Top luxury island resort destinations in Africa
Top luxury island resort destinations in Africa
Africa's luxury island scene sits almost entirely in the Indian Ocean, where a handful of destinations have built strong reputations over decades of high end tourism.
The Seychelles remains one of the most recognized names in luxury island travel anywhere, with private island resorts, granite boulder beaches and some of the highest per night rates in the region. Mauritius offers a similar level of polish, built around golf resorts, spa focused hotels and calm lagoon beaches protected by an offshore reef. Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania, pairs beach resorts with the historic Stone Town, adding a cultural layer that the more isolated island nations do not always offer. Further south, Mozambique's remote archipelagos take luxury in a quieter direction, with small, exclusive lodges reachable only by boat or light aircraft.
The destinations on our list for Africa reflect that same range, from polished resort islands to smaller, harder to reach escapes.
Lists by region
Island in Tanzania
Zanzibar
Turquoise Waters and Spice Perfume
Mnemba Island lies about 3 kilometres off the northeast coast of Unguja. The island is private, so only guests can land. A 500 metre exclusion zone keeps other people out of the nearby water. An oval reef about 7 by 4 kilometres surrounds it and holds around 600 reef fish species.
Country
Seychelles
Tropical paradise with pristine beaches
Coco de mer palms grow only on Praslin and Curieuse and produce the heaviest seed in the world. Forty-two granitic islands form the core of this country. About 42 percent of its territory is set aside for conservation. Aldabra atoll is a UNESCO site with about 150,000 giant tortoises.
Island in Seychelles
Mahé
Tropical Paradise with a Wild Side
Morne Seychellois National Park holds the island's tallest peak at 905 metres. Mahé covers 157 square kilometres and is the largest island in Seychelles. About 86 percent of the country's people live here, including in the capital Victoria. The international airport on the island opened in 1971.
Country
Mauritius
Tropical Bliss in the Indian Ocean
UNESCO listed the 556 metre monolith of Le Morne Brabant in 2008. In the early 19th century the peninsula was suggested as a refuge for people who had escaped slavery. A large coral reef surrounds the island. It shelters lagoons with warm water between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius.
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