Vilanculos
The Portuguese described landing on Mozambique’s shores as ‘passing into paradise’. With over 2500 km’s of coastline and some of the most beautiful islands in the world you soon understand why. It’s the allure of an undiscovered tropical paradise with exotic palm-lined beaches and turquoise blue seas.
Vilanculos Beach House is located on the outskirts of Vilankulo in the suburb of Chibuene. Isolated and unspoilt from mass tourism Vilankulo is the ultimate escape with beaches stretching for tens of kilometres punctuated only by small fishing villages, waving locals and colourful dhows. Vilankulo town itself is lively with a busy market and a plethora of beach resorts and resturants which make for good nights out.
Flights & Visa
There are daily direct flights to Vilankulo with www.flyairlink.com & www.lam.co.mz from Johannesburg or Maputo. Flights usually depart mid to late morning and arrive in Vilankulo just after midday. Return flights from Vilankulo depart in the early afternoon.
Visas to Mozambique are required for all non-SADC passport holders & are best obtained before arrival to Mozambique by application at your local embassy. However, if necessary you can still get a visa on arrival in Mozambique if flying by air (priced $50.00 in April 2021). * Visa rules and regulation for Mozambique can change so please check with your local embassy before departure.
Plugs & Wifi
Sea Horse Beach House uses the traditional three prong round plug, ‘M Plug’. The standard voltage is 220 V. Wi-Fi is provided , the coverage is generally very good but cannot be compared in reliability and download speed to 1st world countries.
Host
Our hostess is the incredibly charming Mandy Retzlaff of Mozambique Horse Safari. Mandy has been living in Vilankulo for close to 20 years and is always available to help, arrange activities and keep you updated on the latest happenings.
Weather
If you are looking for warm weather, blue skies and sunny days Vilankulo & the Bazaruto Archipelago cannot be beaten. April to November is our cooler, dryer winter season with temperature at times reaching over 30°C by day. It is short and t-shirt weather and what most people from around the world would call an amazing summer. In the evening and early morning, you may need a jacket, and during the night a light duvet is required. Our winter weather cannot be compared to South Africa which is significantly colder at that time of year.
December to March is our hotter and wetter summer season. With Mozambique’s lying in the rain shadow of Madagascar it has a relatively low annual rainfall, and a great deal of protection from the tropical storms and the occasional cyclone which head towards it during this period. When it does rain it is usually very brief but with vigorous downpours after which the sun comes out again. The beauty of Vilankulo & the Bazaruto Archipelago during summer is that it seldom rains enough to spoil the day.
Healthcare
Netcare’s Nhamacunda Medical Centre in Vilankulo provides 24/7 emergency care as well as a list of other health services. The unit is well equipped and of international standard.
Mozambique is a malaria area, hence we suggest visiting your GP for a recommendations on a prophylactic for your holiday. Most locals in Vilankulo use Deltaprim which is also marketed as Maloprim or Malosone. For treatment we suggest Coartem & Co-Artesiane, which are readily available and reasonably priced at the Nhamacunda Medical Centre. It is also advisable to wear long sleeve tops and trousers in the evening, use mosquito repellent and make sure you use your mosquito nets.
A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is only required for travellers 9 months of age and older coming from, or who are in airport transit for more than 12 hours within a country with risk of Yellow Fever transmission.