Snorkel and Scuba in Lake Malawi

Unique Tropical Fish and a Budget African Vacation

Feb 12, 2007 Karen Lotter

Enjoy a budget African vacation at Lake Malawi. Snorkel and Scuba and see rare Cichlids in their natural habitat. Go on safari in one of the game parks.

Lake Malawi is a gigantic reef tank where you can snorkel and scuba in the clear, warm water and see over 500 indigenous species of tropical fish, including Cichlids.

Lake Malawi - a Mecca for Cichlid Collectors

Endless palm fringed beaches surround the Lake making it the focal point for Malawi's tourism industry. For the fish keeping enthusiast Lake Malawi is a holy of holies - one of the few places in the world where he/she can observe the fishes they collect in their natural habitat. And at the same time enjoy an budget African holiday with game safaris thrown in at little extra cost in one of the nearby game parks.

Malawi is a landlocked country located in south-eastern Africa. It is bordered in the north and the east by Tanzania, on the east, south and southwest by Mozambique and to the west by Zambia.

Travelling in Malawi is Safe for Backpackers

Traveling throughout Malawi is generally safe and very cost efficient. Backpacker or hostel accommodation can be found in most towns and many villages. There are excellent hotels and lodges around the Lake across all price ranges from luxury to budget.

September/October is the best time to visit because the water is usually very clear as it's the end of the dry season. The rain doesn't start until mid/end November.

Legendary Dive Sites of Cape Maclear

Lake Malawi National Park at the southern end of the lake was established to protect the unique diversity of the tropical fish, some not found anywhere else on earth. The Nankhumba Peninsula, forms the centerpiece of a miniature archipelago of twelve islands, and encompasses Cape Maclear, where visitors are in easy range of a number of legendary dive sites where for scuba and snorkeling.

Hang out here for a few days, canoe, scuba, snorkel . It is said that after a while one actually become blasé about the colorful Mbunas. Lake Malawi is African cichlid paradise. Forget the Big Five - this underwater game viewing experience matches anything that the African continent has to offer in the game parks.

Variety of Tropical Fish in Lake Malawi

Divers and snorklers can'r believe the variety of fish they encounter and how close they get to them. You almost have to push them away to take pictures. You will be knocked out by how much more dazzling and vivid their bright colors appear when they are right in front of your nose.

Travel to Kambiri Point, right on the lakeshore on Senga Bay, 20 kilometers from Salima town and 120 kilometres from Lilongwe - another good kick-off point to explore. If you prefer to sleep under the Southern Cross, catch a ride on a boat to Chiofu Camp and pitch a tent. You can’t get there by road.

Nkhata Bay on Lake Malawi

Nkhata Bay on Lake Malawi is a great place to just relax and mix with the friendly villagers and enjoy the bustle of their daily life in the village. Of course, the birdlife and the underwater life are also great. Nkhata Bay is 50 km east of Mzuzu in the northern part of the country. Take a bus or the steamer to get here.

African Cichlid collectors should find out via the Net or Cichlid circles if they're able to bring fishes back home with them. There are catchers who operate on the lake and if you are nice to them, you may be able to watch them work and learn more about the fish in their natural habitat.

Lake Malawi is a paradise getaway for Cichlid fanatics and also for folks who just want a relaxed, sunny, budget African vacation among amazingly friendly people with great scuba and snorkeling thrown in as a leisure activity.

Tips:

Dress codes for women in pants or short shirts and men with long hair don’t exist anymore, but dress modestly.
Official language – English. Local language is Chichewa and the currency is Malawi Kwacha.
Make life easier for yourself and change your money at the airport. The banks and ATMs in the bigger towns are very slow.
Malaria is present – take precautions.

The copyright of the article Snorkel and Scuba in Lake Malawi in Sub-Sahara Africa Travel is owned by Karen Lotter. Permission to republish Snorkel and Scuba in Lake Malawi in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Map of Malawi.	Mbuna found in Lake Malawi. Malawi.	Kaya Mawa Beach, Likoma Island, Malawi.
The Livingstonia Beach Hotel,Salima, Malawi.	Honeymoonsuite Kaya Mawa, Malawi.