Beaches

Dakar

An Atlantic city seen through its artists, everyday tables and ocean-facing neighbourhoods.

Cape Town

A city notebook framed by mountains, the ocean and conversations about design.

Algeria

Mediterranean beaches, Sahara desert and ancient monuments

February to October, from Algiers’s normals

Egypt

The Nile, the pharaohs and the Red Sea

Jan–Apr, Oct–Dec

Morocco

Medinas, Atlas, Atlantic and Sahara

Mar–May, Sept–Nov

Tunisia

Mediterranean beaches, Sahara desert and historic cities

September to June, from Tunis’s normals

Benin

Splendid beaches, breathtaking views, safaris, hiking and culture

November to February

Cape Verde

Ten volcanic islands off West Africa

Apr–Jun, Nov

Côte d’Ivoire

Magnificent beaches, nature reserves and buzzing cities

December to February, from Abidjan’s normals

Gambia

Superb beaches, nature reserves, river and culture

December to June, from Banjul’s normals

Ghana

Magnificent beaches, tropical forest, buzzing cities and culture

November to March

Guinea

Paradise beaches, tropical forest, mountains and waterfalls

December to April, from Conakry’s normals

Guinea-Bissau

Bijagós archipelago, nature reserves and traditions

November to January, from Bissau’s normals

Liberia

Superb beaches, protected tropical forest and nature reserves

December to February, from Monrovia’s normals

Nigeria

Niger Delta, wildlife parks and buzzing cities

November to April, from Abuja’s normals

Senegal

Wild beaches, nature reserves and cultural journey

October to July, from Dakar’s normals

Sierra Leone

Wild beaches, mountains, marine parks and nature reserves

December to April, from Freetown’s normals

Togo

Splendid beaches, villages, hills, nature reserves and culture

November to April

Angola

Paradise beaches, Namib desert and waterfalls

May to February, from Luanda’s normals

Cameroon

Mountains, breathtaking views, paradise beaches and food

December to February, from Yaoundé’s normals

Equatorial Guinea

Wild beaches, tropical forest, nature reserves and waterfalls

December to February, from Malabo’s normals

Gabon

Splendid beaches, tropical forest, nature reserves and marine parks

June to August, from Libreville’s normals

São Tomé & Príncipe

Splendid beaches, tropical forest and wildlife

June to September, from São Tomé’s normals

Burundi

Lake Tanganyika, waterfalls, mountains and meeting the gorillas

June to August, from Gitega’s normals

Comoros

Paradise beaches, marine parks, food and culture

September to November, from Moroni’s normals

Djibouti

Red Sea, paradise beaches, salt lakes and desert

October to April, from Djibouti’s normals

Eritrea

Red Sea, paradise beaches and desert

September to June, from Asmara’s normals

Kenya

Safaris, the Rift, Mount Kenya and the Swahili coast

Jan–Mar, Jul–Oct

Madagascar

Paradise islands, endemic animals and marine parks

April to mid-December

Malawi

Lake Malawi, diving, beaches and nature reserves

April to November, from Lilongwe’s normals

Mauritius

Paradise beaches, volcanic islands and rich food

April to November

Mozambique

Paradise beaches, safaris, culture and buzzing cities

May to October

Seychelles

Dream beaches, nature reserves and water sports

April, May, October and November

Somalia

Gulf of Aden, magnificent beaches, caves, ruins and desert

July to May, from Mogadishu’s normals

Tanzania

Dream beaches, lagoons, safari, mountains and culture

January–February and June–October

South Africa

Breathtaking views, buzzing cities, paradise beaches, safari and culture

March–May and September–November

The reefs of Ras Mohammed in the Red Sea

At the southern tip of Sinai, between the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, Ras Mohammed has been a marine reserve since 1983.

Diani Beach

On the Indian Ocean, 30 km south of Mombasa, Diani Beach stretches for about 17 km.

The beaches of Cap Skirring

A seaside resort at Senegal’s far south-west tip, in Casamance, Cap Skirring lies about 70 km from Ziguinchor.

Zanzibar’s beaches, from Nungwi in the north

At the island’s northern tip, about 56 km from Stone Town, Nungwi was a fishing and dhow-building village.

The penguins of Boulders Beach

In Simon’s Town, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula, a colony of critically endangered African penguins settled in 1982.

iSimangaliso and Lake St Lucia

On the KwaZulu-Natal coast, about 235 km north of Durban, iSimangaliso Wetland Park runs along 280 km of coastline and covers some 3,280 km².

The beaches of Sal, around Santa Maria

Sal, with white sand beaches and over 350 days of sunshine a year, owes its name to its salt ponds.

The beaches and dunes of Boa Vista

Cape Verde’s third island at 631 km², Boa Vista is known for its large beaches such as Santa Mónica, Chaves or Varandinha, its turtles and its music.

Tarrafal bay, in the north of Santiago

A fishing port in the north of Santiago island, Tarrafal lies on its bay at the foot of the 643 m Monte Graciosa.

Djerba island

North Africa’s largest island at 514 km², in the Gulf of Gabès, Djerba has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023.

Blue Bay lagoon and marine park

In the island’s south-east, Blue Bay is famous for its intensely blue water and white sand beaches.

Nosy Be island

A volcanic island of 320 km² off the north-west coast, Nosy Be — “the big island” — is Madagascar’s largest and busiest tourist destination.

The whales of Île Sainte-Marie

Off the east coast, Île Sainte-Marie, or Nosy Boraha, covers 222 km².

The Masoala peninsula

Madagascar’s largest protected area, created in 1997, Masoala protects 2,300 km² of rainforest and 100 km² of marine park.

Swakopmund, between desert and ocean

352 km west of Windhoek on the B2, Swakopmund is a beach resort on the edge of the Namib Desert.

Lake Kivu

One of the African Great Lakes, Kivu covers some 2,700 km² on the border between Rwanda and the DR Congo.

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue

On the south-west coast of La Digue, Anse Source d’Argent is famed for its massive granite boulders.

Anse Lazio, Praslin

In the north-west of Praslin, Anse Lazio is bordered by large granite boulders.

Beau Vallon beach, Mahé

On the north-western coast of Mahé, Beau Vallon bay has possibly the island’s most popular beach.

Sainte Anne Marine National Park

About 5 km from Victoria, Sainte Anne Marine National Park takes in eight small islands.