If you had never heard of Quirimbas or Mozambique, don’t beat yourself too hard about it; most people have never heard of Quirimbas and a handful would know that Mozambique is an east African country that borders the sea and isn’t too far from Madagascar. This is probably one reason Quirimbas is still so pure, relatively uninhabited and not awfully commercialized. However, the qualified diving instructors and facilities that are available in the string of islands including Quirimbas can be rated as beyond satisfactory. The islands are absolutely tiny and some of them are even connected to the coast or one another through sand bars.
A Pemba beach hotel would be the closest accommodation in the mainland but most would be spending a bulk of their time underwater in such a location benefitting from the numerous diving packages that are available. The coral reefs, angelfish, puffer fish, moray eels, the barracudas and red snappers that you find during your exploration will amaze you no matter how many times you have dived before elsewhere in the world. The humpback dolphins and whales swim rhythmically and if you can choreograph your submerged moves well enough you could join them in their journey for a short distance. When you do want to unwind and pamper yourself head back to AVANI Pemba Beach Hotel & Spa or your chosen home for the vacation and indulge in massages, fine dining and light entertainment.
If you visit during the latter part of the year in addition to being trained under the capable hands of a PADI trainer, following beginner to expert courses and enjoying a mobile diving experience while visiting various islands you will also be able to watch large seabirds cruising in to devour Mantis shrimps that appear close to the surface of the water during their mating season.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
