Magaruque Island - a favorite!

Magaruque Island, also known as Ilha Santa Isabel, is part of the Bazaruto Archipelago off the coast of Mozambique. It's the closest island to Vilankulo and has a permanent deep water channel which offer a great snorkeling experience to our guests.

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Made in Mozambique

Bahia Mar is proud to showcase the extraordinary talent of local artists and manufacturers in the gallery shop situated in the hotels’ foyer.

Here you can purchase craft, beauty products and food made exclusively in Mozambique, utilising only locally sourced products, plants and ingredients. In keeping with Bahia Mars’ philosophy - ‘protect, preserve, recycle’, the items sold are made with sensitivity to the environment and with consideration to sustainability.

 

Silver

Beautifully hand crafted silver jewellery, created by skilled artisans on Ibo Island in northern Mozambique, who learned their craft from early Arab traders, is always a popular purchase. The delicate, filigree design of the unique pieces, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world, is testimony to their skill - a unique, affordable gift for someone special.

Recycling

Founded in 2007, ALMA is a Tofo based company backed by concerned individuals and businesses anxious about the increasing waste being generated in this area of great natural beauty.  Working with volunteers in collaboration with the local Municipality, the company started with small projects such as beach cleaning, however it has now developed into a considerable recycling operation, generating craft from products many consider trash. Pot mats made from recycled newspapers or capalana covered bottle tops and place mats made from reclaimed crisp packets, illustrate just a few of their unique items which are light to carry and form a great talking point back home.

Beauty in bone

Astrid Sulger is a Swiss born designer who now lives in Mozambique. She has researched and written a book on the history of the Makonde people who reside predominantly in northern Mozambique and Tanzania. These early inhabitants are known for their exceptional skill in carving hard woods and it was perhaps from this influence that Astrid created her extraordinary jewellery made from cow horn. Astrid has trained many local, previously unemployed, craftsmen and the company is now producing and exporting pieces that are both individual and exceptional.

Ladies

Bags made from colourful African prints and leather are the speciality of Pirikito a Maputo based design house. The fabrics are made using the hot wax method creating traditional designs, each one individual, unique and carefully manufactured. A personal gift for a special lady.

Beauty

With its focus on wellness and good health Bahia Mar was careful about the skin and beauty products they sourced for the Gallery. Bom natural skin and hair products are Mozambican made, utilising only natural oils and plant extracts, rich in essential oils and minerals. With no added preservatives or colourants, this luxury body line is a proud addition to our gift range.

Snacks

Food has not been forgotten and the Gallery stocks a select range which make perfect gifts and mementos.  Local coffee, honey, peri-peri, cashew butter and flowers of the sea – a mineral rich, locally harvested salt, along with dried fruit are easily transported back home, import restrictions permitting!

A visit to our Gallery provides an insight into the ingenuity, creativity and skills that are inherent in this beautiful country – Mozambique. Supporting the artists and creators of the select products that are stocked, helps to uplift, encourage and ensure the future of these self-reliant and dedicated entrepreneurs. 

#ResponsibleTourism #BahiaMarVilankulo #BahiaMarRetreats #FairTradeTourism

Bahia Mar Boutique Hotel launches their fitness and wellness retreats in the Bazaruto Archipelago of Mozambique.

Bahia Mar Retreats, in the small coastal town of Vilankulo off the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique, recently launched their bespoke fitness and wellness retreats. These retreats are tailor made to the specific requirements and expectations of any guest and range from 7 to 14 days.

Unique Retreats in Mozambique

What makes the retreats so unique and sought after by wellness travel enthusiasts, is the careful combination between a guided exercise program, ayurvedic and aromatherapy treatments and day excursions in and around the waters of paradise in the Bazaruto Archipelago.

“Our guests can enjoy two training sessions on the premises every day. We balance cardio, weights and circuit training in the program. Morning workouts are one on one with your personal trainer before breakfast, targeting a specific muscle group every day. Evening fitness programs in the retreats are in groups, looking more at guided aerial fitness, yoga or REAX raft training on our infinity pool overlooking the Bazaruto Archipelago sunset. That said, should guests prefer to only work with a personal trainer and not as part of a group, this could also be arranged”, says Susana Vidal, founder and visionary of the Bahia Mar Retreats Mozambique.

 

A unique feature of the program is training sessions on the beach at sunrise using various cross-training techniques.

The Bahia Mar Wellness Centre

The Bahia Mar Wellness Centre has a gymnasium and treatment rooms with state of the art fitness and treatment equipment. This truly offers a well-balanced and diverse platform for fitness enthusiasts and beginners alike, looking for that special retreat to beach paradise. Daily exercise programs are combined with ayurvedic and aromatherapy treatments with acclaimed all natural C-spa produces and highly trained wellness therapists on site.

Dietary requirements are met in every way. The restaurant prepares wholesome and fresh dishes, locally sourced, and can cater for anyone, from gluten intolerant to vegan. Meals are served as per the expectation of the visitor. Should weight loss or detoxing not be part of their expectation, guests are welcome to try the wide range of daily baked sweet and pastry goods and Italian coffees.

Over and above really taking great care to fill the itinerary with the very best of fitness and wellness, Bahia Mar Retreats puts great care into allowing visitors to rest and enjoy two full free days from the spa in surrounding paradise, where activities such as snorkel and island safaris, kite surfing or deep sea fishing can be arranged.

  

By focussing on the guest’s specific wellness goals, Bahia Mar Retreats program offers a holistic experience, aiming to revive, regenerate and revitalise body and soul.

To read a recent guest experience of our 7 day retreat, visit The Good Holiday Blog. For booking and enquiries visit Bahia Mar Retreats.

Plastic pollution — it’s OUR problem!

Stunned by the facts detailed herein, Bahia Mar has been making every effort 
to be ‘plastic pro-active’ and environmentally sensitive.

Our commitment
Here, where we are surrounded by nature’s majesty, we feel a special responsibility. We are very concerned about the critical situation in our oceans and accordingly have a strict recycling policy. We are one of only two companies in the area who contract an outside organisation to handle our recyclables, the other being global giant Sasol.

Furthermore we are currently looking for ways to reduce our plastic dependence. ‘Indestructible’ glass straws have been ordered and our bottled water purchases are under review as we investigate filtered glass drinking water.

We are also in the process of changing our take-away containers to biodegradable and we have moved away from individual amenities in the rooms in favour of bulk dispensers.

Beach cleaning
To assist our ocean dwelling creatures and to do our share to protect our wonderful coral reefs, our beach cleaning crew leaded by Aldo – a otherwise unemployed young man, – routinely gather plastic and rubbish on the beachfront from Hotel Dona Ana to Vilanculos Beach Lodge. They pick up an average of 35 sacks of rubbish each time, most of it plastic,  keeping our beachfront  pristine for everyone.


We are making a contribution, even though it seems small, because we believe if everyone did just one thing to reduce plastic dependence we can hopefully reverse the sheer volume which is destroying our beautiful, precious planet. We believe that the facts detailed here are simply too serious to ignore.

Dire situation
Nature is a scientifically designed entity – perfectly developed and balanced for harmony and regeneration from now until eternity. At least that was the master plan at the dawn of creation, however one thing was not factored into the equation – man!

The need for speed and convenience to address the demands of busy schedules and lifestyles has resulted in the development of ‘instant fix’ products and materials, with plastic topping the list. Light, convenient and above all disposable, plastic appeared to be the perfect solution to a myriad of container issues. So perfect in fact that we are now producing nearly 300 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is for single use. 14% of all litter comes from plastic.

We have developed a ‘disposable’ lifestyle and estimates are that around 50% of plastic is thrown away, eight hundred million tons of which is dumped into our oceans every year.

Packaging
Packaging is the largest market segment accounting for just over 40% of total plastic usage. The reality is astonishing:
• Annually some 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than one million bags are used every minute.
• A plastic bag has an average “working life” of 15 minutes.
• Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century.
• The process of producing bottled water requires around 6 times as much water per bottle as there is in the container.

Human Impact
Once in the ocean, the 150 million tons of plastic litter dumped annually affects the safety of sea transport, fisheries, tourism and recreation. When broken up into tiny pieces, plastic attracts toxic chemicals released over decades from industry and agriculture. Plastic is indigestible, often razor sharp and chemically toxic. The negative effect of digesting plastic on the creatures that inhabit our oceans has reached catastrophic proportions.

What’s the solution?
What can we all do to reduce our plastic dependence and save our planet? Here are a few guidelines.

Wean yourself off disposable plastics.
Ninety percent of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then thrown away.

Stop buying water in plastic bottles.
Each year, close to 20 billion plastic bottles are tossed in the trash. Filter your own and save.
Boycott microbeads Those little plastic scrubbers found in so many beauty products might look harmless, but their tiny size allows them to slip through water-treatment plants.

Left over savvy
Bring your own food-storage containers to restaurants for leftovers.

Recycle
It seems obvious, but we’re not doing a great job of it. Make it a focus in your home. It’s simple once it becomes a habit and makes a huge difference.

Be a custodian
We are blessed to be able to take a boat trip to visit the islands, perhaps see dolphins playing on the way. We can dive on Two Mile Reef — one of the world’s best dive sites and visit the flamingos who make the Bazaruto Archipelago their home.

Dining on fresh seafood and fish is integral to our lifestyle — our visitors enjoy it too!

But will this all be here for the next generation to enjoy?  The reality is it won’t, unless each and every one of us commits to protecting earth right now.  

There is simply no time left to decide.

www.plasticwastesolutions.com | www.plastic-pollution.org

Fishing for Schools!

We entered our beautiful monohole luxury speedboat, Mothassane, into the annual Big Blue Vilankulo Sailfish Competition - in aid of our beloved community project Bonguilli, aiding pre-school education in the area. Our three fisherwoman (Susana, Gretha and Dee) were as new to fishing as their vessel and not many believed they actually stood a chance. Never the less, they prepared for 5 days of hard fishing on the high seas and Mothassane and the ladies, exceeded almost everyone’s expectations: The Mothassane Mermaids landed an overall second place and caught the biggest Whahoo of the week, weighing in at 21,5 kg!

“I learnt so much about fishing and the greater Billfish family in the 5 days at sea.” Dee Lourens  (our social media manager and photographer ) said after an exhausting week. “Our Captain Alex was meticulous and patient, teaching us exactly what to do when a fish strikes, why it was important to tagg them and what scientists from the Billfish Foundation actually do with genetic samples gathered from the fish’s fins prior to release.













More than anything I think I got a new appreciation for the incredible place we are so fortunate to call home, why it is important to share the beauties of the Archipelago with our guests and more so: that we have an incredible boat to do so.”


Mothassane has always been known as one of the most comfortable boats in Vilankulo - boasting with a pimping lounge in the bow - but she also has ample space for rods and tackle. We can now assure guests that besides snorkelling, island hopping and water-sports, our queen of the sea will be able to meet the expectation of many fisherman - from light trawling, jigging and popping. She is perfect.

“I think what I like the most of Mothassane is her versatility. Not only can she accommodate an entire family, she can keep the entire family or group of people happy - at the same time!”, Dee continued. “While dad hopes for a few tight lines at the back and on the sides of the vessel, mom can sunbathe in the front, or enjoy the beauty of the sea in the shade.”

During the course of the competition and in the weeks after, we shared an online donation portal where supporters of the Mothassane Mermaids could make small donations in aid of Bonguilli. We have secured 31 % of our overall goal, and urge our future and past guests to please consider supporting us with a spare $ or two.

Remember, here in Vilankulo, a little does indeed go a long way.

Tight lines and high seas! The Mothassane Mermaids will see you all next year, that is for sure!

Bahia Mar in the 6th annual Big Blue Vilankulo Sailfish Competition !!

Three ladies from Bahia Mar Boutique Hotel will be entering the 6th annual Big Blue Vilankulo Sailfish Competition between 22 and 26 May. They will raise funds for our community project Bonguilli- aiding preschool education and infrastructure in the area - they also hope to give the boys a serious run for their money.

This is the first year in the history of the competition that an all girls team will be entering. even though these ladies are not experienced anglers, they are confident that with the help of local billfish legend, Duarte Rato, they secured the right skipper and might very well have beginners luck on their side.

Followers support their course by donating US$1 for every nautical mile trawled over the 5 days at sea. Follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram and please share in the adventure far and wide.

BAHIA MAR is growing !

Nestled in beautiful vegetated dunes on a quiet stretch of Vilanculos shoreline, with incredible vistas across to the islands, Bahia Mar has outdone itself again and again as a haven for young couples looking for a romantic getaway, discerning travellers wanting the boutique experience on an African beach and adventurous families looking for fun whilst surrounded by the comforts of home and more!

We are thrilled to bring you some exciting news... Bahia Mar Club is in the process of constructing Garden Suites with the same natural flair and beautiful style you have experienced in the Seaview Bedrooms and Beach Suites. These will be on the same level as the main guest areas and nestled in the lush gardens surrounding Bahia Mar.

This means that we will then be able to accommodate guests with mobility problems as they will not need to negotiate the stairs and cosy pathways which wrap around the rooms lower down the dunes. Completion of the Garden Suites is expected between December 2017 and January 2018. Keep an eye on our newsletters for further updates!

Until building is complete, please confer with reservations should you have elderly clients or clients with any form of mobility issues, as we want to make sure everybody is looked after and leaves Bahia Mar Club smiling.