Vamizi Island Villas: Our full report

Located on Vamizi Island is a remote and exclusive collection of private villas.

None of our team has visited Vamizi Island Villas to give a firsthand report on their experience, so here is a factual description in the meantime.

Sadly, on 2nd July 2019, due to several months of negative travel advisories, &Beyond Vamizi Island decided to temporarily suspend their operations on the island until further notice. They aim to open Vamizi again as soon as it's safe to do so, and tourist demand has returned. Please speak to Tracy, who heads up our Mozambique team, for the latest details if you interested in visiting this lodge.

Separate to the existing Vamizi Lodge which is currently closed for refurbishments, Vamizi Island Villas consists of six exclusive villas. The Villas are independent of each other, offering complete privacy. They are located on a secluded stretch of Vamizi Island. Each Villa boasts five or six double en-suite bedrooms with private deck and beach access, a children's wing with two connecting bedrooms, and a central communal area. The latter houses a lounge, dining room and plunge pool surrounded by hardwood decks and outdoor seating. The design is contemporary and airy, using locally sourced natural materials.

A personal hospitality team caters to guests' individual needs and preferences with tailor-made menus and a flexible activity programme. A range of activities are available. The complimentary options include walking trails, shore-based snorkelling, beach picnics, sea kayaking, dhow and laser pico sailing, and village visits. Additional activities can be arranged through the Villa manager at extra cost; such as fishing, scuba diving and PADI scuba courses, boat trips around the islands, whale watching (in season) and holistic spa and wellness treatments.

Guests at the Vamizi Island Villas also have access to all the main areas of the original Vamizi Lodge.

Our view

If you are looking for an exclusive beach hide-away in a remote destination, with service to match, consider Vamizi Island Villas.

Tracy Lederer

Country manager: Mozambique

Geographics

Location: Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique
Ideal length of stay: There is no minimum stay at Vamizi Island Villas but we recommend at least 5 nights.
Directions: Vamizi Island is reached on a two-hour flight from Dar es Salaam. These flights are not daily so your itinerary will need to be planned carefully to fit in with the flight schedule. You can also reach Vamizi Island via Pemba which is a 50-minute flight. Private charter flights can be arranged on request.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: The Villa hospitality team includes a dedicated chef. Meals are catered to suit, from tailor-made menus to your choice of dining location.
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Drinks included: Guests staying on a full board basis at the Vamizi Island Villas will have most drinks included, with the exception of champagnes, cocktails, premium wines and imported premium spirits which will be charged at extra cost.

Special interests

Private villas & houses: Each of the six separate Vamizi Island Villas in Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago has four or five bedrooms. These luxurious, remote beach hide-aways come with private beach access and a team to organise activities.; See ideas for Private villas & houses
Luxury: The exclusive Vamizi Island Villas are all individually designed and finished with contemporary décor and furnishings. A hospitality team caters to guests’ individual needs and preferences, making it a very tailored, personal experience - an excellent choice for a luxury beach hide-away.; See ideas for Luxury

Children

Attitude towards children
Property’s age restrictions: There is no child age restriction at Vamizi Island Villas. Children can be accommodated with parents or in their own wing which has bunk beds and a connecting twin room for a nanny or adults if required.
Notes: Children of all ages are welcomed at Vamizi Island Villas, however they must remain under the supervision and responsibility of a parent at all times.

Communications

Communications: Vamizi Island Villass have limited access to a telephone and internet service.

Sustainability

Conservation to protect the marine eco-system

The strategy at Vamizi Private Villa Collection focuses on the preservation of endangered species such as turtles. Hawksbill turtles in particular are considered a highly endangered species and green turtles are equally marked on the IUCN Red List. As a keystone species, the eating habits of turtles help maintain biodiversity by managing the balance of the ecosystem.

The location of Vamizi Villas on the Indian Ocean coastline creates a unique opportunity for research and conservation in this critical part of the marine eco-system. A conservation initiative was developed with help from Oceans Without Borders and aims to secure biodiversity by protecting and monitoring endangered marine species such as Green and Hawksbill Turtles, Dugongs and Humpback whales.

Only one in 1 000 turtles survives to adulthood and it takes 20 to 50 years for a turtle to reach sexual maturity. Given that turtles nest all year round at Vamizi Island, it has become the only data collection centre in Mozambique where turtles are monitored daily.

A percentage of guests’ fees are set aside to contribute to this conservation project. Community members are also encouraged to participate in the project and workshops on how to monitor the numbers of Green and Hawksbill Turtles, Dugongs and Humpback whales are held for local fisherman.

See more great sustainability projects in Mozambique