Southern Africa has always been known for its landscapes and wildlife, with beaches less of an attraction, but in recent years the wildlife and beach safari has become most sought after.

Africa! The name inspires visions of vast game-filled plains and predators hunting their prey. Africa is safari - and safari is big game!

In the past beach holidays were the Mediterranean and Maldives and other Indian Ocean Islands - where visitors would flock for their summer vacations. Although part of the African Union the islands of Seychelles, Mauritius and the Comores are generally not seen by many as being African and hence the reason that Africa has never really been considered as a beach holiday destination.

Recently however, travelers are discovering an ideal that would have seemed ridiculous a few years back - mainland Africa has some of the world's most desirable beach holiday destinations.

From the world in one country

South Africa is a country that prides itself on its natural beauty and the beaches are no exception, however the beach holiday experience has always formed part of the greater safari to South Africa. From the warm lazy beaches of the Kwazulu Natal coast to the legendary surfers paradise of Jeffrey's Bay and the postcard white sands of Cape Town South Africa provide some of the safest and best beach holiday experiences on the African continent.

Mozambique. 2500 Miles of White Sand

Mozambique, and its islands, is fast gaining a reputation as a top-class beach safari destination. Ravaged by civil war for more than two decades the country was known only by a few South Africans who harked back to the pre-independence days. Some lodges were operating during the war years but it took a peace treaty and the desire of the local people to change for the country to stake its claim as a holiday destination.

The Bazaruto Archipelago, including the islands of Bazaruto and Benguerra, is the best known of the Mozambique beach destinations with legendary game fishing and scuba diving to go with the pristine beaches and beautiful lodges but in the north of the country a new beach holiday destination is fast gaining a reputation.

The Quirimbas Archipelago was until a year or two ago virtually unknown due to its location in the far north of the country. Remote and untouched the archipelago offers some of the continents most beautiful reefs for diving. Whale sharks and dugongs are two of the unique species that inhabit the waters of the coral islands of Quirimbas.