Set on a bouldery outcrop, this island wouldn’t be out of place in the Seychelles, and nor would its idiosyncratic lodge, with a teetering timber walkway leading to a few beautifully designed and totally private guest villas with stunning lake views.CONTACT: Kayak Africa (00 265 9 942 661; kayakafrica ). Monkey Bay Monkey Bay is the terminal for the “Ilala” and is a good place to board the tramp steamer, because there are facilities here in case of delay. Though Malawi Lake Services does run a basic guesthouse, better accommodation can be found 5km up the coast at Venice Beach Backpackers (there’s a handy VHS cinema operating from a palm-leaf shack next door) Bicycle taxis are a useful way of getting around. For a skilled haircut, the “Time Mark Barbar Shop” is by the Hakuna Matata bar, which has the only pool table in town.CONTACT: Venice Beach Backpackers (00 265 852 5334; venicebeachbackpackers ). Ilala The 520-tonne MV “Ilala” is operated by Malawi Lake Services, which has a spare ship, the “Mtendere”, for cover in emergencies.
The timetable is best regarded as a guide because it often runs late: African cruising won’t suit travellers on a tight schedule – it’s best for those happy to kick back by the bar on deck, and watch the sun set, with a Malawi gin in hand. Go first class and there’s a small ?a carte dining room too.CONTACT: Malawi Lake Services, PO Box 15, Monkey Bay, Malawi (ilala malawi ) and Malawi Tourism (0115-982 1903; malawitourism ). Kaya Mawa Kaya Mawa is carved out of the rocks of a spectacular promontory on Likoma, with beaches on either side. This is Malawi at its most colonially luxurious, with excellent food, speedboats, a Padi dive school and swimming pool.
The same owners run the charmingly laid-back Mango Drift Backpackers; a sensible choice for “Ilala” travellers because you risk wasting an expensive prepaid night at the luxury lodge if there are delays with the boat.CONTACT: Kaya Mawa (00 871 761 684 670; kayamawa ). Likoma Island Five miles by three, Likoma Island is a great place to catch the pace of African life without the hassle associated with life on the mainland. Even the children didn’t ask for money, seeming more interested in making spectacular leaps into the lake for my camera. The usual way to get there is by charter flight, taking an hour from Lilongwe Of the island’s two cars, Kaya Mawa has one.
The island is small – you could walk its length even on the hottest day.CONTACT:Your tour operator or lodge. Nkwichi Winner of the 2005 Tourism for Tomorrow award, Nkwichi is a barefoot-luxury beach hideaway to rival any in the Indian Ocean. But it is also at the heart of the Manda Wilderness Community Trust, working to restore an area that was, before Mozambique’s civil war, one of the most diverse game areas in the country. If you can’t afford to stay there it’s still worth giving them a donation.CONTACT: The Manda Wilderness Community Trust (00 265 9 216 108; mandawilderness ). Diving Lake Malawi is said to have more than 80 per cent of the world’s freshwater fish, and is without doubt the planet’s finest freshwater diving destination.
The water is a clear turquoise, with shoals of fish of many, many colours. Stay safe and take a course at a Padi dive school, they are available at Kayak Africa at Cape Maclear and Kaya Mawa on Likoma, while all good lodges will provide you with a mask and snorkel.CONTACT: Kayak Africa or Kaya Mawa.. Earlier this year, Beijing hosted its second annual International Travel and Tourism Market (BITTM). During the three-day event, established to promote travel between China and the rest of the world, figures emerged that seemed to confirm what the travel industry already knew: that the sleeping giant that is China’s tourism market is rapidly waking. Last year, an estimated 31 million leisure travellers departed from Chinese airports. By 2020, that figure is expected to more than treble to 100 million a year. It’s worth pointing out that, until 2000, the Chinese authorities looked less than favourably on citizens wanting to holiday abroad.