A lot of people have asked me if I am one of the only mulungus in my town and the answer is: definitely not. Vilankulo is one of the top three tourist destinations in Mozambique which means that during the South African and Zimbabwean school holidays this place is full of white tourists (this doesn't even include the white ex-pats who own pretty much own all of the businesses here - don't get me started on why I hate this). The main reason why Vilankulo is such a popular tourist destination is because it is the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago. The Bazaruto Archipelago is a small chain of 5 islands (Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina and Bangue) off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. The archipelago is known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" because it is one of the last (nearly) untouched paradises on earth.
There are several companies that run day trips to the islands and one of the most popular ones, Dolphin Dhow, is owned by one of our (Mozambican) neighbors. A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing vessel that is really common in Mozambique and most of them have been equipped with motors so that people, especially tourists, don't get stuck in the middle of the channel during low tide. It takes about an hour to get to the islands (about 10km away) with a motor and without a motor I have heard of people being stuck for days. We went to the closest island to Vilankulo, Magaruque, for the day.
Our beach gate from the boat
(the one with the new wood posts and tall trees)
The dhow
Getting ready to go snorkeling.
My roommate Courtney and I
Magaruque
Our beach gate from the boat
The dhow
Getting ready to go snorkeling.
My roommate Courtney and I
Magaruque
1 comment:
To fully enjoy Bazaruto, you need to adapt your concept of luxury. Although the resorts and lodges are sophisticated, here, luxury means getting as close to nature as possible.
Bazaruto Archipelago
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