top diving sites, is home to spectacular coral reefs with over 100 species of coral, game fish, dolphins, a huge variety of tropical fish species, and four whale species. Spot marine turtles (all five species can be found) and take an expedition to find the rare marine mammal, the dugong—supposed source of the mermaid myth. A picnic on the Paradise Island is a highlight.

Check out the all-inclusive special packages.

Your quintessential private-island resort doesn't get much better than this. The tiny island (just over half a mile long by a quarter mile wide) lies in the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean, just off the north coast of Mozambique in the Quirimbas Marine Reserve. You can amble around the white beaches of the whole island in about forty minutes. Unwind in one of thirteen enchanting beach chalets, each with a fringed palm leaf thatch roof, wooden deck, plunge pool, and a cool Arabian Nights interior that would have immediately seduced Scheharazade. Snorkeling and diving are superb among nearby breathtaking coral reefs and you also won't be able to stop yourself from diving into the spectacular delights of the seafood, from giant prawns and crayfish to squid and line fish.

Azura is an ultra luxurious beach resort on Benguerra Island in the middle of Bazaruto National Marine Park that is absolutely gorgeous and can hold its own with other 5-star lodges anywhere in the world. Choose one of 17 villas built by the local community with indigenous materials, each with a fringed thatch roof that resemble a Mogul emperor’s hat. Each villa has Afro-contemporary interiors (authentic carvings, handmade furniture, beaded wall hangings, local fabrics), a personal plunge pool, massive viewing deck, outdoor showers, and glades of palm trees. An attentive but unobtrusive private butler attends to your every whim and need, reinforcing the superb friendly, efficient service of the rest of the staff. The food is Mozambican style; seafood reigns, although there are plenty of other freshly cooked goodies to tempt even the most jaded palate. Dining, in fact, is a daily surprise with your innovative butler setting up different venues from the edge of the beach, to a hidden leafy glen. All the quintessential tropical island activities from scuba diving and snorkeling, to a dhow trip, beach picnics and fly- or big-game fishing are literally on your doorstep. In season (May–October), watch the migrating humpback whales; spot dolphins all year round, and keep an eye open for turtles and the ever-elusive dugong.

This unpretentious lovely lodge sits on the coast of Southern Mozambique amidst the Vilankulos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary, so you get unspoiled beaches plus an incredible array of marine life. There are 14 timber, stone, and thatch-fringed chalets (two of them adjoined family ones) each overlooking the Indian Ocean with wooden decks, lie-out chairs and individual wooden paths that lead down past a sala (covered outdoor viewing/relaxing deck) straight into the sea. The chalet interiors are cool and comfortable with stone floors, basket weave chairs and stools, blue-and-white soft furnishings, wood and weave bedheads, side tables, chests of drawers and cupboards. It’s a strange mix of contemporary beach style and 70s retro, but somehow it all works wonderfully well. The chalets themselves are roomy and the bathroom and indoor/outdoor showers are huge. The food is excellent and plentiful, the local staff friendly and charming, and there are lots of activities from kayaking and wind surfing to water skiing, diving and snorkeling.

This award-winning lodge situated in the Quirimbas National Park has been a triumph of restoration. A decade ago the three lovely old mansions that form the lodge were shabby, dilapidated cocoons. Today they are reborn and returned to their historic glory with the aid and knowledge of the local community. Ibo Island, reminiscent of Zanzibar's Stone Town in some ways, is one of the oldest settlements in Africa (excluding San Bushman sites) and has been nominated for World Heritage Status. Fourteen individually designed rooms, with handmade king-sized four-poster beds face the sea or gardens, all with wide verandas. Although the beaches around the hotel tend to be muddy and not very attractive, the surrounding lush gardens are delightful and you can be whisked off daily to a private sandbar in the Indian Ocean by a local dhow to swim, snorkel, dive, or just relax. Watch the sun set from the Bela Vista roof deck restaurant, cocktail in hand, before sampling the Mozambique cuisine.

A guided tour of the island to learn about its fascinating past is a must as is a dhow safari.

The exteriors of these rectangular-shaped weathered white clapboard chalets may seem ordinary, but within their spacious walls you’ll find luxurious understated interiors that harmonize beautifully with sea, sand, and sky. Your entire living and sleeping areas with their off-white wooden floors, dove grey walls, textured grey couches, and soft curtaining provide a haven of relaxation and comfort. Decks stretch around the chalets with stunning views over the Indian Ocean. Lie in bed and watch the dawn break, or collapse onto a big day couch outside and marvel at the African sunsets, or dip into your plunge pool. Service is excellent, the food an interesting mix of Mozambique and contemporary fusion, and the wrap-around music in the public areas is a heady unique mix of Cuban, blues, cool jazz and soul. You can go horseback riding, swim, snorkel, take long beach walks or just relax. The diving is some of the best in the world with pristine reefs and very few (if any) other divers.

There’s easy access by road from Maputo or South Africa but a helicopter transfer from Maputo is well worth the money.