White Pearl
Southern Mozambique

The ultimate barefoot beach retreat? White Pearl is definitely a contender. Opened in 2011, White Pearl is a sexy boutique resort on a ravishing and untouched stretch of beach on Mozambique’s southern coast, a 30-minute helicopter transfer from Maputo International Airport. 

Accommodation is in 22 stylish suites including 6 Beach Pool Suites and 16 Pool Suites – in other words, all have a private plunge pool, as well as an outdoor shower, a spectacular ocean-facing deck with comfortable lounge chairs and a private on-call butler. Beach Pool Suites are mere footsteps from the sand. Each air-conditioned suite is raised on reclaimed timber stilts, with sliding glass doors and a cool, contemporary and understated décor, allowing guests to relax and focus on the incredible deep blue Indian Ocean views.

By contrast, the bar at White Pearl is packed with funky and quirky elements like egg armchairs and ceramic Mozambique stools, however, still using predominantly white furnishings giving it a Mediterranean beach-club vibe. Other communal areas include a dining room, private lounge, infinity swimming pool with a swim-up pool bar and a deck with a cluster of four-poster beds for some social relaxing. The food at White Pearl is excellent, known for its tapas style lunches with a Portuguese flavour – freshly grilled piri-piri prawns, perhaps, accompanied by a South African rosé.

Best of all, though, are the activities available once you’ve indulged at the restaurant and indulged at the spa. The resort is located on one of Mozambique’s most stunning coasts with rich biodiversity and Indian Ocean reefs home to a huge range of sea life. Swim with dolphins, snorkel with turtles or visit their nesting sites (mid-Nov to mid-Feb), scuba dive, go deep sea fishing, or explore the sand dunes by horseback.

I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored.
David Attenborough