Read 4 traveller reviews of Quilalea Island Resort

Quilalea Island covers only 34 hectares and lies at the heart of the Quirimbas National Park. It was uninhabited for millennia until Nov 2002, when Quilálea Island Resort opened nine en-suite villas, each beautifully built from wood, natural rock and traditional palm thatch. It's currently the best beach lodge in Mozambique by a very long way.

(It's perhaps worth noting here that Quilálea doesn't feel like a resort in the British sense of the word. Far from it, it feels like the tiny, exclusive tropical island that it is.)

The villas are widely spaced, each looking out over the ocean. Inside, is a king-sized bed draped with mosquito netting, and solid wooden furniture and fittings; it's high quality and stylish in its simplicity. With a sea breeze across the veranda and through large open windows, there's seldom need to use the ceiling fan or air-con. Best of all, with no fresh water on the island there are very few insects.

In the charming restaurant, or private dining hideaway, the genial chef, Nathan, prepares phenomenal food and creates a warm, friendly atmosphere. He's also a dive-master, although the fully-equipped PADI dive centre also has two full-time instructors.

Quilálea marine environment is as good as it gets; from deep coral walls ten minutes' ride by boat, to a superb home reef that's perfect for snorkelling or diving right off the beach. (New dive sites are still being discovered nearby.) Other activities include fly-fishing, canoeing, dhow trips, bird-watching, and day-trips to Ibo Island. Quilálea's not cheap, but it's worth it.

Quilálea is reached by a small flight from Pemba. Depending on the conditions, this might be by helicopter, or by plane and boat - stopping briefly on the coconut-plantation island of Quirimba.

( As you'll see from the above, although the isaland's correct spelling is Quilálea, it's often referred to without the accent, as simply Quilalea, or occasionally even as Quililea, or even Quililia! )

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Beach

No. of bedrooms: 9 luxurious villas

Season: Open Year Round

Ideal length of stay: About 5-7 nights is probably ideal - it's just not worth coming here for less than 4 nights.

Geographics

Location: Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique

Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Key personnel

Owner: Independent / Owner Run

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board

Dining style: Inidividual Tables

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Special interests

Honeymoons: Quilalea is an exclusive and private location for a beach honeymoon - superb undisturbed diving and snorkelling right from the beach. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Honeymoons

Beach Breaks: Quilalea is perhaps the longest-established on the island lodges in the Quirimbas Archipelago of Mozambique - and has just 10 rooms to its own small island with several very lovely beaches. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Beach Breaks

Diving & snorkelling: Mozambique's Quirimbas Archipelago has some of Africa best, and least-disturbed diving and snorkelling - and you can dive straight from the beach of Quilalea Island - onto a first-rate home reef. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for Diving & snorkelling

Children

Attitude towards children: Quilalea Lodge welcomes families with children, but only during set periods. In 2008 children are welcomes around Easter (21 March – 14 April) and during August. The rest of the year, Quilalea does not usually accept children.

Central communications

Power supply: Generator

TV & radio: There is no TV or FM radio signal here!

Health & safety

Malarial area: No

Medical care: Although Mozambique is malarial - Quilalea has virtually no insects on the island itself, and so no

Dangerous animals: Low Risk

Extras

Disabled access: On Request

Laundry facilities: A complementary laundry service is included

Accepted payment: The only credit cards accepted by the lodge are Visa and Mastercard - and both are subject to a 5% surcharge, to cover the banking costs .

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