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The coast of Mozambique seen from the International Space Station

428 · The Wider World

Bazaruto Archipelago

Islands, dunes, seagrass and clear shallows create an exceptional coastal landscape with important marine habitats.

PhotographEarth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Centre · Public domain

Summary

The Bazaruto Archipelago lies off Mozambique, with islands, dunes, seagrass habitats and clear shallow water. Beaches and channels form part of a wider marine landscape with important wildlife connections.

The variety beneath the tropical appearance gives it depth. Dunes, reef environments and sheltered shallows reveal different components of the same living coastal system.

401–500 · The Wider World

The essentials

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Allow time

4 days as an initial allowance, excluding approach travel

Choose a base

Vilanculos or an established island base

Getting there

Use Vilankulo as the mainland gateway, then take a lodge-arranged boat or air transfer to your island.

Plan ahead

Book transfers, accommodation and marine activities together. Confirm park fees, the sea-state policy and whether snorkelling or diving suits your experience.

Practical notes updated 30 September 2026. Visitor information and sources

Mozambique · Nature
Country guidesMozambique
Open my 100Record a visit

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Check tides, boat conditions and protected-area rules with the operator.

Benguerra Island seen from the air
Benguerra Island Mozambique from the airPhoto: Tom Corser · CC BY-SA 3.0

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

Santa Carolina is a true rock island with deep channels and is just 3 by 0.5 kilometres (1.86 by 0.31 mi) in size. It has three beautiful beaches with coral reefs close to the shore. The island, also known as Paradise Island, is regarded as the "gem" of the islands forming the Bazaruto Archipelago, which is a proclaimed marine national park. The archipelago became a National Park in 1971. There is a wide abundance of reef fish, surgeon fishes, Moorish idols, parrotfishes, angelfishes, and butterflyfishes to name but a few. Sea turtles, game fishes and devil rays are regularly seen.

Abridged background from Bazaruto Archipelago, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

The sandy shoreline of Bazaruto Island
Bazaruto-Island-2009Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0
Benguerra Island seen from the air
Benguerra Island Mozambique from the airPhoto: Tom Corser · CC BY-SA 3.0

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Physical demands
Boat boarding, sandy walking and swimming on marine trips; dune climbs are more strenuous.
The consequential detail
Check tides, boat conditions and protected-area rules with the operator.
Add to my travel workbenchResearch access requirements

Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Mozambique.

A place in the world
Bazaruto Archipelago location mapBazaruto Archipelago location map

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Map: Natural Earth
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In pictures.

Bazaruto’s dunes and island shores meet seagrass habitats beneath clear coastal shallows.

The coast of Mozambique seen from the International Space StationPhoto: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Centre, Public domain
The sandy shoreline of Bazaruto IslandPhoto: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Benguerra Island seen from the airPhoto: Tom Corser, CC BY-SA 3.0
Benguerra Island seen from the airPhoto: Tom Corser, CC BY-SA 3.0
A boat beside Bazaruto IslandPhoto: FrogsLegs71, CC BY-SA 3.0
An aerial view of Benguerra Island’s coastlinePhoto: Tom Corser, CC BY-SA 3.0
The turquoise waters beside Benguerra IslandPhoto: FrogsLegs71, CC BY-SA 3.0
Santa Carolina Island in the Bazaruto ArchipelagoPhoto: NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Kathryn Hansen., Public domain
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Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

Explore more places in the same country.

The Quirimbas Islands seen from the International Space Station

433 · Mozambique

Quirimbas Archipelago

Coral islands and historic island settlements connect a coastal environment with the maritime history of East Africa.

Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Read · Wikipedia

Bazaruto Archipelago: background reading

Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Visit · Wikivoyage

Find travel information for Bazaruto Archipelago

A clearly labelled search of the community travel guide; check the page’s coverage and the age of practical details.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Books · WorldCat

Find books about Bazaruto Archipelago

Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Maps · OpenStreetMap

Explore the local map

Inspect the surrounding area.

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Visitor information behind these practical notes