Mozambique's extensive coastline and tiny island refuges offer gorgeous, soft white or golden sandy beaches, warm seas, unspoiled marine reserves, and remote island resorts. Inland, you'll find wildlife safaris and nature preserves along with small but lively cities. But ultimately, it's the beaches—1,500 miles (2500 km) of them—that draw visitors. Most Mozambique beaches are pristine and uncrowded, and you can safely stroll the shore for miles. Another draw is the comparative affordability of Mozambique lodgings. Some of the top-end resorts can be fairly compared with the smaller resorts of Maldives or Mexico, and although less slick and sophisticated, they are far less pricey, commercialized, or crowded.

Water sports rule, and Mozambique has brilliantly colored coral reefs with some of the best dive sites and snorkeling in Africa. Deep sea fishing is exciting and rewarding and you may even see the highly endangered dugong, the huge, elusive sea mammal reputed to be the origin of the mermaid myth. History you can see stretches back centuries with forts and churches dating back to the 1500s on remote Ibo Island and Ilha de Mozambique off the northeast coast.

Keep in mind that, generally, Mozambique is not a luxury destination—even the top-end lodges have occasional power outages. But if you approach this lovely country with a bit of pioneer spirit, you’ll discover a diverse, fascinating, and quietly relaxing destination that's still off the beaten path. But don’t wait too long! The discovery of massive natural gas reserves are quickly transforming the country’s economy and character.