Picture a 2,500 km long coastline and the world’s most beautiful tropical islands and you have a top holiday destination second to none… long, palm-fringed, sugary beaches surrounded by clear azure waters teeming with marine life and coral gardens.

The main hot spots are the Bazaruto Archipelago, a chain of four main islands – Bazaruto, Benguerra, Paradise (Santa Carolina) and Magaruque. The archipelago is protected as a marine reserve and superb lodges are based here and at nearby Vilanculos, ideally combined with a bush safari in neighbouring South Africa or Zimbabwe.

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The Quirimbas Archipelago in the far north of Mozambique above Pemba consists of a string of twelve main islands and another twenty smaller rocky outcrops. Only in recent years has this stunning destination come into its own, but it still remains largely unexplored and is an ideal romantic hideaway or honeymoon destination. Accessing this area can be expensive and is best combined with a wildlife safari in Tanzania.