70 km north of Xai Xai, the EN1 road to Beira winds to its closest brush with the Indian Ocean, only 5 km away. The countryside undulates gently, lush and green with pockets of coconut palms towering over cashew nut thickets - freshwater lakes dominate the area. Here, in a clearing, lies the tiny, sleepy village of Chidenguele. The Indian Ocean meets land at one very special place in Mozambique. Here its azure waters are home to whales, dolphins and turtles while predatory gamefish prowl colourful reefs below. The pristine beaches are endless and washed in waves and sunlight. A thick fringe of tranquil dune forest stands guard high over thickets of ancient, scarlet-fruited cycads, dozing here in the dappled light as they have done for centuries. There is nothing rushed about this place, its tranquil splendour unchanged over a thousand years!

Location: Only 270 km north of Maputo or 70 km north of Xai-Xai and just 5 km from the main road.