Staying at Anantara Bazaruto

Situated just off the east coast of Mozambique, in the warm Indian Ocean, lies the tiny island of Bazaruto. Protected as part of the Bazaruto Island National Park, the island is pristine, surrounded by some of the most beautifully blue waters I’ve ever seen. Famous for scuba diving, the island is also perfect even if you’re not a diver and offers warm water, a wonderful year-round climate and of course, the stunning Anantara Bazaruto resort.

Getting there

From Johannesburg, you can fly directly to the Vilanculos airport, where the Anantara transfer will collect you for the boat ride to the island. On board their luxury speedboat, you are transported across varying shades of blue and turquoise, with a good chance of seeing dolphins and dugongs along the way. Forty five minutes later, you’re greeting with song and dance and you set foot on the soft white sand of the island.

Staying at the Anantara Bazaruto

While we were in Mozambique for a 3 week family holiday, we decided to splurge on the experience of a lifetime and booked a night at the luxurious Anantara Bazaruto. Really, a one night stay is not enough to fully enjoy even just the hotel, but we were heading back to South Africa in a day and we didn’t want to miss the chance to visit.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed with a beautiful musical performance and a cocktail before being shown to our villa. All luxury villas are ocean facing, with sunken baths overlooking the lawn leading to the water, secluded outdoor showers and a complimentary mini-bar.

Lunch is served at one of several restaurants, and we decided to dine at the beach, with a bottle of Portuguese rosé on ice to add to the experience. After lunch we enjoyed the adults-only pool, which has a swim-up bar and an infinity view over the ocean. I’ve seen many sunsets in my lifetime, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like the sunset on the beach at Anantara Bazaruto.

As the sun was dipping, turning the water to liquid gold in front of our eyes, a soft song started at the end of the beach. For the next 10 minutes or so, a group of singers dressed in traditional fabrics danced slowly up the beach, softly singing and making music as they went. The combination of the gorgeous sunset and the beautiful music actually made me feel a little emotional, and I had to catch myself before the moment pushed me over the edge emotionally.

After a long dinner and another bottle of rosé we went to bed early with the plan of waking up at sunrise to enjoy every moment we could before catching the boat back to mainland Mozambique. The sun starts rising before 4:30am in the summer months, and if I thought sunset was beautiful, sunrise was ready for the competition.

Waking up early gave us the opportunity to enjoy the entire resort as if we were the only guests, with the pool and beach all to ourselves. The only sounds were the ocean very gently lapping the shore and the birds flapping their wings hard as the dipped and dived for fish.

Too soon, our stay was over and it was time for a quick breakfast before we went back to reality. But we both agreed that although one night was not long enough to really enjoy the experience, we wouldn’t have traded it. It really was the happiest we’d been in a long time – just so relaxed. It really did feel like we were on an island paradise, on our own little deserted island.

More about Anantara Bazaruto

The resort offers loads of activities and excursions, from sunset dhow safaris (included) to cooking classes and snorkelling adventures. If we’d had more time there, I would have loved to explore the island’s fauna and flora with one of the resort’s 4×4 tours. There’s also horse riding, deep sea fishing and of course, a luxurious spa to keep you busy.

African National Rates

South African and African residents can enjoy special rates of up to 40% off. They also offer Honeymoon packages and long-stay rates that will make the visit even more attractive. For more details on rates and packages, visit www.anantara.com.

*Our stay was hosted in-part by Anantara Bazaruto.