If that famous line by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean”, strikes a chord within your holiday-making soul, then permit me to paint you my own picture of a dhow trip to Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago.

Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner might not deal with a seaside holiday in Mozambique, but still, these fitting words kept on running through my mind during the three days my wife, Wendy, and I and another retired couple, Jill and Angus Morrison, spent island-hopping in a traditional Arab dhow, complete with crew and cooks, on our very own painted waters.
Nights were spent at a comfortable base camp on a mainland beach, accessible only by dhow.
Each day we visited a different island: exploring sandy beaches, climbing towering white dunes, swimming in a turquoise sea, snorkeling on the coral reefs, lunching on fresh fish and crab … 
Forget Coleridge, I felt like Hemingway’s old man of the sea personified.
First of all, though, we had to get there, and this meant getting to the coastal town of Vilankulos, the gateway to exploring the chain of islands that make up the archipelago.

The Pearl of the Indian Ocean

The Bazaruto Archipelago, which was declared a national park and marine reserve in 1971, consists of the islands of Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Banque and Santa Carolina (also known as Paradise Island).
The archipelago boasts some 180 bird species, as well as endemic butterflies, suni antelope and crocodiles.
The reefs provide a habitat for more than 2 000 fish species, dolphin, dugong, giant lobster and several species of marine turtle.
When early sailors first saw the dugong, they thought they had discovered a new sort of seawater hippo.
The archipelago has the largest dugong population along the eastern African coast.
No wonder some people refer to the archipelago as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”.
Bazaruto is the largest of the islands, at around 37 km long and up to 7 km wide.
South of Bazaruto is the second largest island, Benguerra (around 11 km long and 5 km wide).
These two islands and Magaruque were once part of an extensive sand peninsula attached to the mainland.
Magaruque and Santa Carolina are closest to the mainland, with Magaruque 10 km east of Vilankulos, and Paradise Island a similar distance from Inhassoro.
Paradise Island is where Bob Dylan apparently got the inspiration for his song Mozambique. The island is also where Survivor SA: Santa Carolina was filmed.

Mozambique, here we come!

I presume that since you are reading this magazine, the thought of flying in never crossed your mind. Of course not. You want to drive there, and there are three routes from which to choose, both going and returning.
If you are in a hurry, and the lengthy queues at Ressano Garcia border post do not faze you, then point yourself towards Nelspruit, then Maputo, before turning north on the ENI highway towards Vilankulos, some 800 km further.
Or you could go via Letaba in the Kruger Park, the Giriyondo border post and the Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Because it is not dependant on the water levels of a major river, you can drive this route of some 830 km at any time of the year. (This is the route we used on our way back.)
An early start from Letaba is recommended, because the first section of road between the border and the massive Massingir dam is good gravel, but very stony.
Drive this section slowly – you don’t want a puncture at the very start of your trip.
Once you’re out of the park, the road is tarred, but beware of potholes.
But none of that for us! We chose the macho route via the Kruger, the Pafuri border post and the Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Which, by the way, you should only consider if you have a “proper” 4x4 with low-range, some experience, are travelling with at least one other vehicle, and during the dry winter months, when the waters of the Limpopo are low.