Review: PHENOMENAL Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique

November 29, 2023

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Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last summer, I enjoyed a phenomenal safari & beach holiday in South Africa and Mozambique, probably my best holiday ever. You can read my reviews here:

Today: Review of Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique

Located on Benguerra Island, Mozambique, all-inclusive Kisawa Sanctuary is simply put one of the world’s most fabulous hotels, blending wilderness, well-being and service. The ultra-luxury resort features 11 one-, two- and three-bedroom bungalows, plus the “Kisawa Residence”, which are all positioned within an enormous 750-acre estate of forests, beaches and sand dunes. Each bungalow comes with a private beach, infinity pool, and open-air deck, and is individually housed within its own one-acre plot, offering maximum privacy, minimum disturbance and optimum appreciation for the natural environment. A spa specializing in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda is the wellness heartbeat of the place, housed in a thatched building inspired by island design. A 24/7 personal service team plus a colourful fleet of electric Mini Mokes mean the Kisawa experience is intuitive and self-directed, with visitors able to choose complete privacy within their bungalow and surroundings, or to adventure at their own pace and rhythm, throughout Benguerra Island and the Bazaruto Archipelago; some of the richest, least explored parts of the Indian Ocean.

Kisawa Sanctuary features in my top 10 list of the best ultra-luxe beach resorts in the world.

Have you ever stayed at Kisawa Sanctuary? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Kisawa Sanctuary is located in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, a region which broke away from the mainland thousands of years ago and now harbors one of the planet’s richest yet least explored subtropical ecosystem. The waters that lap the archipelago are filled to the brim with an array of reef fish, sea turtles and game fish. An assortment of endangered marine life have also been documented here such as whale sharks, manta rays, leatherback turtles, humpback whales and the very rare dugong. Declared a National Park in 1971, the Bazaruto Archipelago is made up of 5 islands: Santa Carolina, Bangué, Benguerra Island, Magaruque, and Bazaruto. Kisawa is set on Benguerra Island, the second largest island in the Bazaruto Archipelago. Extending over a mere 11 km (6.8 mi) in length, the idyllic island is famous for its unspoiled white beaches, dive sites, horseback riding and fishing. With just two intimate ultra-luxe lodges adorning its shores (Kisawa Sanctuary and &Beyond Benguerra Island), the island offers an invitation to escape the cacophony of everyday life and immerse oneself in unadulterated tranquillity.

Kisawa Sanctuary is accessible by helicopter from the nearby airport of Vilankulos, providing an untouched destination for travelers looking for the ultimate in luxury in a truly unique setting. A perfectly relaxing journey, the heli flight offers breathtaking vistas of the azure seas and maritime landscapes of one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers, including bird’s eye views of humpback whales in the ocean below if you are lucky (between July and October). Vilankulos Airport receives daily commercial flights from Johannesburg (JNB) and Maputo (MPT) and the helicopter charters from Vilankulos to the sanctuary are organised by the Kisawa team. After touching down in Vilankulos, a Kisawa airport host meets and assists guests through immigration, and the helicopter flight to the resort takes only about 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, guests can also reach Kisawa from Vilankulos by private boat, a journey which takes about 30 minutes and which can also be arranged upon booking. The anchorage of private vessels at Kisawa is also welcome to non-residing guests for lunch and dinner – with 48 hours prior notice to the Kisawa reservations team.

Opened in May 2021, Kisawa Sanctuary is located within a massive 750 acres estate of forests, dunes and beaches on the southern tip of Benguerra Island. The estate is so big that it truly feels as if you are staying on your own private island. Because of the enormous size of the property (and since most of the facilities are spread out), guests get their own Mini Moke to get around the expanse of the sanctuary (each residence has its own dedicated Mini Moke for the duration of the guest’s visit). Within this massive protected conservation area, Kisawa Sanctuary straddles 5 km (3 mi) of unspoiled coastline featuring a glamorous white sand beach that is lined by huge sand dunes. The beach at Kisawa ranks among the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen at a resort during all my travels around the globe: in the eastern, ocean-side part of the estate, the wild beach features a powerful surf and crushing shorebreak, while the southern and western lagoon-side part of the sanctuary features a more calm beach, lapped by gentle waves. When walking on the beach, only a handful of Kisawa’s thatched roofs are visible amid the African bush, creating an almost surreal castaway experience.

At its heart, Kisawa is a handmade island resort with a conscious construction approach, employing local artisans and materials, to carefully preserve the environment and local culture surrounding it. Central to this innovation is a building component crated from the island’s own sand and seawater. Replacing less sustainable, commonplace construction practices, this sand-based mortar was used in two distinct ways. Firstly, it was utilised across various elements of the build, such as facades to create a tactile and natural finish. The same raw sand amalgamate was also used as the base material for a patented 3D sand-printing technology, commissioned specifically for Kisawa. Mortar fed into the 3D printer, in situ on the island, was printed into individually specified construction elements, from masonry to flooring and tiling. The end result is not an entirely 3D printed architectural structure, but rather an architectural structure built with 3D printed components. These two unique methods of building were used throughout the sanctuary and were merged with Mozambican weaving, thatching, carpentry and textile skills.

An African inspired design is one of the pillars of Kisawa Sanctuary, the first hospitality project by entrepreneur, creative director and philanthropist Nina Flohr, and is entirely founded upon an honest acknowledgement of Mozambique’s terroir and heritage. Born out of a desire to blend in, rather than interrupt, Kisawa’s approach to craftsmanship and design mainly involved the local people from Benguerra and the neighbouring islands. As a result, the skilled work of local weavers, thatchers, carpenters and textile makers is showcased with pride throughout the property. Celebrating the rich cultural history of the African continent, unique art and antiques were sourced from across Africa, ensuring the preservation of heritage artefacts and their remaining provenance within the continent. These valuable works sit alongside locally made bespoke furniture, all coming together to provide a thoughtful and authentic sense of place, and a connection with the natural environment. Colorful patterns and prints, evocative of the region, add a graphic element and intrigue while contrasting textures provide layers of tactility and patina.

Kisawa Sanctuary features 12 enormous private residences which are a mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury villas. Some of the residences are located on the calmer cove (lagoon) side while others shelter in the dunes on the ocean side, yet all are carefully positioned within their own secluded plot of at least one acre of beachfront, sand dunes and forest. Since there is so much space between dwelling, maximum privacy and optimum appreciation of the natural environment are ensured at Kisawa Sanctuary. During my holiday, I stayed in a one-bedroom Residence on the lagoon side, located close to Cove Mussassa, one of the resort’s dining outlets (more on that below). The enormous villa was fitted with bespoke interiors, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass windows. It featured a generous living room, bedroom with kingsize bed, two dressing rooms and an oversized bathroom equipped with two basins, a walk-in shower and a stand-alone bathtub. A short stroll from the main villa was an another bungalow, housing a shaded lounge & dining area and outdoor kitchen and featuring a large sundeck with a private swimming pool. The villa had direct access to a private stretch of beach, where a couple of sun loungers were set up under an umbrella.

At the four culinary locations at Kisawa Sanctuary, the ethos remains the same; a commitment to locally grown produce, the practice of organic, seasonal gardening methods, operating a zero-waste policy and using no processed ingredients. Kisawa has built a network of farmers and fishermen from within the Inhambane province, ensuring fresh local produce daily. Led by Culinary Director Jospeh Moubayed, the multiple venues offer a wide variety of dishes, with a focus on Mozambican and African flavours, including an ever-changing array of seafood inspired by daily conversations with local fishermen:
- Kisawa’s central restaurant, the Main Terrace, is the resort’s largest architectural design. The undulating organic shape of its thatched roof echoes surrounding sand dunes. The space is large, open plan and airy with a ‘home from home’ feeling, inviting guests to pass through whenever they choose. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Main Terrace features a Robata Counter, bar, lounge, fireplace and generous open-air deck boasting a tantalising view across both sides of the Benguerra Island peninsula. Highlight dishes include fresh catch prepared sizzling on the Robata grill, a selection of seafood pasta, and Kisawa Kitchen prepared flatbreads, cheeses and desserts rich in local flavours picked fresh from the garden.
- Located on the island’s western beach and enjoying terrific sunset views, the Baracca is a vibrant and colourful beach shack, taking inspiration from the traditional Mozambican ‘Baracca’. Baracca’s menu encourages guests to sample local flavours and Mozambican dishes, alongside a contemporary cocktail list. Highlights include Mozambican Peri Peri roasted chicken as well fish pastel. The latter is a local favorite of freshly caught fish cooked with onion, garlic, ginger and herbs, neatly filled into a flaky dough and served with a spicy tomato rice.
- Located on the lagoon-side, Cove Mussassa is a relaxed, all day outdoor beach cafe, serving light lunches and fresh salads as well as the catch of the day. At night, it serves Mediterranean cuisine, including a huge selection of vegetarian options, and it’s a great for sharing dishes.
- Located on the ocean-side of the sanctuary and open for lunch only, Ocean Mussassa is Kisawa Sanctuary’s crudo. It serves raw fish, a kind of ceviche, and tartare, all while enjoying a breathtaking view of the ocean.
- Besides the four restaurants mentioned above, Kisawa Sanctuary also features three other culinary experiences: a custom made pizza tuk-tuk allows guests to eat a pizza outside their Residence, beneath the stars; an “on location” service allows guests to enjoy meals in any place of their choice, whether it is a barbeque on the sand dunes or a beachside picnic; and the “in residence” service includes a private chef cooking special requests in the privacy of your own bungalow.

Located amongst the dunes at the heart of the sanctuary, is a wellness center dedicated to relaxation and wellbeing. The design of the spa – which goes by the name Natural Wellness Center – is based on the Panchamaha Bhuta concept. The center offers individual treatments or personalised programs rooted in Ayurvedic medicine – one of the world’s oldest forms ofholistic medicine, combining massage therapies, energy and sound healing work, meditation, acupressure, yoga, reiki and breath work. For treatments, the spa makes use of five signature essential treatment and blended massage oils that have been developed by Kisawa’s Head of Wellbeing, Dr Jay Kapparrath in collaboration with certified organic therapeutic oil specialists in Thailand. A state of the art Japanese Iyashi dome sauna uses gentle infrared heat to promote healing. Next to the spa is a fully equipped gym, where Pilates reformers are available for guests to use alone or with expert tuition.

Set amid a national marine park in the beautiful and pristine Bazaruto Archipelago, Kisawa has access to some of the most unique experiences in the world. The resort’s schedule of guest experiences – which changes monthly to reflect the season and visiting wildlife – ranges from adventure and water sports to conservation and community building focused activities. For example, Kisawa offers different levels of PADI certified private and group diving experiences that range from bare skin snorkelling with turtles and reef fish to deep sea diving with black, blue and striped marlin, sail fish, yellowfin tuna, bull and tiger sharks and manta rays. Also from July to October, the Mozambique Channel becomes the ideal breeding and nursing ground for humpback whales, and guests can witness these majestic mammals breaching & rolling in exclusive expeditions. Another highly recommended tour at Kisawa Sanctuary is an exploration by private boat of the Bazaruto Archipelago, which includes stops at idyllic beaches and towering sand dunes.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

With only 11 rooms on an estate of 750 acres, Kisawa Sanctaury is a massively large property. The enormous dimensions of the estate make it feel very isolated and secluded (and that’s what most guests are after) but nonetheless, and it might take days to explore the entire property (which might be a good or bad thing, depending on your preferences). To give you an idea, walking the property’s entire beach – which wraps around the estate – took me around 90 minutes, while my villa was a 10 minute drive (by Mini Mok) to anywhere else such as the main restaurant or spa (and that driving time could be even more depending on the location of your villa). It’s probably the reason that most guests of Kisawa will stay at their villa for most of their time in the resort, only venturing out for dinners, spa treatments and excursions.

Service at Kisawa Sanctuary is highly personalized, and each villa has its own butler (which is pre-introduced prior to arrival by Whapsapp). While I highly enjoyed the 24/7 impeccable in-villa butler service, the service at Kisawa’s main facilities – such as the restaurants – was not flawless during my stay, although nothing too bad (for example, my food orders were not always taken correctly). Most of the minor service errors came down to language problems since Kisawa – and that’s a good thing – is hiring mainly local staff. Also, another thing to take into account when it comes to service is that staff:guest ratio at Kisawa is very high and there always seems to be someone of the staff around your villa (e.g. butler, chef, lifeguard, etc …) which might affect the privacy of some guests (although I am sure you could request complete privacy when requested).

Kisawa Sanctuary has four on-site restaurants, which is insane when you realize that there are only 11 villas. However, not all restaurants are open each night, although that’s not really an issue of course (the staff will propose a meal plan for each day according to the opening times of the restaurants). Also, while food is incredible good, the resort’s cuisine focuses on healthy and locally-inspired home-style cooking but I would not describe it as truly fine-dining (except for the Main Terrace, which serves a more sophisticated cuisine). Overall, I feel that the resort’s culinary offerings could benefit from the addition of a tasting menu and/or some specials each days at the dining venues.

The beaches on Benguerra Island – home of Kisawa Sanctuary – are beautiful: fine white sands sprinkled with thousands of shells. However, tidal variations in this part of the world are considerable and sometimes extreme – at low tide it may be a long walk to the sea.

Kisawa Sanctuary is among the most expensive resorts in the world (which shouldn’t come as a shock given its reputation as one of the world’s best hotels). The nightly rate is more than $5000 USD per villa, excluding helicopter transfers. On a positive note, rates include all meals, selected wines, spirits and bar drinks, laundry, service charge, and selected activities.

MY VERDICT

Location: 10/10
Design: 10/10
Pool: 9/10
Villa: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Wow factor: 10/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall experience: exceptional 9.3/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get the following complimentary VIP perks at Kisawa Sanctuary when booking via Virtuoso: room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD food & beverage credit, early check-in, late check-out, and one additional 60-minutes spa treatment, for two persons, during the stay (one is already included in the Kisawa guest experience for all guests).

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Kisawa Sanctuary (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Kisawa Sanctuary and the Bazaruto Archipelago is during the dry season, which runs from May to November. These are the cooler but drier winter months on these six islands off the southern coast of Mozambique, when the weather is mostly sunny with pleasant temperatures during the day (nights can get a bit chilly though in July and August). From December to April, the Bazaruto Archipelago is quite hot, which may make traveling uncomfortable. From February to March is hurricane season, so if you do visit during this time, be prepared for occasional downpours of rain.

HOW TO GET THERE

Kisawa Sanctuary is situated 14 km (9 mi) off Mozambique, on the Eastern coast of Africa. The nearest airport is Vilankulos (VNX) with daily commercial flights from Johannesburg (JNB) and Maputo (MPT). Private travel arrangements can also be made through VistaJet and XO. Personalized helicopter charters from Vilankulos Airport to the sanctuary are organised by the Kisawa team, with a flight time of approximately 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, Kisawa can also be reached from Vilankulos by private boat (Axopar 37), a journey which typically takes 30 minutes.