Flick through the glossy tourist brochures and the clichés come thick and fast. Malawi is ‘the warm heart of Africa’, or ‘Africa for beginners’; and its lake ‘the lake of stars’. It all seems too good to be true, but, with stunning and varied scenery and supremely friendly locals, along with the relative ease of travel here, Malawi really does live up to the hype.
Malawi’s big draw is the lake: a magnificent shard of crystal water stretching some 500km along Malawi’s eastern border, separating it from the wild and mountainous coast of Mozambique and Tanzania. Isolated villages pepper the northern lakeshore and the beautiful Liwonde National Park rests at its southern tip. Around 500 species of fish inhabit the lake and the freshwater diving and snorkelling here are excellent. Malawi’s not just for water babies and sun worshippers though; there’s plenty here to keep you active and Malawi’s landscape is surprisingly diverse. Head for the misty heights of Mount Mulanje or to the Nyika National Park, where you’ll find sheer escarpments, dramatic peaks, endless rolling grassland and some of the most enjoyable hiking routes in the whole of Africa.
Time GMT/UTC + 2
Population 12 million
Borders Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia; all main border crossings are open from 6am to 6pm
Seasons Cool and dry (May-Aug), hot and dry (September to mid-November), hot and wet (mid-November to April)
Language(s) English, Chichewa
Telephone Country code 265; international access code 101
ATMs In major cities
Budget US$15 to US$25 per day
Capital Lilongwe
Visa Free (for most nationalities) for 30 days; issued at point of entry
Area 118, 484 sq km
Money Malawi Kwacha; US$1 = MK140
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