Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi is the third largest freshwater lake in Africa and its immense size and beauty dominates the small country. It has the biggest variety of freshwater fish in the world, including some of the rarest, and it is also home to different varieties of eagle and kingfisher as well as other birdlife.

With clear waters, huge sandy beaches and remote islands it's a match to the Indian Ocean, and is one of the most beautiful spots on the continent. There are some excellent hotels and lodges scattered around the lake and on islands that offer sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving and snorkelling, as well as the opportunity to get away from it all.

Did you know?

• Lake Malawi is called “the calendar lake”. This is because, at its longest point it’s 365 miles long and at its widest point, it’s 52 miles wide.
• You can bag your first freshwater/altitude dive.
• There are two types of otter in the lake, the cape clawless and spotted-neck.
• The lake is also known as the lake of stars as you see hundreds of little lights on the back of the fisherman’s boats which draw the fish to the surface.
• Mozambique and Tanzania also share a shoreline of the lake.
• The lake is famous for huge swarms of lake flies which look like plumes of smoke, the locals make them into lake fly burgers – yum.
• The cathedral on Likoma island is amazing and it is worth trying to go to a church service when you are on the island.