Vilanculos & Bazaruto Archipelago

Dune-covered islands in the Indian Ocean – Bazaruto National Park, dugong habitat, snorkelling at Two Mile Reef and sunset dhow trips.

Vilanculos (Vilankulo; Vilanculos is the older name) lies on the coast of Inhambane Province in southern Mozambique and is the gateway town to the Bazaruto Archipelago. The archipelago is made up of five islands – Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina and Bangué – and was declared a national park in 1971. It is famous for towering sand dunes, shallow seas shading from turquoise to blue, coral reefs and the last stable dugong population on the East African coast.

The best time is the May–Nov dry season, with pleasant temperatures and calmer seas, plus humpback whales migrating past from Jul–Oct; Jan–Mar is hot and rainy, with occasional tropical cyclones. Base yourself in Vilanculos and join a speedboat or dhow island-hopping day trip: climbing the dunes on Bazaruto Island, snorkelling at Two Mile Reef and a half-day on Magaruque Island are the classics. With a bigger budget, you can stay at a resort on Benguerra, Bazaruto or Santa Carolina island.

Getting there: Vilanculos airport has flights to Maputo and Johannesburg, and the drive from Maputo along the EN1 takes about 10 hours. Plan on 3–5 days, with buffer days in case boat trips are cancelled due to wind and waves. National park fees are usually included in tour prices; ATMs in town are limited, so bring cash (meticais, US dollars or rand), and take sun and malaria precautions.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries