Azura Marlin Beach is a boutique beach villa resort on Benguerra Island, where the signature scenes of Mozambique; blue water, vanilla sands and swaying palms encapsulate the soul of the island.
Sometimes we want to escape it all! Be as far away from the monotony of routine, ensconced in the zeniths of tropical island bliss. And sometimes we want a bit of that isolation, yet experience all of those sublime moments that occur on a beach holiday, surrounded by a team of extraordinary people. The paragons that know all about keeping it culturally authentic, whilst layered in luxury! Azura Marlin Beach does just that.
It’s a village of calm, on the pristine shores of Benguerra Island. Ten independent villas, all built in that authentic Mozambique fashion. With the stilts and the outdoor superfluity. Secluded enough to have your own conversations beneath the stars, claiming ownership of the space between. Yet near enough to the action, the entertainment and the impeccable service that’s orchestrated from your own private butler.
A sprawling open-plan reception space merges into the living, dining, entertaining and lounging areas. A central bar with oversized loungers, and a deck that cascades towards the swimming pool. A grand dining pavilion, a dreamy, semi-outdoor stretch-tent setup for long lunches and starlit dinners. Then there’s the rooftop terrace for sundowners and late night stories with your new friends. The ones that also love the little hours of peaceful isolation, then meeting up with each other to share the day’s unique experiences.
Each villa offers front-row seats to the sea. A few skipping steps between you and a twilight swim, an early morning walk, and hours of uninterrupted views. Elevated ever so slightly, you get a sweeping connection with the ocean. The space is your own slice of salty decadence to rest, reconnect, lounge and laze about. The beds are heavenly, the style is simple and pacifying, and the ambience is everything you want from that feeling of remoteness.
Saltwater, starry skies and stillness
Every evening, your private butler pops by the dinner table for a little natter about the day. Learning about all of the special things you did and saw, and helps to tailor the following plans. Initiating the next day’s adventures. Snorkelling, paddle boarding, swimming, boating, fishing, or just sweet, glorious nothing. Spa treatments in your villa or under the sky.
You can also chat to the dive master and fishing master at the dive centre, discussing all of the options. The days of the week are themed by the styles, the seasons and the sunshine. Mozambican Mondays, and of course the Peri Peri Beach Club on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A wonderful way to experience the cuisine, the culture and the staggering beauty that surrounds the island.
Private picnics on the northern tip where the bean bags, the bubbles, and the delicious dishes are spread out for you to enjoy. With tide sneaking back in, adding to the romance. When night falls, one of the best things you can do, is stay up and watch the stars. They don’t just twinkle and glisten in the expansive canvas of darkness – especially given the apparent absence of light pollution, they perform. Shooting and flickering in sync with your conversations.
There are weekly stargazing talks with the resort’s marine biologist. A truly unique and insightful experience. Everything is beautifully stitched together to ensure your time spent on the island is filled to the brim with joy, new adventures, awe-inspiring sights, and enough moments of tranquility and rest. So that you have that pleasure of escapism in the palm of your hands.
Written by Colleen Ogilvie