At a Glance
- Private beachfront villas blend comfort, privacy, and oceanfront views in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago.
- Guests enjoy snorkeling, sailing, and cultural village tours within a protected marine park.
- The resort supports local communities through education, healthcare, and marine conservation projects.
Azura Benguerra Island is more than a private island retreat. Set along the western rim of Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, it offers barefoot luxury and rare seclusion wrapped in natural beauty.
Here, the sea shifts from turquoise to deep cobalt, villas open directly onto soft white sands, and time seems to slow to the rhythm of the tide and rustling palms.
A sanctuary of style and solitude
Hand-built in partnership with the local community, Azura Benguerra carries a warmth that sets it apart from typical luxury resorts.
With only a handful of beachfront villas, each featuring a private plunge pool, shaded daybed, and personal host, it’s a place for travelers who prefer privacy and ease over extravagance.
The interiors reflect the landscape: thatched roofs, open-plan bathrooms, and soft wood tones that frame the ocean views. The feeling is intimate but sophisticated, the kind of place where couples reconnect and families gather without pretense or pressure.
Life by the ocean
The resort’s setting within a protected marine park shapes every moment of life on the island. Mornings often begin with a swim or snorkel over coral gardens just steps from shore, followed by breakfast on the terrace as fishermen glide past in wooden dhows.
Afternoons bring a choice of adventures, sailing, deep-sea fishing, or horseback rides along the surf.
Divers are drawn to the Bazaruto Archipelago’s clear waters, home to dolphins, turtles, and the elusive dugong. On land, guided visits to nearby fishing villages and freshwater lakes offer a glimpse of daily life beyond the resort’s calm beaches.
Villas and dining
Azura’s villas, from the cozy Beach Villas to the expansive Royal Beach and Presidential Villas, feel more like private homes than hotel suites.
Each faces the ocean, with infinity plunge pools and decks that blur into the horizon. Larger villas, like Villa Amizade and the three-bedroom Presidential Villa, come with private chefs, butlers, and all the comforts of a discreet seaside residence.
Dining is both refined and relaxed. Menus pair Mozambican flavors with global flair, grilled seafood, tropical fruits, and fresh ingredients delivered daily by local fishermen. Meals are never the same twice: a picnic on the beach one day, candlelit dinner under the stars the next.
Wellness and conservation
The Azura African Spa brings the island’s calm to life with natural treatments and traditional techniques. Yoga sessions unfold to the sound of gentle surf, and massages use local oils and herbs. But Azura’s heart lies in its community.
Through its Rainbow Fund, the resort supports local education, healthcare, and conservation, from building schools to protecting marine species.
A private world
Reaching Benguerra is part of the experience. Guests arrive by helicopter from Vilanculos, landing on a palm-fringed helipad where the ocean stretches endlessly in every direction.
From that first step, the noise of the outside world falls away.
Azura Benguerra Island is not just a destination, it’s a retreat for those who seek quiet over crowds, authenticity over display.
It offers what few places still can: space to breathe, ocean air that clears the mind, and the luxury of feeling completely at peace.
