Sustainable Beach Haven in Mozambique: An Escape of a Lifetime

The experience of visiting Sussurro starts from the moment you land in Mozambique. Now, you have a choice to make: either soar in by helicopter, a 25 minute ride to the hotel, or drive for 2 hours - first on a deteriorating road and then on a wide sandy beach. My suggestion? Arrive via helicopter and depart via car. On the way in, you’ll see an endless coast of white-sand beaches next to steep cliffs, insanely blue water, and lush mangroves from above. On the way out, you’ll drive past dozens of fishermen on the beach, who quite literally have to drop their nets for the truck to pass over.

Arriving at Sussurro, you’ll be welcomed with a refreshing drink and freshly made fish samosas—their staple. There’s less than 10 villas on the property, so it will never feel crowded. The decor is minimalistic, but well-thought out. It’s a design-lover’s dream. Each piece of decor or furniture has a place and purpose, without you even realizing it. You’ll meet the entire staff, and they’ll make a greater effort to remember your name and preferences than some of your own family ever has.

Sussurro’s mission is focused on sustainability and supporting local communities. Everything, I mean, everything, is 100 percent African made. The food they serve is sourced as locally as possible. This might include buying prawns or crab from local fishermen, supporting local artisans by selling their goods in their gallery shop, the structures where you sleep were handbuilt by locals, etc. They even have a garden of vegetables and herbs to incorporate into your meals. Sustainability means many things to them, but a big part of honoring that is not having any single-use plastics on site.

Speaking of meals. They know what they’re doing. Breakfast is simple and revitalizing- yogurt, homemade granola, fresh fruits, and juices, with your choice of eggs. Hint: Try the prawn omelet. Lunch? You might be out on an excursion, but you won’t have to think about eating a cold, soggy sandwich. Instead, they’ll send a chef out with you and you’ll have a hot cooked meal right there on a sandbar, beach, or island. You might be stuffed from lunch, but as the sun sets, you won’t say no to dinner. Again, everything is so well thought out that on your day of arrival they’ll serve something on the lighter side. They ramp it up from there—a beach bonfire, seafood extravaganza, a lovely whole grouper, etc.

To make you feel extra “at-home”, you’ll have the company of their two dachshunds—each one accompanying you to the pool loungers or relaxing by your side at the beach.

Each day, the general manager will personally come and chat with you about your vision for the next day. They’ll make activity suggestions based on the weather forecast, wind predictions, etc. They make it seem like you have choices, but really they already know what’s best for you and will make the case. They’re never wrong. Trust their recommendations for weaving your way through the nearby mangroves, visiting the stunning Paradise Island, or taking a dhow out for a sunset sail.

Sussurro isn’t for everyone. It isn’t for someone looking for restaurants and bars within walking (or even driving) distance. It isn’t for families with very small children. It isn’t for a human who doesn’t care about this earth and the footprint we leave. It isn’t for someone who doesn’t care to disconnect or who doesn’t want to connect with the moment and place they’re in. If you can handle all of the forementioned, this is a place you should make every effort to experience. I know I’ll be back

Sussurro is located in southern Mozambique. You’ll likely fly into Johannesburg, if you’re coming from the United States, and then connect into Vilankulos. Mozambique has a lot to offer a traveler, but it’s a destination I recommend working with a travel advisor for - due to it being a complex destination and requiring expertly planned logistics for a seamless experience.

For more travel inspiration and insider recommendations, check out our Mozambique page.