Best hotels in Pemba

Chuiba Bay Lodge is a delightful, small, luxury lodge overlooking the Indian Ocean, a quick drive from the ancient port town of Pemba. Nestled within 10 hectares of private garden and lush coastal forest, the feel is remote and secluded, with just 6 charming bungalows and a family villa. The lodge has a laid-back, eco-friendly design, with a natural organic style that blends beautifully with the tropical surroundings. This is a peaceful retreat with a good range of activities, equally suited for a romantic beach break or family holiday far from the crowds.

Ulala Lodge is a charming beach lodge, located on the picture-perfect shores of Murrébué Beach in northern Mozambique, less than half an hour’s drive from the nearest town of Pemba. The eco-friendly lodge has a natural organic feel, and great care has been taken in the design, which features local timber and driftwood and shaggy makuti roofs. With just six bungalows, Ulala has an intimate feel and is a great choice for a quiet retreat far from the distractions of modern life; kick of your shoes, feel the powdery sand between your toes, and relax in this slice of tropical paradise.

Pemba Beach Hotel and Spa is a large resort on Mozambique’s tropical north coast, a few minutes from the ancient port town of Pemba. This luxurious beachside hotel has a commanding presence amongst the towering palm trees and beautifully landscaped gardens that line Wimbe Beach, with around 100 rooms and suites, and several self-catering villas. The warm Indian Ocean offers a multitude of watersports, and the resort has excellent spa and leisure facilities. An outstanding base from which to explore northern Mozambique’s pristine beaches, the picture-perfect Quirimbas Archipelago, and the remote wilderness of Niassa National Reserve.

Diamonds Mequfi Beach Resort is a recent addition to the string of luxury resorts along northern Mozambique’s dazzling Pemba beaches. The setting is superb, and the luxury rooms and suites overlook a beautiful crescent of golden sand and a large, crystal-clear bay, which is the gateway to the jewel-like islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago. Although it's a fairly large resort, the thoughtful design and clever layout lacks nothing in the way of privacy. There's a choice of accommodation to suit couples and families alike, and the exquisite setting provides a back-to-nature experience without leaving the luxury behind.

nZuwa Lodge is a delightfully laid-back resort on Mozambique’s beautiful northern coastline, about half an hour’s drive south of Pemba. It's a family-friendly lodge, with accommodation to suit all budgets and requirements, from campsites and a backpacker-style dormitory to comfortable mid-range rooms and self-catering units, and charming luxury beach bungalows at the top end of the scale. Designed in an eco-friendly way with locally sourced natural materials, it has an easy-going organic feel, with a firm focus on simply relaxing in this stunning setting and enjoying the wide range of (principally water-based) activities.

Dominated by burgeoning energy developments in northern Mozambique, Pemba, which sits on the southern head of Pemba Bay, is maybe not quite the tropical paradise it could be. Nevertheless, the Nautilus Hotel, like the larger area, has huge potential, given that it's just a stone's throw away from the pearly beaches and warm, life-filled waters of the Indian Ocean. Its central location has some perks (great beach access) and a few cons (the main road runs right behind it and there's a big shopping centre just 200 metres away), but overall it's a relaxing spot to spend a few nights.

Mozambique's coastline is among the most pristine in Africa, making it one of the best places to explore the Indian Ocean's aquatic treasures. And the waters off northern Mozambique offer some particularly good diving hotspots. Enter Situ Island Resort, a private paradise in the southern Quirimbas National Park. Although separated from the mainland by only a river and a swamp, the island is the stuff of castaway movies, with coastal mangrove forests and few signs of human life (just one small village lies on the island's southwest). Situ is the ultimate in exclusive tropical vacationing, a romantic private-use getaway.