Many places you visit are over-hyped, over-promoted and over-sold. This isn’t the case for Vilankulos. I knew relatively little about it before we came. I knew there was an archipelago just off the coast that was a marine reserve, there was some horse riding and few other tourist trips to do. Once we arrived we found it was simply a stunning tropical paradise.
Vilankulos is a very long day’s drive from Maputo so we broke it up with a stop at Oyster bay for a couple of nights. It was then an afternoon’s drive from there up to Vilankulos. We arrived just before dark at the Baobab lodge. As we swung into the gates off the sand road we saw the huge baobab tree. The oldest in Vilankulos. They are found all along the coast along here planted by Arab traders to give the seafarers vitamin C from its fruit as they sailed down the coast.
Baobob is a cool backpackers place, but with COVID, a very empty one. It was officially shut, but allowed us in as well as the dog despite the dogs prohibited signs. Zita, who does food from her roundhouse across the street appeared and we ordered food which turned out to be Matapa (a local sauce made with ground peanuts, cassava leaves and coconut) with fish (chicken for the kids) and squid. Our first taste of the great local fish and seafood here.
The next morning was our trip to the archipelago. A speed boat waited in the bay outside the Baobob hostel. We waded in the warm water out to meet it, dodging the odd crab that was scuttling at our feet. It was then a 40-minute speed boat ride out to Bazaruto, the main island of the archipelago. We arrived on a slightly cloudy morning on what can only be described as a perfect desert island. We pulled up at the beach with a wooden walkway taking you away to the right behind the bay and the huge sand dunes behind. I was worried we hadn’t packed our 8 disks, book and luxury item required for desert islands.
Of course, the first thing we did was try to get to the top of the dunes. We were glad it was a bit cloudy as even then it was a hot walk. From the top, the view was stunning across the island, tropical seas and more dunes. The sea was stunning shades of turquoise in the shallows around the island. We carried onwards and upwards over the sand as the sun broke through the clouds. It was suddenly very hot and visions of TE Lawrence in the Arabian desert were swimming around my head.
Once we got to the highest point on the dunes there was really only one place to go, and that was down the steepest slope to the bottom. We’ve been working on boarding down dunes on various beach trips, but as yet we haven’t found the perfect board to do this on. So we simply ran down in huge bounds with sand sliding around us as we went. The bottom was really flat with a harder bottom. This area became either a lake when it rains or lagoon at high tides – we weren’t sure which. It was then a trudge in the hot sun back to the walkway. Once we got there, drinks were waiting under a thatched shelter.
After a quick explore on the beach we were back in the boat and heading for the island’s coral reef, known as two-mile reef. The ride to get there was through a tidal race, imaginatively called the Washing Machine, in common with hundreds of other tidal races and waves around the world. The boat powered up the front of the waves and came crashing down the back as we raced against the fast tide. Then came two of the biggest waves and the boat took off from one and landed on the next before taking off for a second time and coming crashing down. The waves kept coming and the boat was still going up and then crashing down. It was more than Imogen could take and from that point on she really hated it and just wanted it to end. Ending isn’t that easy in the middle of a tidal race, though. But with a little more gentle piloting and a few more waves, we were through the race and into the calm water by the reef. The rocky parts of the reef stood above the water for what I guess was 2 miles given the name? On our side of the reef the water was calm and still. Waves crashed into the other side sending spray up violently into the air. It was time to put on wet suits, snorkels and flippers and take a look. Imogen, however, was no longer sure about the whole idea and wasn’t sure she at all liked the idea of leaving the boat.
We had all tried snorkelling at Ponto D’ouro so we had an idea that our equipment worked and what to do. I’m glad I’d done that as I’d found I couldn’t see anything under the sea (as on land). So I now had the lenses from an old pair of glasses in the goggles, which worked a treat.
I slid off the boat and Harriett followed me. Zoe was busy coaxing Imogen into the water. Once Harriett was with me we put our heads under. It took a moment to adjust and then I was stunned. It was an underwater paradise. Tropical fish were everywhere darting in and out of the rock and coral. Strange creatures and plants of all shapes and sizes covered the rock. The brightly coloured fish were not scared of us or things around and were happily swimming around the rocks and coral. Seemingly without a care in the world. Once we got above the coral it became even more amazing seeing more fish hidden in the crevices, swimming in and out of the tiny gaps. Whenever I’ve been snorkelling before I’ve been excited to see a single fish. This was just unbelievable. Harriett was equally enjoying every minute of it, fascinated by the animals she was seeing. Imogen was soon persuaded into the water and did start to relax and watch the fish. She did like to travel hanging on to someone’s arm and had a strange issue with swimming over the coral. She would only swim around it. The current pushed us gradually along the reef. The boat drifted by near us, close at hand if we needed it. The girls went back for the odd rest. I had to head back to sort my goggles as over time they steamed up, and it was hard to sort it out in the water with loose lenses inside. I was worried about losing them. Harriett was concerned she hadn’t thought to pack a hot glue gun and added it to her list of essentials for the next trip. The underwater scenery and wildlife got no less dramatic as we drifted along. The scene was totally breathtaking.
After around an hour of snorkelling, we were all getting tired, and with the cloudy day, we were glad we had taken wetsuits. It was then back on the boat and a quick ride back to the beach. Luckily back we were riding over the backs of the waves, not the front, and with the skipper taking a very careful route, Imogen coped much better with the journey back.
Once back on Bazaruto we headed again up the wooden walkway to the shelter where, once we’d taken off our wetsuits, lunch was ready. While we were snorkelling one of the crew had been busy BBQing (sorry Braiing, as its called over here due to our South African neighbours) some great fish and chicken, as well as preparing salads and fresh local fruit. It was certainly needed after the snorkelling.
After lunch, we headed from Basaruto to Benguerra another island in the archipelago for a quick explore, before heading back to the mainland. The first few days of our trip were organised by Mozambique Outdoor Adventures and so everything was included. That meant once we were back, showered, rested and the dog was walked (after his less exciting day in the room) we headed down the beach for dinner in a Dhow (local sailing boat) parked on the sand.
That was just the first day of our adventure in Vilankulos. Find out more about our time in Vilankulos here
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