The whole Bazaruto Archipelago is an ecological gem that has been granted National Park status. It falls into the Eastern African Marine Ecoregion, which stretches over a 4 600km coastline, from South Africa to Somalia. The string of tropical island s off the coast of Mozambique is part of the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and is one of the largest marine parks in the Indian Ocean.

Three of the tropical island s were given formal protection in 1971 and designated a national park. Environmental groups kept up the pressure until government recently gazetted an extension to the park, incorperating the remaining tropical islands and their surrounding waters.

Bazaruto Island is one of five principal islands in the Bazaruto Archipelago, which lies just 30km off the coast of Vilanculos in Inhambane Province. It is the largest of all the tropical islands, approximately 37km long and up to 7km wide.

Lying at the southern end of Africa's Great Rift Valley, the Lake Malawi National Park is a World Heritage Site and an area of overwhelming beauty. It is also the first freshwater marine reserve on earth, sporting thousands of cichlid tropical fish that are vital to the bio-diversity of our planet.

Mumbo Island and Domwe Island are luxurious yet rustic. These tropical islands are located within exclusive concession areas, guaranteeing privacy in paradise.

Constructed entirely of timber, thatch and canvas, the camps adhere to the strictest principles of eco-architecture. Accommodation on the tropical islands is in large safari tents situated on thatched, wooden decks overlooking the lake. Each tent is fully furnished with its own shady view-deck and private hammock.

Lake Malawi is the ninth largest lake in the world. It is 560km, 80km wide and 700m deep and forms most of the eastern border between Malawi and Mozambique. It is one of the Great Rift Valley lakes and lies in a depression which plunges well below sea level - to a depth of 2,300ft in the north. It is the third largest lake in Africa and has impressive proportions with approximate dimensions of 584km north to south and 83km wide. Half the south-eastern section of the lake belongs to Mozambique with the border running through the centre of the water, while Tanzania lies along the north-eastern shore.

The national park is a sanctuary for the unique, often brightly coloured little fish called cichlids, much prized by freshwater aquarium enthusiasts. More than 500 species of these fish have been recorded but it is thought there could be 1,000 different species in the lake.

The Mascareignes Archipelago is made up of Mauritius, Reunion Island and Rodrigues. Mauritius, an independent state, is situated at 890km east of Madagascar, between 19°50' and 20°32' of south latitude and 57°18' and 57°46' of East Longtitude. Reunion, french island, is 200km south west and Rodridues, a dependence of Mauritius is 600 km to the East North East.

Mauritius covers an area of 1860 km2 and is made up of a central plateau gradually rising towards the south west where it reaches its highest point at 800 metres with the Piton de la Rivière Noire. This plateau is still surrounded with what is remaining from the primary crater in the form of a chain of mountains that are not very high (Moka, Corps de Garde, Pieter Both) and some isolated peaks (Piton du Milieu, Motte à Thérèse).

Mauritius is an all-year-round tropical island resort with a mild climate and pleasant temperatures. In the summer months, from November to April, the temperature varies from 20°C to 28°C on the central plateau and from 25°C to 33°C on the coast. From May to October, the average temperature is 19°C in the centre of the island, rarely falling under 13°C at night. On the coast, all temperatures are about 5°C higher.

The Quirimbas Archipelago stretches for 100 kilometres along the Mozambique coast. These tropical islands contain some of the richest coral reefs in the world and provide habitat for an abundant array of marine life. The Quirimbas Archipelago consists of 32 tropical coral islands stretching from Pemba (the capital of Cabo Delgado Province) to the Rovuma River, which forms the natural frontier between Tanzania and Mozambique. The area has never been developed and remains an unexplored tourist paradise.

The southernmost 11 of these tropical islands and a vast expanse of mainland forest are included in the Quirimbas National Park - a conservation effort to preserve and protect the area.

The Gessner family have lived on Quirimba Island, (the main island of the Quirimbas) since 1936. Joachim Gessner's father arrived in Africa from Germany in 1922 and discovered Quirimba soon after. The family moved onto Quirimba to settle and created a coconut plantation which they continue to farm to this day. This plantation's private airfield is available to Quilálea guests and is just across the bay. At low tide, Quirimba Island is linked to Ibo by a narrow sand-spit.

Located between 6 and 10 degrees south of the equator amid 1,300,00 square kilometres of sparkling ocean, these 115 secluded tropical island s have a total population of merely 81,000. The islands of the Seychelles have to be counted among the best kept secrets on earth and, without doubt, rank among the safest and purest destinations anywhere. The 43 Inner Islands that cluster around the principal islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue are the world's only oceanic islands of granitic composition.

Seychelles' magnificent tropical islands possess unrivalled beauty ranging from the verdant mist forests of virgin granite peaks to the powder-soft sands of secluded beaches and together represent the ultimate tropical island destination for the discerning traveller, living up to the country's slogan - "Seychelles … as pure as it gets".

Tourism is the mainstay of the nation's economy and is considered one of the chief components in the sustainable development of the country, benefiting from policies, planning and marketing structures that take into account both the conservation of natural and cultural resources as well as the carrying capacity of the tropical islands.

Seychelles is a prime diving location located at the northern bank of the submerged Mascarene Plateau, a submerged volcanic ridge stretching from Seychelles to Mauritius.

Trading under the name Spice Island, this paradise off Tanzania's east coast has lured travellers for centuries, some in search of cloves, some in search of slaves and still others in search of an idyllic home. While commonly called Zanzibar, the island's name is actually Unguja, and is part of the Zanzibar archipelago, which also includes Pemba.

Pemba is located not too far from Zanzibar and boast unspoilt beaches with excellent diving. Fundu Lagoon is the epitome of "bare foot paradise" with a distinct Robinson Crusoe air in a remote and not easily accessible spot. It is a place for guests to relax and unwind in casual, yet elegant surroundings.

Mafia is the destination for those looking for something truly unspoilt! Fewer than a thousand visitors a year come here, so it remains very much still a traditional Swahili destination.