Best time to visit

The peak tourist season in Azores is from the month of June to September.

How to reach

From Lisbon, it takes about 2 hours to reach here by flight and about 5 hours by flight form the North America’s eastern coast. There is also a direct flight to this Island from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Munique. Jets have made Azores pretty much accessible.

Attractions of Azores

The Islands of Azores can be divided into three groups as per their geographic location. In the Eastern Group are the Islands of Santa Maria and Sao Miguel; the Terceira, Graciosa, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial Islands belong to the Central Group of Islands and in the Western Group are the Islands of Flores and Corvo.

Most of the coastline of this Island has volcanic materials in place of white sandy beaches, though the formations here are simply fantastic. Few beaches on Santa Maria, Faial, Terceira and Sao Miguel are some real beaches with typical sands here. There are natural pools here, built up by the locals.

The waters off all the Islands of this archipelago are apt for diving and other water sports like sailing, deep-sea fishing and whale-watching. The caves beneath the water and the Gulf Stream that runs north of this archipelago bring fishes like yellow-fin tuna and barracuda with them. At the foot of Pico Mountain are some 30 dive sites. You might be able to swim with the dolphins at sites accessible by boats, while snorkeling.

Sao Miguel and Santa Maria are popular among windsurfers. Other activities here include horse-back riding, golfing and hang gliding.

Along with the sea, are the volcanic mountains here, giving the natural beauty of this Island an added dimension. A great hiking point here is the Pico, standing 7,700 foot above the ground.

Worth visiting here in Azores to its east, is the Island of Sao Miguel, most tourist friendly and home to two golf courses.  For trans-Atlantic sailors, the port of Horta at Faial’s Island is the favourite. In the Island of Terceira, in the town of Angra do Heroismo founded in 1400s are palaces and churches from that era. This hamlet is one of the World Heritage Site.

The Islands here are vibrant and in a festive mood, celebrating something or the other throughout the year. There is the whaler’s week, wine festivals, religious processions and the fete of the Bom Jesus Milagroso, held in August, has pilgrims from all across the archipelago of Azores joining in.

All the Islands in the archipelago of Azores have a unique charm and planning an itinerary that’s short might just be a difficult task. Azores definitely promise a pristine and authentic ambience for a relaxed vacation.

When to visit

The best time to explore this Island would be from the months of July to March – the drier season of the year.

How to reach

There are no direct flights to Mnemba Island. However, it is easily accessible by road from Zanzibar airport or Stone Town.

To get here from Europe, you can take one of the international flights from Europe and South Africa to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam International Airports, from where you need to fly to Zanzibar.

The Island of Mnemba is more of a luxury Island resort, visited by tourists as a day tour or on an excursion trip from the Island Nation of Zanzibar.

Attraction of Mnemba

This Island is a part of the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area. Popular activities here include water sports like deep sea fishing, snorkeling, Zanzibar tours, scuba diving and bird watching.

Surrounded by coral atolls, this Island is great for snorkeling and diving. Some of the best diving sites of this region include the ‘house reef’ and the `Great Wall’, among many others. The marine life is rich with about 600 species of coral reef fish and you can easily spot dolphins, whale sharks and turtles here. Diving is good in the months from November to March.

This is also the time when rare green turtles come here to this Island to nest. July to September is the time when you can see humpback whales here.

The Island is good for a nature walk and you can also spot a large variety of migratory and native birds while strolling by the sea here.

In the center of the Island is a cool pine forest, worth a trail.

The most charming point of this private Island is exactly that – its privacy. There are about 10 secluded serene beaches you can simply sit by and let time fly away. Beautiful walks and water activities like kayaking and windsurfing get you that energy you seek to revive in a vacation.

Because of its shape, the Island is also known as the Lover’s Island is a popular honeymoon destination among those who can afford it.

The serene, unspoiled beaches, privacy, waters and the water sports that you can enjoy here and the small tours you can make to the neigbouring Island of Zanzibar are the attractions for tourists coming here. If you have the money, the Island of Mnemba is certainly worth having a vacation in.