MALAWI
Malawi is best known for its smiley, friendly people and, of course, Lake Malawi which runs nearly the whole way down the east of the country and is the southernmost lake of the Great Rift Valley. So, whilst it is a landlocked country it has some wonderful beaches to relax on and it has become a popular add-on to a safari in neighbouring Zambia with good flight connections between the South Luangwa National Park there and Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, and up to Likoma Island.
It sometimes loses out to its eastern neighbour, Mozambique, for those who want the ocean but Malawi really can hold its own with a handful of lovely lodges full of character (no big hotels), great diving, crystal clear water, water sports and a chance to get a bit of local culture in the friendly lake shore villages. It really hasn’t changed much over the last few decades and it retains a laidback vibe around the lake and makes for an easier introduction to snorkelling, in fresh water, for younger children.
African Parks has also done some incredible conservation work making Malawi a legitimate safari destination in itself, with Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve being the highlights for game viewing. Great quality lodges and camps are now available in both areas and transfers are a mixture of light aircraft flights or road transfers so it’s easy to do it all in Malawi.
