Places to See and Stay: Benguerra Lodge - Bazaruto Archipelago

Benguerra Lodge is situated on a white beach on Benguerra Island. Eleven beautiful chalets, two stunning honeymoon suites and one villa are shaded by milkwood trees and overlook the sandy shores. The chalets are raised on stilts and have a large room with twin beds and muslin nets leading into an en suite bathroom with a spacious hot shower. Each chalet has direct access onto the sandy beach where thick towels are provided for your private thatched sun shade and wooden beach loungers. The wooden decked floors and the reed walls are open sided and have heavy bamboo blinds should you wish to obstruct the splendid views out to sea.

The recently refurbished main lodge has a North African feel and houses a comfortable lounge and bar with wide chairs and colourful cushions. The pretty dining room area leads onto a decking overlooking the garden and meals are often served outside under the trees or on the beach. There is beach bar housed in an old boat for those wanting to be closer to the water. Food at Benguerra is superb, with fresh crayfish and other seafood delicacies often on the menu. There is also a small spa here where guests can book in for relaxing beauty treatments.

Activities at Benguerra are low key. It is a divers and snorkellers paradise with miles of unspoilt coral reefs. It is also possible to sail to Pansy Island although the waters here are getting rather shallow, take deep sea fishing trips, explore the island by open 4WD and have picnics on private beaches and take a sunset cruise across the bay in a dhow.

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