General Information:

Vilanculos Beach Lodge is situated in the small costal town of Vilanculos, in the subtropical province of Inhambane, Mozambique. Vilanculos lies 720kms north of Maputo and 500kms south of Beira.
The town, with friendly people and a lively atmosphere, offers the perfect base from which to explore the picturesque Bazaruto Archipelago and the Bazaruto National Park. The marine reserve includes five islands – Santa Carolina (also known as Paradise Island), Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque and Bangue. The Archipelago offers some of the world's best snorkeling, diving and big game fishing. The islands are pristine in their natural beauty and diverse ecologies. The coral reefs are profuse with a diversity of tropical fish and turtles, and are amongst the most pristine in the Western Indian Ocean. Dolphins are seen year round and whales are seasonal visitors to the Archepelago. The park is also home to the last viable population of dugong on the east African coast. There is an abundance of bird species, including the crab plover and olive bee-eater that tunnels its nest into the sand dunes. Large flocks of migrant waders visit the fertile mud flats from September to April, and the nomadic Greater Flamingo arrive around mid-October. The town of Vilanculos has grown extensively over the last decade, and has been the recipient of considerable inward investment into its tourism infrastructure.

Accommodation:

Care has been taken in the placement of all chalets to provide guests with views of the sea, while retaining privacy in the rooms. Where possible existing flora has been incorporated into patios and indigenous bush has been kept. The Luxury Chalets are positioned on the 100m drop to the beach, each patio faces the ocean and offers exceptional views of the sunrise over the ocean. Construction of the chalets is of indigenous hardwood sambiri pole and thatch; plaster walls with wooden frame windows and doors; and combinations of highly polished hardwood and cemcrete floors. Frameless glass shower doors and interesting vanity features incorporating traditional beer barrel bases with impressive hardwood counter tops have been included in the design of the interior. Large glass doors and windows allow an abundance of natural light to enter the rooms and offer fantastic views of the ocean from each chalet. A well-placed desk and counter top serves a practical purpose while adding a local element of high gloss wood and traditional beer barrel to the room. Chalets are comfortable and well-appointed. All units are fitted with separate air conditioning, mosquito nets, hairdryers, shaver plug points, electronic safes, fridges and coffee and tea stations. Chalets are available with private patios, or sharing for families, and as twin bed or double bed units.

Dining:

The spacious restaurant offers the choice of dining in doors, or out on the patio under well-designed, attractive shade sails. For true outdoor dining, the option of dining under the palm trees or next to the pool is available. An impressive chandelier, adds an element of interest within the building. Should bad weather hamper outdoor dining, the main restaurant can accommodate more tables comfortably. Traditional Mozambican and standard Western fare are served, but fresh, scrumptious seafood remains the specialty. A pizza oven situated near the pool bar offers authentic wood-cooked cuisine year round.

Activities:

At Vilanculos Beach Lodge, dive in the warm, subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, in and around the Bazaruto Archipelago. Let our dive instructor, with more than 10 years experience in the area, guide you around the pristine coral reefs which abound with more than 200 species of fish. The Dive Centre includes a well-stocked equipment room, computer to download those fantastic underwater photo's, hot water showers, classroom, compressor room and makes use of our swimming pool which is one of the largest in Vilanculos. With the state-of-the-art facilities and experienced staff, we are proud to to offer exceptional recreational dives and PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving for the non-diver to Dive master. There are numerous sites to choose from, ranging in depth from 6m to 34m thus catering for all from the less experienced to the most avid diver. The water temperature ranges from 21 degrees Celsius in winter to 30 degrees Celsius in summer, with the visibility averaging 18m in winter and 8m in summer. As the reefs range from shallow to deep, they offer the diver an abundance of marine life with a huge diversity of both coral and fish life. In addition to most of the beautiful East Indian Ocean reef fish, we have the privilege of seeing various species of Sharks, Whale sharks, Manta rays, Potato bass, Turtles, Guitarfish and various Rays and Eels. For those extremely fortunate, a Humpback Whale during the months of July to October. For the non-diver there is always the opportunity to take a snorkeling trip to the amazing 2 mile reef. Here, one may appreciate the beauty and colours of a coral reef and the abundant marine life it supports without having to don scuba gear.