Beach holidays in Africa

If you're looking for a sun-kissed Africa beach holiday beneath a cloudless sky, then head to the east coast of Africa: to the Indian Ocean coast and its tropical islands – and time your visit carefully, check the weather before you decide where to go!

Beach holidays in the Seychelles

For a purely beach trip, the Seychelles is very hard to beat. What's surprising is that it's not just world-class private islands and luxurious resort hotels; there are also some great small guest houses and beach retreats too. The Seychelles works for stand-alone beach trips, and as an add-on after a safari, with flights via Johannesburg. (Read more about the weather in the Seychelles and then see some holiday ideas to the Seychelles.)

Holidays to the beaches of South Africa's Cape

On mainland Africa, the beaches of South Africa's Cape are lovely and, from around late-November to the end of March, the weather is glorious. (Read more about the Cape's climate here …)

During this time, the Cape's southern coast, from Cape Town to Hermanus and along the Garden Route, offer beaches with relatively sophisticated hotels, and the option of some high-quality small, owner-run guest houses. (Read about our best beach holiday retreats in the Cape…)

Beach holidays on Mozambique's islands

Between May and October, southern Africa's best beaches are probably on the blissful islands of southern Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago. (Read more about Mozambique's weather here …) Here a couple of remote, palm-fringed islands have empty sandy shores and a few small lodges. These comfortable hideaways are easily reached by daily flights from Johannesburg. (Read more about the beaches and lodges of Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago…)

For an adventurous, offbeat island getaways after a Tanzania safari, look to the Quirimbas Archipelago in northern Mozambique. Here a clutch of very remote lodges have opened on pristine islands. These can be difficult to reach, but they are the ultimate African beach retreats for pioneers. (Read more about the amazing islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago…)

Holidays to beaches in Tanzania, including Zanzibar and Mafia

Between July and February the weather is generally excellent off the East African coast of Tanzania. (Read more about Tanzania's weather here…)

Here the Zanzibar Archipelago has some of Africa's best beaches: gorgeous, long stretches of fine white sand fringed by palm trees. You'll find a wide variety of hotels and lodges: something to suit everyone from luxurious, all-inclusive resorts to 'barefoot luxury' private islands and simple, inexpensive beach retreats. (Read more about Zanzibar here…)

The nearby Mafia Archipelago doesn't have the same long stretches of squeaky white sand, but it is generally much quieter. Here a few tiny, intimate lodges offer a more personal feel and marvellous value. Staying here you can spend days on deserted sandbars, surrounded only by shallow coral seas; Mafia is very special indeed. (Read more about the Mafia Archipelago here…)