Indigo Bay occupies a unique niche – with 44 chalets and villas it’s a lot bigger than most of the other island lodges found on Mozambique’s islands but much smaller than the resorts that you would typically find in Mauritius for example. As such it offers a fantastic product for those people wanting to experience the unspoiled beauty of this area whilst still demanding the wider range of facilities and activities available at resorts.

a fantastic halfway house between the smaller, more intimate beach lodges and the large, resorts found in far more commercialized destinations – it’s little wonder then that it’s such a huge favourite with so many South African and overseas holiday Extensively rebuilt and upgraded following the destruction caused by Cyclone Favio, Indigo Bay now fits into the 5 Star category along with its smaller stable mate lodges, Matemo and Medjumbe. The good news is that this upgrade has not made the rooms the type of boringly generic apartment-style hotel rooms that you find for example in Mauritius – instead they have been constructed of natural materials like reed, soft-fringed thatch and wood in order to blend harmoniously with the natural surroundings. Inside you get all the modern luxuries and conveniences you would expect, from air-conditioning to satellite TV.

The thatched chalets, surrounded by dense tropical gardens, are stretched along the beach with enough space between them to ensure your privacy. In fact, the large number of rooms and the spread out nature of the layout can lead to some pretty long walks along the wooden boardwalks for guests staying in the furthest flung rooms to and from the main lodge buildings. Whilst the 29 standard Beachfront Chalets are perfect for couples, a fantastic choice for families are the 12 Bay View Villas – each boasting 2 bedrooms, lounge and gorgeous deck area with their own private plunge pool overlooking the turquoise (or should that be “indigo”!) waters of the bay below.

One thing that’s certain is that guests at Indigo Bay are certainly not likely to get bored! Adventure lovers will be right at home here – this is one of Africa's premier scuba diving destinations, but the waters are of such a superb standard that you need not be a diver to enjoy the colourful underwater world. Apart from scuba, snorkelling and fantastic game fishing, the resort also offers a huge range of activities including dune boarding, horse riding, waterskiing, wakeboarding, tennis, a 9 hole Qolf course (an innovative twist of golf) and complimentary non-motorised water sports like kayaking, windsurfing and Hobiecat sailing. But if that seems altogether too much like hard work you can laze around the swimming pool or enjoy a cocktail at the swim-up wet bar – or better still even head off for a pampering treatment at the gorgeous Sanctuary Spa, perched on the hilltop with spectacular views over the archipelago!

After all that, head off to the Neptune Bar for a ice-cold sundowner before dinner – Indigo Bay’s size means that things operate a little differently at meal times to smaller lodges in that you can expect quite a few buffets (not our favourite we must confess) along with some waiter served limited menu meals (although you won’t have to endure the cheesy musical “entertainment” typically on offer at your Mauritian resorts!) In many ways then Indigo Bay offers a fantastic halfway house between the smaller, more intimate beach lodges and the large, facilities-heavy resorts found in far more commercialized destinations – it’s little wonder then that it’s such a huge favourite with so many South African and overseas holidaymakers!

More water and land-based activities are on offer at Indigo Bay than you can shake a stick at – if you’re bored here than you’d better check your pulse!

The recent upgrade has resulted in wonderfully luxurious rooms whilst still managing to retain an attractive local island style

For families the 2 bedroom Bay View Villas with their gorgeous private plunge pools make for a fantastic family holiday option

The gorgeous Sanctuary Spa with its wide range of facilities and treatments is perhaps the only true Spa (as opposed to massage facility) in the islands

It’s obviously bigger than the usual beach lodges – so inevitably there’s less of a feeling of intimacy and seclusion

Meals often include buffets (of which we’re not huge fans)

The large scale of Indigo Bay can mean considerable distances to walk between the furthest flung rooms and the main lodge buildings