Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Senga Bay
The nearest beach paradise to Lilongwe offers a wide range of places to stay, excellent snorkelling and bush walk-
ing, and trips to the nearby islands to see giant monitor lizards.
Cape Maclear
Blissful beach vistas, chilled-out resorts and a friendly little village all mix quite happily in Cape Maclear. It's also
the staging post for trips to the exquisitely pretty Mumbo Island.
Monkey Bay to Mangochi
A smattering of top-end hotels, midrange resorts and budget lodges, many with a few kilometres of private beach
and the facilities to keep you from moving far.
Nkhata Bay
There's something distinctly Caribbean about this place; with banana-coloured fishing
boats buzzing across the green bay, vivid market stalls hawking barbecued fish, and music
filling the air. For backpackers there's a clutch of perfectly positioned guesthouses
perched on cliffs tumbling down to the lake, plus a few upscale family options. Be careful
not to entirely give yourself over to lotus eating though, for there are loads of activities to
enjoy before you hammock flop; be it snorkelling, diving, fish-eagle feeding, kayaking or
forest walks.
Strung along the coast from the town centre, most lodges are secreted in small bays. All
are reached via a road that climbs up and down a hill to the next bay. Be careful of walk-
ing between town and your lodge at night; the road is unlit and muggings are not infre-
quent (though thanks to a heightened police presence they are getting less). Walk in num-
bers or take a guard from your lodge with you.
