Beach Breaks

Beach Breaks to Combine with Zambia; Zambia Odyssey

For those of us wanting to relax and rejuvenate before or after a safari, Zambia has a wealth of stunning options for beach breaks. The correct choice however depends on attention to the right place at the right time of year.

For years the islands of Mauritius and the Seychelles have been the most sought after destinations in the region and rightly so; the Seychelles are home to more than 100 hundred islands regarded by many as the ultimate private island hideaways where as Mauritius has its own unique style of vast 300 bed luxury hotels with a level of service that many view as the best in the world.

We however have always believed that the kind of person who is looking for a holiday in Zambia is not the kind of person who wants to end their holiday in the 300 bed luxury hotels of Mauritius (although families cannot go wrong here). The Seychelles, albeit incredibly pricey, are much more up their street.

The new comer to the scene has been Mozambique, a country that is still opening up to tourists today. In the South of Mozambique the Bazaruto Archipelago rises like vast sand dunes out of the sea and plays host to a number of small and intimate lodges. Venture to the North of the country and you open up the most untouched and beautiful area of the East Africa Coast, the Quirimbas Archipelago, a chain of islands that stretches 100 kilometres up to the Tanzanian border. Still at the frontier of tourism development, this region has few options but all are totally unique.

The recent introduction of flights from Lusaka direct to Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian coast has opened up the last of the beach add ons, the Zanzibar archipelago. Here the beaches are simply beautiful and the diversity of accommodations the broadest to be found anywhere.

Having traveled virtually everywhere over the years and visited every lodge we would be more than willing to share our very frank opinions on anywhere you have heard of with you. For now though, we can recommend without any bias, the following lodges using the following pppn guidelines - $ -($100 or less) $$-($100-$250) $$$-($250- $500) $$$$-($500+)

Mauritius
The Prince Maurice-($$$) or The Heritage-($$) (for families).

Seychelles
North Island-($$$$) or Fregate-($$$$). Denis-($$$) or Desroches-($$$)

Mozambique
Benguerra-($$$) and Marlin lodge-($$) in the South, Vamizi ($$$$), Quilalea-($$$) or Guludo-($$) in the North.

Zanzibar Archipelago
Matemwe Bungalows-($$), Pongwe-($), Palms-($$$$), Mnemba Island-($$$$), Ras Kutani-($$)

For more information on the Indian Ocean please see
www.indianocean odyssey.com