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Feature
VAMIZI ISLAND
LODGE
W
elcome to Maluane – one
of the last truly pristine
and unspoiled places in
the world. The area remains this way
through a combination of scientificallybased conservation projects and
sustainable, low-impact tourism.
A vast conservation area in the
Quirimbas Archipelago in Northern
Mozambique, Maluane aims to combine
luxurious adventure tourism on land
and at sea with the development of
local communities and the protection
of exceptional natural resources. It is
a unique combination of virgin inland
safari area and untouched coral-ringed
islands.
Maluane comprises three Indian Ocean
Islands, and 30 kilometers of beach that,
in turn, gives onto a 33,000-hectare
wildlife safari area – the Messalo Wildlife
Area. Few places can offer such variety,
privacy, beauty and security.
Vamizi Island Lodge, the first of the
Maluane Lodges, opened in December
2005. The spectacular 24-bed lodge is
built on the northern side of the island
and looks towards Rongui from the end
of a long beautiful powder-sand beach.
The lodge comprises ten separate
beach villas, each with its own large
living room, spectacular bathroom
and breezy veranda; two villas can
accommodate four guests, the rest of
the villas take just two guests. The villas
are all secluded from each other and
look out to sea from the shade of the
forest that forms the centre of the island.
The roofs of the lodge are makuti
(palm) thatch, based on the Mozambican
style, and the emphasis is on space and
openness, so the rooms are large, with
high ceilings, and there is a large paddle
fan above the bed and one in the central
area. There is no air conditioning.
The bathrooms have a solid slab of
marble forming the wall of the shower,
and hand-carved screens which provide
the privacy and aesthetic detail of a
Zanzibar palace. The bedrooms have
king-size beds – four-posters – with
free-standing frames draped in beautiful
natural muslin mosquito nets. The burnt
orange curtains are a fine muslin fabric,
which billows softly in the wind and
complements the indigo and natural
colours in the room.
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