If you're looking for a sun-kissed beach holiday beneath a cloudless sky as part of your safari trip, then include Tanzania, Mozambique or South Africa – and time your visit carefully.

The beaches of South Africa's Cape are lovely and, from around late-November to the end of March, the weather is glorious. During this time, the Cape's southern coast, from Cape Town to Hermanus and along the Garden Route, offers the chance for a very easy holiday split between beaches and relatively sophisticated hotels and towns nearby. Both Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma have terrific beaches; the former is easily accessible, while the latter is wilder.

Between May and October the Cape's weather isn't at its warmest. If you want a beach holiday in Southern Africa then, fly east to the blissful islands of southern Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago. Here you'll find a couple of remote islands with palm-fringed beaches and a few small, isolated lodges. These comfortable hideaways are easily reached by daily flights from Johannesburg; see the Green Turtle, Olive Ridley and Loggerhead itineraries on for examples of add-on beach holidays.

Between July and February the weather is generally excellent off the coast of Tanzania. Here the Zanzibar Archipelago have some of the best African beaches: gorgeous, long stretches of fine white sand fringed by palm trees. Here you will find an enormous variety of hotels and lodges: something to suit everyone from luxurious all-inclusive holiday resorts to 'barefoot luxury' private islands and simple, inexpensive beach retreats.

The nearby Mafia Archipelago doesn't have quite the same squeaky white sand, but is generally much quieter. Here a few tiny, intimate lodges offer a less commercial atmosphere which is great, and are marvellous value. Staying here you can spend you days on deserted sandbars, surrounded only by shallow coral seas; Mafia is very special indeed.

For some of our most exclusive island getaways, look to Mozambique's Quirimbas Archipelago where a clutch of remote lodges are opening on pristine islands. Whilst these can be difficult to reach, in September and October special direct flights to/from Zambia will make access a lot easier. For pioneers of luxury island holidays, these are Africa's ultimate beach retreats. See the Bottlenose dolphin safari as an example.

For some of our favourite ideas - use the search box on the right. Better still, call our experts now on +44(0)20 8232 9777 and ask us!


Beach Breaks in Africa | Beach Breaks in Malawi | Beach Breaks in Mozambique | Beach Breaks in Seychelles | Beach Breaks in Tanzania | Beach Breaks in The Cape | Beach Breaks in Zanzibar


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