A Secret Alternative To The Andaman Islands Is A Stress-Free Paradise With Miles Of Pristine Coastline

The world is more connected than ever, and one picture on social media can make a destination receive a huge influx of visitors. While there are benefits to a connected, mobile world, there are also downsides, especially regarding overtourism. Overtourism has been shown to negatively impact historical and environmental sites, exacerbate climate change, and increase hostility and stress among the locals. However, there are ways to help combat overtourism, like visiting a lesser-visited destination, rather than one of these beautiful destinations in the world that have been ruined (or damaged) by overtourism. For instance, the Indian Ocean is fringed with incredible beaches in iconic places like the Maldives or Thailand. However, the beaches in these places — especially in Indian destinations, along the Andaman Coast — are so famous, that during much of the year they can overcrowded, polluted, or expensive (or a combination of these three things). 

Enter Mozambique. Far in the southeast corner of the African continent, Mozambique's gorgeous coastline stretches for over 1,500 miles (2,500 km) along the Indian Ocean. Scattered along the coast, you'll find charming fishing villages, coral reefs, and tropical islands. Multiple archipelagoes lie off the shoreline of Mozambique and are known for colonial ruins, deserted beaches, and waters teeming with life. Overall, Mozambique is an ideal travel dupe to India, with all the beauty and none of the crowds.

With it's literally hundreds of miles of oceanfront land, Mozambique is home to some of the best beaches in the world. To get to the coast, there are several different routes you can take. Maputo has the country's biggest airport, and just happens to be a vibrant seaside city all on its own. The island of Inhaca is a two-hour ferry or boat ride away from Maputo. In addition to the requisite beaches, Inhaca has a marine biology museum, a picturesque lighthouse, and world-class diving. Although several international destinations fly into Maputo, many regular flights leave from Johannesburg, South Africa (which is also an eight-hour drive away from Maputo if driving is something you want to pursue).

Flights from Johannesburg also fly into Pemba, considered the gateway to the picture-perfect Quirimbas Archipelago, which can be reached by boat or helicopter. Pemba lies on Pemba Bay, one of the deepest natural bays in the world. Visitors can see the iconic baobab trees growing along the edge of the coast or take a dhow (a local, traditional fishing boat) safari tour around the bay. Or, fly into Vilanculos, a two-hour flight from Johannesburg, to visit the Bazaruto Archipelago.

There are plenty of beaches on the mainland and, along with them, quintessential beach towns. The most famous is the backpacker favorite of Tofo Beach, about a 30-minute drive from the Inhambane Airport. Tofo is renowned with divers, surfers, and sun-seekers alike. 

Perhaps Mozambique's most famous site is the UNESCO-listed Island of Mozambique, which is best reached via the Nampula airport and car transfer — a bridge connects the island to the mainland. The coral reef island, once a key Portuguese trading port for the Indian Ocean and the capital of Portuguese East Africa, has many beautiful, if crumbling, remains, including the 16th-century walls of the St. Sebastian Fort.

Mozambique is considered to have some of the best-preserved reefs in the Indian Ocean and worldwide, as well as having the second-most diverse coral reefs in the world. Although other destinations in the Indian Ocean, like the Seychelles, are more known to divers, Mozambique is gaining fame for it's uncrowded reefs and crystal-clear water. The Bazaruto Archipelago is even considered one of the best places to swim with sharks in the world. In addition to seeing, on average, 300 different species of fish per dive, explorers can spot species like endangered dugongs, whale sharks, manta rays, and whales in the beautiful waters of Mozambique.