Lake Malawi has beautiful beaches, resorts, water sports and outstanding variety of fish life. The lake has bigger variety of fish species some of which are protected within the Lake Malawi National Park.
There is a small village at Cape Maclear, which is also part of the park. Nkhata Bay to the north has bays, beaches and various water activities and traditional fishing villages.
Lake Malawi National Park was created in 1980 as the world’s first freshwater national park and it stretches for 600km (373 miles) and forms a natural border between
Malawi,
Tanzania and
Mozambique. The park offers a variety of scenery, wooded rocky mountains sloping to the lake, to sandy coves and beaches. The vegetation makes it a home to a range of wildlife including birds and fish.
Waters of the lake are good for snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing and swimming.
Getting Around
Lake Malawi has a good bus system, including an express service, connecting main towns. Luxury coaches connect Blantyre to Lilongwe and Mzuzu. The car hire facility is increasing with a wide choice of cars. You can get there through Lilongwe airport or you can drive direct from Lilongwe. Several tour operators provide transport to Lake Malawi Nati.
Traditional Malawian hospitality can be enjoyed at any of the Lake Malawi accommodation and enjoy fresh fish from the lake. Good hotels are found in all main centres, along the shore of Lake Malawi and at some attractions.
Sunbird Ku Chawe
sits on the Zomba plateau which is almost 2100m high
unique high tropical micro-climate
huge bio-diversity of birds and animals.
The completed dam has fishing, sailing and water-surfing facilities on offer
Sunbird Ku Chawe has 40 rooms with en suite facilities, satellite television and telephones.
superior and de luxe rooms have log fires for winter
Superb cuisine in the elegant dining room and enjoy the hotel’s famous mountainside barbecues.
a very quite boardroom
A concentration of accommodation is found along the lake shores and in the south between Monkey Bay, Mangochi and Senga Bay. Camping sites are found along the Lake shore as well and elsewhere near hotels or in the resort areas. The camps have permanent structure accommodation. Please note that camping is good between April to November during the dry season.
Several luxury lodges , such as
Manda Mkwichi Lodge in Lake Malawi offer excellent accommodation with en-suite facilities. Most of these lodges offer same facilities as larger hotels including bed and breakfast. Watersport activities are found at these lodges.
Some accommodation is on islands and lake safaris are catered for.
Lake Malawi Attractions
The Liwonde National Park which is close to Zomba has animals like elephants, hippo and crocodile. To the south there is other wildlife and a mountain holiday. This area is about an hours drive.
There are two game areas in the region: the beautiful and unique plateau of Nyika National Park and the Vwasa Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
The famous Livingstonia Mission.
Explore the traditional old town of Lilongwe, Malawi's capital. It has a traditional market.
Blantyre, Malawi's commercial capital and largest town, established at the end of the 19th century. It is really two towns.
Climate
Varies from cool in the highlands to warm around Lake Malawi. Winter (May to July) is dry and nights can be chilly, particularly in the highlands. The rainy season is from November to March. Around Lake Malawi, winter is dry with pleasant cool breezes. Lightweights clothing are worn all year in the Lake Malawi area, with warmer clothes advised in the mountains, particularly during winter and on chilly evenings. Visitors to Nyika and Zomba should note that the nights can be cold. Dark or ‘natural’ colored clothing should be worn for game viewing
