Nkhata Bay- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Nestled along Lake Malawi's western shore in the country's Northern Region, Nkhata Bay serves as a longstanding port equipped with floating and piled jetties, where tea and rubber estates carpet the slopes and subsistence fishing thrives at the mouth of the Luweya River. This town, home to about 14,000 residents as of 2018, anchors one of the region's busiest lakefront hubs, positioned amid verdant hills that cascade into the lake's clear, multihued waters. Rich in cultural heritage, Nkhata Bay is deeply rooted in Tonga and Tumbuka traditions—the Tonga (a branch of Tumbuka speakers known as Nyasa Tonga) shaped by early migrations and colonial-era shifts. The harbour town has evolved from its historical role in trade and missionary activity—marked by figures like David Livingstone and continuous commerce—to a vibrant center where local arts, a longstanding craft market, and eco-conscious hospitality coexist alongside diverse water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, and diving facilitated by a respected local dive school.