nav
Azura

Background
Azura Mozambique is the first of several luxury Indian Ocean eco-island retreats from Christopher and Stella Bettany, with future projects planned off Madagascar, East Africa and the Maldives. Christopher has a background in luxury hotel development and investment and is one of the Directors of the Banyan Tree Seychelles.

Style
The vision is to provide the ultimate in private luxury hideaways in stunning ’undiscovered’ destinations. Azura blends designer modern chic with all that is traditional in Mozambique, including carved wooden beams and local thatched roofs.

Accommodation
The 15 luxury beach villas comprise of 3 luxury beach villas, 10  infinity beach villas, 1 Villa Amizade and 1 Presidential Villa.  All villas are very spacious with the infinity and luxury villas covering a total private area of 650m2.

Each villa offers guests their own private pool, beach frontage, outdoor Sala, his & hers outdoor showers, full bathroom, king size beds, mini bar, air-conditioning, and butler service.

The key difference between the luxury and infinity villa is the prime positioning of the Infinity villas and the size of the villa pool. The luxury beach villas each have 3.5 metre plunge pools whereas the infinity villa has a 5 metre long infinity pool.

The villas are all nestled amidst the indigenous trees and bushes and have been painstakingly created to offer guests their own private sanctuary where they can feel at one with the environment.

Guests need only take a few steps to the pristine white beach or they may choose to just lounge around on plump cushions and have their butler serve them tea and ice cold drinks. They can dine on the private deck, or sip a cocktail in the beachside Sala as the sun goes down. Lie in the large bath and gaze at the view, or shower beneath the stars.


Location
Benguerra is the second largest island in the Bazaruto Archipelago. It is approximately 11km x 5.5 km and lies some 14km north east of Vilanculos. It is famous for its unspoiled white beaches, remarkable dive sites and excellent fishing.

Climate
The island is warm and sunny year round. Rain showers are generally restricted to the mainland, although some will occur close to rainy season in February. Breezes are usually light and the sea temperature varies with the seasons and currents between 24°C and 32°C.  Minimum temperatures around 25ºC, maximum 30ºC +. Rainy Season is January - March.

Dining
A key focus and one of the highlights at Azura Mozambique is the cuisine. The main fine dining restaurant offers magnificent uninterrupted views out to sea. Our top international chef Jacques de Jager (ex Grand Provence, Franschoek) combines the freshest local ingredients, largely freshly caught seafood delicacies such as prawns, crab and crayfish, with contemporary style and flair.

The array of irresistible signature dishes will not disappoint, and nor will the accompanying fine wines, including those flown in from the owners chateau in France’s Loire Valley. The Gecko Deck on the beach offers you a more informal ‘foot in the sand’ dining experience perfect for lunches. Alternatively, you may choose for one of our staff to drop you off at a secluded spot where you can enjoy a freshly prepared picnic, dine by candlelight on the beach beneath the stars or feast in the comfort and intimacy of your own private villa.

Activities

  • African Spa
  • Beach picnics / private dining
  • Guided bird watching / walking trails
  • Oceans sea museum
  • Dugong / Whale Tracking
  • Land Rover island drives
  • Cultural encounters
  • Beach walks with a picnic.
  • Star gazing events

For the below activities please see the separate water sports fact sheet.

  • Scuba Diving Guided snorkelling trips
  • Deep sea fishing in custom built boat
  • Fly fishing
  • Shore based fishing
  • Sea kayaking
  • Dhow sailing
  • Dhow Sunset Cruise

Spa
Azura’s uniquely African spa offers signature treatments based on local ingredients and traditions. These include being rubbed down with ground coconut shells or diamond dust, covered head to toe with tamarind and aloe, or gently massaged with warm marula oil.

Access
Daily flights from Johannesburg International airport which connect well with the major international flights to Europe. The flying time from Johannesburg is 2 hours on a 42 seat ATR aircraft. On certain days these flights collect passengers from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, (KMIA) with an onward flying time of just 1 hour facilitating an effortless beach and bush experience. There are also regular flights on LAM from Maputo, Pemba and Dar es Salaam, on Swazi Airlines connecting with Matshapa and Durban, and on Travelmax from Lanseria, northern Johannesburg.

A state of the art Eurocopter whisks passengers from Vilanculos straight to the helipad at the back of the property with a flying time of 10-15 minutes.  A return helicopter transfer costs $300.  Airstrip co-ordinates for private charters: Hard grass 21.51.00 S / 35.27.00 E (1000metres).

Children
Children are welcome at Azura though not explicitly catered for.

Dress Code
Informal by day, and smart casual by night. Evenings can be a little chilly in winter (June – August) and a light sweater may be required.

Weddings
Weddings can be arranged on request.

Recommended Length of Stay
To take full advantage and enjoy everything on offer at Azura we recommend a minimum of 5 nights.

Visa Requirements
Visas are required by all nationalities except South Africans. It is advisable to arrange visas before travel however they can be issued on arrival in Vilanculos.

Health
Mozambique is a malarial area and suitable prophylactics are advised. Government testing has found no malarial bearing mosquitoes on Benguerra Island. For guest comfort the lodge operates pioneering MozMag machines, which eliminate biting insects within a 500 metre radius of our villas and public areas.  Guests coming to Mozambique from countries that are known to be at risk of yellow fever ( including Kenya, Tanzania, Congo and Angola) are now required to present vaccination certificates. Travellers failing to present valid certification at the point of entry will be vaccinated at the cost of approximately £40.

Useful Things To Know

  • Check-out is at 10:30am on the day of departure
  • The local Mozambique currency is the Metical however SA Rands and US Dollars are widely accepted.
  • We accept MasterCard, Visa, AMEX and debit cards. In accordance with International & Mozambican Credit Card Banking Laws, guests wishing to settle their accounts with Credit Card will be processed in Meticas (Mozambican currency) even though prices are quoted in US Dollars.
  • Traveller's cheques and cash are also accepted.
  • Two internet access points and a TV are available in the library
  • A laundry service is available daily and will need to be ready to collect by 9am each morning to ensure a same day return service – weather permitting.
  • Benguerra Island is part of a National Park and conservation is a priority at Azura. We ask that guests do not pick up live shells or buy shells from the local island residents.

Flora and Fauna

  • The islands are home to approximately 2600 people, who rely heavily on subsistence fishing for their livelihood.
  • Benguerra is a sand island which has spectacular, moving dunes and a diverse range of habitats for exotic and endemic wildlife.
  • On the land there are freshwater lakes; home to crocodiles, fish and migrant wading birds; mangroves, where one regularly sees the beautiful 'Greater flamingo'; remnant forests along the dunes and  grasslands and swamps which house a variety of bird life and mammals.
  • In the surrounding ocean, there are near-pristine inshore and offshore coral reef; sea-grass beds, upon which the dugong (the legendary mermaid) and turtles feed; good stocks of pelagic fishes, and long stretches of sandy beaches, ideal for swimming, walking or just relaxing.
  • Animal sightings
    • Dugongs - year round
    • Turtle Season: October to March.
    • Whales - humpback and pilot - mid July to mid October
    • Dolphins - year round

Environment and Community
The vision behind Azura Retreats is to harness the power of responsible tourism for the benefit of the local people whilst conserving the unique cultural and biological diversity of Benguerra Island. It is one of only a handful of resorts where the community are major stakeholders and contribute to every aspect of the project. Azura is Mozambique’s first carbon neutral hotel, achieved by planting indigenous trees to assist the re-forestation of the island in compensation for the carbon emissions generated by the lodge and its building.

The marine environment is a priority and the Ocean Seas museum showcases the many dangers facing the fragile marine environment. The Dugong (sea cow) Protection Foundation has been formed to help protect Africa’s last viable population of this rare marine mammal. The local communities have been educated and encouraged not to hunt rare species or over-fish certain areas and a ‘no fishing zone’ has been established in front of the resort’s shores to encourage a resurgence of dolphins.

Besides employing local Islanders wherever possible Azura has also helped in rebuilding the village after the area was devastated by Cyclone Favio in March 2007, developing a new school and housing for the teachers and giving English lessons to the new teaching staff and the local National Park wardens. Guests are encouraged to get involved with the projects as much or as little as they would like to during their stay. The Rainbow Fund has been set up to support these social and environmental projects and guests are invited to contribute $10 per night at the end of their stay.