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If this all sounds a bit too much, it's because it is. It's no coincidence that the island's primary inhabitants are honeymooners, which is fortunate because there isn't terribly much to do here besides marvel at the natural beauty all around you. Of course, that's not strictly true. You can dive, fish, sail, snorkel, windsurf, kayak, water-ski, birdwatch, or simply fall asleep on one of the overstuffed sofas in the loft lounge that overlooks the bar. In fact, you can more or less do anything you like. Treat the place like a second home. At least, that's what I'm encouraged to do by the unobtrusive staff. Let's not beat around the bush here, this is the ultimate in upscale African luxury  - the sort of place where they actually will bring you the moon on a stick if you ask for it. But I'm more than happy just to ogle it in the sky.

And so it ends as it begins - another flight, and another chance to gaze down on the now recognisable outlines of Matemo and Ibo as I head back to Pemba for my longer flight back down south to Maputo. As I glide over the painterly blue reefs below, I'm reminded of the 1976 Bob Dylan song 'Mozambique' - "I like to spend some time in Mozambique/ The sunny sky is aqua blue/ And all the couples dancing cheek to cheek/ It's very nice to stay a week or two" - and ponder that though the good man apparently never came here himself, he pretty much got it spot on.

Practical information:

Virgin Atlantic offer direct flights to both Nairobi and Johannesburg from where it's possible to fly to a number of destinations in Mozambique. From Johannesburg you can fly to Pemba with either South African Airways or LAM, and from Nairobi with either LAM or Kenya Airways.

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About the writer:

Freelance writer and photographer Krzys Piekarski is a Polish-born New Yorker who also teaches writing and literature at the University of Texas. He is currently collaborating on a full-length travel book with Texan sailor Ben Edelstein who has recently returned to the US after 8 years circumnavigating the globe.

Krzys travelled as a guest of Rani Resorts.

Visit our Mozambique Destination Guide here

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