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Say “Mozambique” and “Where?” is probably your reply. For shame!
When it comes to African LGBTQ issues, and tourism, South Africa sets the standard. But to the northeast lies Mozambique, a nation many had written off as black hole of dysfunction, but now seems to be something of a victory. First off, being gay is legal there, and that means something on a continent where the simple state of being gay can get you jailed. More over, LGBTQs have discrimination protections.
So that’s the landscape. And so long as we are talking about “landscapes,” Mozambique is the happy child of a supreme irony: when the country became independent in 1975, it immediately blasted itself apart in civil war that dragged until 1992. That conflict kept development down, which today means Mozambique has some of the most untouched landscapes in the world. The tourism industry is correspondingly brisk, and growing.
Azura Benguerra personifies this. The star of Mozambique’s virtually undiscovered Indian Ocean coast, a stretch of real estate whose sands are as white as the waters are blue, this little islet, also called Benguerra, is set within the pristine confines of a marine national park. Eighteen villas, an African-styled spa, sparkling private pools, fish and seafood fresh from the ocean, butlers to attend your every need–what more do you want? Even better, the resort is a community based project where the local islanders benefit as much as you. Azura is a paradise found in more ways than one.
You also have the benefit of being ahead of the curve on this one. Way, way, waaaaaaay ahead of the curve. Europe has sorta-kinda become aware of Mozambique, but thanks to sheer distance, North American pleasure-seekers tend to stick closer to home (hi, Cancun). Azura Benguerra, and the rest of the country it is in, is still off the world-tourism radar. The experience you find is the one that is “real,” rather than the one pre-fabricated for the hoards of tourists that trample everything in sight and leave nothing but plastic replicas in their wake.
To be sure, Mozambique has come a long way, and has a long way to go. You don’t have a protracted civil war and not have a some pretty sharp edges to smooth down. But here is a place where your gay dollars will be genuinely appreciated.
For more information, go to azura-retreats.comand mozambiquetourism.co.za. Contact Steele Luxury Travel for special perks and deals at Azura in Mozambique // www.SteeleTravel.com