After enjoying a wildlife safari in southern Africa, you might be in search of a beach destination just to kickback and relax. In the southeastern part of Mozambique, not too far from the Vilanculos mainland, is the Bazaruto Archipelago which is a string of five islands most popular for the high quality of marine life, deserted beaches and crystal turquoise seas. If you’re looking for an ideal place to relax, or somewhere where you can really get active and enjoy the ocean, then this is the place for you.

Here, you will enjoy nature at it’s best – wide, white-sand beaches populated by samango monkeys, butterflies and an array of birds and bordered with palm trees and lush island vegetation.

Go snorkeling or diving at the two mile reef, or go swimming in the warm, crystal water and explore the reefs that stretch for miles and miles. The marvelous coral reefs and rich sea life at Bazaruto make it one of the best places in the world to go diving or snorkeling. If you’re lucky, you may get the chance to encounter turtles, dolphins (spinner, bottlenose and humpback), as well as dugong and a variety of other marine creatures.

The waters around the islands are also ideal for fishing, if you’re into that sort of thing, and you can pull in some big catches. The catches are often seasonal, because fish migrate, so you are most likely to catch fish like Marlin around Mid-September to late December, and Sailfish are usually more rampant around April to August. However, you can still hook smaller game fish like King Mackerel, Bonito, Travelli, and Queen Mackerel at any time of the year you visit. Because Bazaruto is a marine reserve, they have a pretty strict “tag and release” fishing policy.

The archipelago is also a great place for those who love safaris. You can go on a dhow safari and visit all five tropical islands of Bazaruto – Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Bangue and Santa Carolina (also called Paradise Island) – which are all beautifully strung along the azure waters of the Mozambican channel. Or, you can enjoy Horse safaris on the larger islands where you get to explore the beaches and inland areas on horseback

Not into water sports? That’s quite alright. You can spend your days enjoying the laid-back village life on the islands with their traditional cultures and explore the colorful markets under the shade of fruit and nut trees. Or pack a seafood picnic and head to the beach where you can lie under the sun and bury your toes in the white sand and enjoy a book under a palm tree. Or, if you’re more active, you can always go hiking on the islands or sand boarding on the dunes or surfing just along the island shores. There is also a national park that boasts a fantastic variety of marine life coral reefs.

For those who may not want to venture too far from the modern world, there are a good range of accommodation options that would suit your needs in terms of providing amenities. In summary the Bazaruto Archipelago is where you want to go for a laidback, relaxing beach adventure with high standards of service and numerous opportunities for exploration and learning.

By Jovago, Africa’s leading hotel booking site.