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Mozambique
About the Bazaruto Archipelago
The Bazaruto National Park is a protected area in the Inhambane Province of Mozambique on the Bazaruto Archipelago and covers a large expanse of ocean and six islands. The Bazaruto Archipelago is a group of six islands in Mozambique, near the mainland city of Vilanculos. It comprises the islands of Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Banque, Santa Carolina (also known as Paradise Island) and Shell. Nyati Island is further South. The islands were originally formed from sand deposited by the Save River, which has since shifted its course.
People of the Bazaruto Archipelago
The first inhabitants of what is now Mozambique were the San hunters and gatherers who were the ancestors of the Khoisan peoples. Between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, waves of Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from the north through the Zambezi River valley and then gradually into the plateau and coastal areas.
Today, many of the island residents are relatively recent arrivals who sought haven during the war years, but some are descendants of the people who dove for and traded the famous pearls and ambergris of the islands, and some the descendants of a thriving coastal dhow trade. All the islands except Bangué are inhabited.
Weather Overview
The climate of the Bazaruto archipelago, located in the south-central part of Mozambique, is tropical, with a hot and rainy season from November to March, and a dry season from April to mid-November.
From December to February it rains more than 100 mm (4 in) per month. From November to May, there are occasional cyclones.
There is sunshine all year round, even in the wetter months and the sea temperatures do not go lower than 24 °C (75 °F).