Mozambique

There are beaches, and then there is Mozambique. A country with over 2,500 kilometres of coastline, archipelagos that barely appear on maps and a blend of African and Portuguese culture reflected in everything: architecture, gastronomy, the unhurried pace of life. The Bazaruto Archipelago is probably the best known: sand dunes falling into turquoise sea, crystal waters where dugongs and turtles swim, and a feeling of being at the end of the world. Further north, the Quirimbas Islands offer something even more remote: ancient Portuguese trading posts, mangroves, pristine coral reefs and lodges you can count on one hand. What makes Mozambique special is precisely what other destinations have lost: the absence of crowds. There are no cruise ships or thousand-room resorts. Lodges are small, often accessible only by light aircraft or boat. Beaches are empty. Diving and snorkelling reveal an underwater world that elsewhere exists only in documentaries. It's the perfect complement after a safari, but also a destination in itself for those seeking true disconnection.