Quilalea | strandvakantie Mozambique
In the north of Mozambique you can dive on incredible coral reefs, relax on the endless, unspoilt beaches, or explore the islands of the Quirimba Archipelago opposite Pemba, where you can enjoy delicious freshly caught fish and shellfish. All-in-all the Quirimbas form a varied setting for a relaxing beach add-on. Divers will not only be surprised at the colours of the coral they encounter, but also at the size and variety of the fish.
The Quirimba Archipelago lies like a variegated string of beads in the Indian Ocean. The Quirimbas Archipelago is a collection of 32 islands that stretch out some 200 kilometres between Pemba and Rovuma River, which forms the border with Tanzania. The islands are made up of fossilised coral reefs on which an abundance of marine life lives. They form a rich habitat for wading birds, terns and turtles. Small-scale exclusive resorts have been built on some of the islands, such as Vamizi, Medjumbe, Matemo, Quilalea and Ibo Island.
The inhabitants of the eleven most southern islands of the Quirimba Archipelago were the first people in the world to request that their habitat be made into a national park. The habitats of these islands vary greatly, ranging from mountains, savannahs, forests and mangrove trees inland, to beaches, coral reefs and beds of seaweed along the coast. Four of the habitats have been officially declared as the most important exponents of those four particular habitats in the world. Many endangered types of animals live in these habitats, such as the extremely rare 'dugong' - otherwise known as the Indian sea cow. No less than 375 fish species have been identified around the islands, including sea turtles, three types of dolphins and hammerhead sharks. The combination of richly coloured coral reefs and vast variety of fish species makes this national park an ideal place to go snorkelling or diving.
