Drumbeat Autumn 18

Beaches: From Madagascar and Mauritius to the Seychelles and the spice island of Zanzibar, there are islands a-plenty around the African coast. Private island resorts proliferate and you’ll find some of the world’s best here including the Seychelles’ North Island and Mnemba Island just off Zanzibar. Head to Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago for some stunning beach hideaways while to the north, the Quirimbas Archipelago is a scatter of islands to match any dreamt up in a Robinson Crusoe fantasy. Then there is the Maldives, comprising over 1,000 islands with enchanting resorts providing a range of accommodation options from family friendly to sophisticated romantic luxury. Truly there’s an African beach for every taste. Adventure: Sailing around a string of tropical islands in northern Mozambique combined with a few nights’ relaxing at lovely Ibo Island Lodge is an experience to take you back in time. Island hopping in a traditional dhow you’ll stop to snorkel off deserted beaches and sleep in mobile fly camps on uninhabited tropical islands. Back at the lodge you can soak up the culture of fascinating Ibo Island which, conquered and crossed by many, has architectural heirlooms of a bygone era from its Portuguese and Omani Arab rulers. This definitely isn’t all about exclusive luxury, but it’s a special opportunity to explore as travellers of the past might have done. Other options include Sindabezi, an idyllic bush camp on a private island in the Zambezi River. Combining easy access to all the adrenaline activities around Livingstone with wildlife spotting from your cottage verandah, it’s a great choice for a laid back adventure. Wildlife: Known colloquially as ‘the place of plenty’, Chief’s Island in the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, is home to one of the richest concentrations of wildlife in Africa and, in Mombo and Little Mombo, two of Africa’s most exclusive safari lodges. It’s an area hard to beat for an out and out wildlife experience. Luxury lodges in Madagascar are rare and while lounge lizards will love Miavana’s beach and pool, the jewel in the crown is its access to Madagascar’s unique wildlife. The lodge itself is just off the coast on Nosy Ankao island, but ten minutes by helicopter, or 25 by boat, whisks you back to the mainland and a magnificent forest home to lemurs, chameleons and endemic birds. Island style From palm studded jewels in the Indian Ocean to enclaves amid the Okavango Delta, Africa’s islands offer everything from exquisite five-star luxury and barefoot chic, to rugged wilderness and surprising wildlife encounters. Lucinda rounds-up what you can find where: Chimpanzees and the beach – not a combination you come across very often, but that’s just what you get at Greystoke Mahale, tucked away in a remote spot on Lake Tanganiyka in western Tanzania (not really an island, but a beach-front location so far- flung it has that deserted-isle-like feel). Tracking chimps in the forested slopes behind the camp is the exhilarating bit but then you can relax on the sandy beach in front of the lodge or take the wooden dhow for a gentle sail. Lakes: There’s a lot that makes the elegant Malawi lakeside lodge, Kaya Mawa, such a super spot – freshwater swimming and diving, wonderful food, and chic styling evoke casual barefoot luxury. Teens will love exploring Likoma Island, on which it is set, by bike or quadbike – and it’s impossible not to be amazed by the enormous St Peter’s Cathedral, built by missionaries in 1905. Lake Victoria – so vast it spans the borders of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya – is home to several islands with interesting accommodation options. Head to the Tanzanian part and to Rubondo Island, a pristine spot swathed in untouched equatorial forest. Resident wildlife here includes elephant, giraffe, more than 300 bird species and an astonishing variety of frogs. It’s a super spot for some low key exploring. Diving: Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline and islands contain some of the world’s finest coral reefs and wonderfully varied diving. Several marine parks and reserves line the coast of Kenya, continuing to even better diving off Zanzibar and Tanzania’s offshore islands. Mozambique and the Seychelles offer truly world- class dive sites, while Mauritius is a wonderful holiday destination for first-time divers. Then there’s Madagascar where the diving is superb, with all sorts of exciting discoveries to be made. www . aardvarksafaris.co.uk l P8 REPORT BY LUCINDA