Travessia Beach Lodge
Return flights from Johannesburg to Vilanculos
Relax and recharge your batteries at this charming little eco-lodge of just 5 gorgeous casitas tucked away in the seemingly endless groves of palm trees and dunes between Imhambane and Vilanculos!
This is a remote retreat that's truly off the beaten track - you can go along the beach for 20 kilometres in either direction before coming across another lodge! Perfect for recharging your batteries
Stunning views over the palm trees and ocean, whether you are at the bar, in the pool, in your bed or hammock (or even whilst enjoying your outdoor shower!)
Wake up to coffee and rusks delivered to your deck before heading off for a walk on the seemingly endless sandy beach (perhaps accompanied by one of the friendly lodge dogs if you fancy some company!)
Get the kid's noses out of their cell phone or iPad - they'll have an "old style" ball of a holiday in the open air and warm sea at Travessia
Guests rave about the superb food and wonderfully friendly service courtesy of the staff and management!
Not the lodge for you if you're wanting to cram a load of activities into every day of your holiday - Travessia is all about gently unwinding and re-connecting with your loved ones and yourself
No fringing coral reef at Travessia means there's no snorkelling or diving from the lodge - you'll have to head off on a day trip with one of the operators in the area
No air-con (the lodge is fully solar powered) - but rooms do enjoy the cooling sea breezes from their hilltop position
the rooms have been thoughtfully designed to make the most of the superb views – whether from the comfort of your bed (complete with gorgeous soft white linen and high-quality mattresses), the hammock on your deck, or even from the outdoor shower, you’ll no doubt spend many hours just soaking up the splendid vistas!
With the hectic pace of modern life, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find places where you can truly retreat and recharge. So many of the beautiful places that initially attracted intrepid travellers have now been well and truly “discovered”, to the point that many previously unspoiled gems have been marred in recent years by rampant over-development. The comparative ease of modern travel has meant that many previously isolated destinations have been completely spoiled, a victim in many ways of their own success.
But whilst it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find attractive new places that haven’t yet been discovered, every now and again we come across a new gem – like Travessia Beach Lodge. A tiny lodge of just 5 charming casitas, Travessia is tucked away in the seemingly endless groves of palm trees and dunes that stretch along the Mozambican coastline between Inhambane and Vilanculos. With its nearest neighbours being around 20 kilometres north or south along the sandy beach, Travessia is about as far from the beaten track of today’s mass tourism as it’s possible to get!
Arriving at the lodge after a picturesque drive through the palm groves, you’ll receive a friendly greeting along with a refreshing welcome drink – then upon entering the spacious open plan restaurant and lounge area built on top of a dune, you’ll no doubt be left open-mouthed at the superb 180-degree vistas over a small palm grove in front of the lodge and the open ocean beyond!
From the main lodge building with its pool deck, bar and restaurant, raised wooden walkways lead to the 5 "casitas" dotted along the top of the dune and which have been generously spaced to offer exceptional privacy to guests. These casitas are lovely spacious rooms of wood and canvas constructed on elevated wooden decks with stunning views of the ocean! The canvas walls of the casitas almost give the feeling of being in a safari tent, whilst the rooms have been thoughtfully designed to make the most of the superb views – whether from the comfort of your bed (complete with gorgeous soft white linen and high-quality mattresses), the hammock on your deck, or even from the outdoor shower, you’ll no doubt spend many hours just soaking up the splendid vistas!
Powered entirely by solar, Travessia boasts excellent eco credentials too. Obviously this means that mod-cons like air-conditioning aren’t available – having said that, the lodge’s location on the top of the dunes means that they get the benefit of the cooling sea breezes.
As mentioned previously, Travessia is the type of place to come to if you’re looking to switch off and recharge. Guests love going for long walks along the endless and virtually deserted sandy beach – unlike in more touristy areas you’re not going to be hassled by hawkers trying to flog you curios; except for the odd fisherman or occasional child or women from the local village, you’re likely to have the entire expanse of the beach pretty much to yourself (that’s ignoring the friendly lodge dogs of course, that absolutely love to accompany guests on their wanderings if you fancy having some company!)
Whilst on the subject of the beach, please note that unlike the Mozambican islands with their generally flat water, the beach at Travessia boasts small waves, perfect for boogie boarding or swimming. With no strong currents, the warm water here is perfect for young kids to have a ball. Of course, there’s also the infinity swimming pool back up on the main lodge deck if you’d rather swim within easy hailing distance of the friendly barman! Speaking of staff, the one thing consistently raved about by guests at Travessia is the wonderfully warm and friendly service they enjoy from the staff and management at the lodge.