Activities

Besides the luxuries of your beautiful villa at Vilanumar why not stroll over to Zona Braza where you can enjoy a cocktail from the beach bar, a delicious meal from the onsite restaurant or perhaps a massage from the day spa (bookings essential).

@ Vila No Mar

Vila No Mar Beach Lodge offers the most ideal family holiday destination on the Mozambique coast with options for all ages.

Swim our safe beaches or spend the day at your private swimming pool

Rock and surf fishing

Dropshot and fly fishing

Snorkelling the magnificent coral reefs

Kite surfing

Bird watching
The area is home to over 100 species of birds most notably the African Fish Eagle, African Darter, Little Grebe, Little Egret and Paradise Flycatcher

Xai Xai Town

The town of Xai-Xai is situated only 40 kilometres south of Vila No Mar. Xai-Xai offers unique opportunities to explore the local culture, and also offers a variety of activities, such as:

Wenela tidal pool, 2 kilometres south of the main Xai-Xai Beach, is a tidal pool that has a natural channel leading under the reef and into the ocean. The hole in the reef’s surface creates a “blow hole effect” during spring tide. This pool is considered sacred by the African Pentecostal Church, and many colourful baptisms are held here.

The multitude of rich markets and roadside stalls selling a wide variety of items such as fresh fruit and veg, seafood, and clothing. One can even have a shirt or dress tailored for you by one of the numerous seamstresses that have workshops in market stalls.

As a large portion of Mozambicans are Catholic, there is a beautiful Catholic church that can be found opposite Barclay’s in the heart of Xai-Xai.

Chidenguele, a town 60 kilometres away from Zona Braza, houses some of Mozambique’s cultural gems. There are a number of beautiful churches in the area, such as the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes, and Cathedral Chidenguele. At Praia Chidenguele, you can explore the remains of the Hotel Chongoene, a five-star hotel during the 1960s and 1970s that was abandoned during the wartime years.

Birding

There are 15 Important Bird Areas which have been designated by BirdLife International. Many parts of Mozambique are unexplored from an ornithological point of view, so a sense of adventure is essential when setting out on any kind of birding holiday.

Mozambique has the longest stretch of Indian Ocean coastline in Africa. The intertidal flats together with major lowland rivers, floodplains and abundant lakes and marshes are a magnet for waterbirds. The country's coastal habitats provide excellent wintering grounds for Palaeartic immigrants.

Mozambique bird communities can be divided in 2 with those in the north being distinctly different from the ones in the south. The boundary between them is more or less in the region of the Zambezi River. Northern Mozambique species are mostly shared with other East African countries, while south of the Zambezi River birdlife is characteristic of South Africa.

There are more than 600 recorded bird species and at least 500 actually breed within Mozambique. Just one species is endemic, Namuli Apalis, which is only found on Mount Namuli in northern Mozambique.

There are 3 major biomes that meet in Mozambique

East African Coast (25 of the 36 restricted range species); Afrotropical Highlands (30 of the 226 restricted range species), Zambezian (26 of the 67 characteristic species).

There are 4 Endemic Bird Areas which overlap within Mozambique
South African Forests; South-East African Coast; Eastern Zimbabwe Mountains; Tanzania-Malawi Mountains. Four Mozambican species belonging to the South-East African Coast group have more than 50% of their population in the country - birders will have a good chance of spotting the Lemon-breasted Canary, Rudd's Apalis, Pink-throated Twinspot and Neergaard's Sunbird.

Important Bird Areas - from north to south, covering 13 890 km / 8630 miles

Of the sites designated by BirdLife International in Mozambique, one of the sites is fully protected, 5 are partly protected and the 9 others are unprotected.

Niassa Province: Njesi Plateau,
Nampula Province: Netia,
Zambezia Province: Mount Namuli; Mount Chiperone; Moebase region
Tete Province: Furancungo Woodlands; headwaters of the Cahora Bassa Dam
Manica Province: Chimanimani Mountains
Sofala Province: Zambezi River Delta; Gorongosa Mountain and National Park
Inhambane Province: Panda Woodlands; Pomene; Bazaruto Archipelago
Maputo Province: Maputo Special Reserve; Changelane River Gorge

Mozambique National Parks for bird watching - from north to south

Cabo Delgado Province: Quirimbas National Park (Quirimbas Archipelago)
Niassa Province: Niassa National Reserve
Zambezia Province: Gilé National Reserve
Manica Province: Chimanimani National Reserve
Sofala Province: Gorongosa National Park, Marromeu Buffalo Reserve
Inhambane Province: Bazaruto National Park (Bazaruto Archipelago), Zinave National Park, Pomene National Reserve
Gaza Province: Limpopo National Park, Banhine National Park
Maputo Province: Maputo Special Reserve (also known as Maputo Elephant Reserve)