The exceptional Azura resort rests on the idyllic shoreline of Benguerra Island. Built entirely by hand by the local community, Azura offers 18 splendid villas set amidst indigenous gardens only steps away from the beach. Each villa features a beautiful ensuite bathroom with an alfresco shower, a dressing area, a huge comfy bed, a private plunge pool, a beachside sala, a sundeck and day beds.
Guests are assigned a dedicated Mozambican host, who will attend to their every need for the duration of their stay. Dining is a delectable affair, with a superb seafood menu. Meals can be savoured in the restaurant, on the beach or at a picnic in a romantic and secluded spot. Azura houses a decadent and luxurious spa, as well as a water sports centre that offers adventures such as scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, big game fishing and kayaking. Island drives and cultural excursions can also be arranged.
Compact villas offer the perfect balance of stylish comfort and elegant simplicity. Comfortable indoor lounge and living spaces flow into an outdoor seating and dining area with secluded beachside frontage.
Submerge into your private plunge pool that mirrors the colours of the ocean, or enjoy some R&R on the large, undercover deck with a daybed. All beach villas have a separate sundeck, as well as a private beach sala for seaside relaxation.
Hop aboard a traditional dhow, a wooden vessel with a triangular sail, used for fishing by the island’s locals. A welcoming local skipper will collect you from your casita or cabana in the late afternoon, embarking on an unforgettable cruise around the azure bay. The sailing adventure presents the Island and its surrounding waters in a unique light and thus offers excellent photographic opportunities of the wide horizon, the calm waters and the glowing horizon.
Watch the sun set over the islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago as you drift along the calm water, guided by ocean breezes. Witness the cerulean sky rapidly change colour, embracing hues of rose and violet spread over an amber canvas. Marvel at the illuminated water, dancing with gold shimmers, as it welcomes the sun’s descent beneath the distant horizon. The scene plays out beautifully and the ocean swallows the golden orb into its infinite depths. Travel back to the shore, accompanied by the quiet swoosh of the dhow’s sail, lost in the kaleidoscope of an African sunset.
Feel as though you have the island all to yourself as you indulge in a decadent picnic set in one of the most secluded sites on the Bazaruto Archipelago. Revel in magnificent sea views from the sand spit that daringly juts out into the ocean and lounge on the peak of soaring sand dunes, romantically set up for an idyllic picnic. Delight in fare that is sure to tantalise your taste buds with a vast assortment of hors d’oeuvres, appetisers and local delicacies.
Choose from South Point Bazaruto or North Point Benguerra, gently evoking feelings of being a castaway on a dreamy deserted island. Kick up your heels and lounge on satiny sands with 360 degree views of the ocean vista and the frolicking dolphins below. Relish a languid afternoon picnic in exquisite natural surroundings. South Point Bazaruto is an ideal spot to relax after thrilling dives or on a meandering sunset cruise. The North Point Benguerra Castaway Picnic will have you reclining on a sandy spit with unparalleled views of a wild, frothing ocean with short waves on one side and a calm bay with mirror-like waters on the other. Explore the clean coastline over miles, treasure hunt for rippled seashells, encounter the almost translucent ghost crab and marvel at the ebony and candy floss coloured wings of the elegant flamingo. Soak in the temperate, aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean, brilliantly illuminated by the warmth of the African sun.
Snorkelling at Two-Mile Reef will suit every guest, regardless of age and expertise. The boat ride out to the reef can be bumpy as the outgoing and incoming tides converge in the channel between Bazaruto and Benguerra Island. Two-Mile Reef is a flat-topped barrier reef renowned for its brilliant snorkelling. Highlights include a variety of hard and soft corals and many schools of reef and pelagic fish passing through. On the boat trip you may be lucky enough to spot playful dolphins and the elusive, endangered dugong. Under the water you may encounter harmless reef sharks and slumberous turtles that effortlessly glide past with their wise eyes. Embrace the unspoilt beauty of the reef and the kaleidoscopic colours of the tropical fish that move in droves along the exposed coral. Two-Mile Reef is faultless in its beauty, guaranteeing an unforgettable outing, and is ideal for those who want to confidently explore the Indian Ocean’s shallower coral reefs. Your snorkelling excursion goes out at low tide, so is determined by the timing of the sea.
Azura Benguerra is truly the perfect way to wind down at the end of your African sojourn.
Safaris are incredible, but a few days of the early wake-ups for morning drives and some late evenings around the fire sipping delicious red wine can leave one in need of some proper down time, and that’s where the tropical paradise of the Mozambican islands comes in…
Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out about rates and availability at Azura Benguerra or others like it…
