Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa

Bazaruto, Inhambane, Mozambique

Bazaruto is an island of contrasts. Look one direction and you see the Turquoise Indian Ocean and white sand beach. Look the other and it’s as if you were gazing out to Egypt, taking in views of 300-foot red sand dunes and palm-dotted lakes. Snorkeling and diving is the main attraction on Bazaruto, but the dunes offer equal thrills. Guests at Anantara Bazaruto Resort can opt to explore this very different side of the island by sandboard (think snowboarding down sand dunes), safari Jeep, or on horseback. I went on a horseback ride up at sunset. The uphill was lovely, but going down a towering sand dune atop a horse is about as scary as dropping down a double black diamond run on skis. But my horse mastered the vertical drop expertly. More terrifying than the drop was the ride around the freshwater lake, which my guide said is inhabited by 12-foot long Nile crocodiles. Luckily the few we saw were snoozing far away.

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Croc Spotting on Bazaruto Island

Bazaruto is an island of contrasts. Look one direction and you see the Turquoise Indian Ocean and white sand beach. Look the other and it’s as if you were gazing out to Egypt, taking in views of 300-foot red sand dunes and palm-dotted lakes. Snorkeling and diving is the main attraction on Bazaruto, but the dunes offer equal thrills. Guests at Anantara Bazaruto Resort can opt to explore this very different side of the island by sandboard (think snowboarding down sand dunes), safari Jeep, or on horseback. I went on a horseback ride up at sunset. The uphill was lovely, but going down a towering sand dune atop a horse is about as scary as dropping down a double black diamond run on skis. But my horse mastered the vertical drop expertly. More terrifying than the drop was the ride around the freshwater lake, which my guide said is inhabited by 12-foot long Nile crocodiles. Luckily the few we saw were snoozing far away.

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