The essence of the experience
There is a huge variety of life to be experienced both on land and beneath the waves on &Beyond Vamizi Island and gain insights into the Oceans Without Borders initiative. Choose to enjoy an activity that will expose you to the conservation efforts that preserve this magnificent natural haven.
The island is lined with a number of trails that venture through the costal forest and along the beach. One of the best ways of experiencing the islands magnificent fauna and flora is to set off on a guided hike along one of these. Set off early in the morning, when a multitude of coastal and forest birds is awakening. Search for the cheeky samango monkeys and the giant coconut crabs before stopping off in a deserted sandy cove for a refreshing swim.
Protected by the Quirimbas National Park, the marine life around the archipelago is extraordinary. Depending on the time of year, guests can choose to take part in some of the conservation efforts carried out by research teams. The nests of the green sea turtles on &Beyond Vamizi Island are carefully monitored and guests are alerted when the hatchlings begin to take their maiden voyage to the ocean’s edge, with any stragglers guided and released by the conservation team. Visitors can also choose to help with the identification of hawksbill turtles.
The humpback whales pass the shores of the Quirimbas between July and September, bringing their new-born calves with them and creating the ideal opportunity for whale watching and monitoring. The Neptune’s Arm dive site off Vamizi Island provides the ideal opportunity to swim with protected grey reef sharks, which are monitored by the island’s Marine Conservation and Research Centre. A very rare phenomenon regularly happens here, with aggregations of up to 30 female sharks spotted on a single dive. This is one of the very few known instances of this happening and is the only one of its kind along the east coast of Africa.