Santa Carolina Island Travel Guide: Top Sights in Mozambique, Tours &

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Santa Carolina Island- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Natural Scenery; Mozambique; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 4 hours

Santa Carolina Island, also known as Paradise Island, is a small rocky island in Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago, measuring 3.2 km by 0.48 km. Located between the mainland and Bazaruto Island, near Inhassoro, it features three beaches with coral reefs close to shore and deep surrounding channels. The island is home to the ruins of a 1950s hotel built by Portuguese businessman Joaquim Alves, which was abandoned after Mozambique's independence. Though the hotel was maintained for years and later purchased for redevelopment, restoration efforts stalled, leaving it as a historic remnant of the island's past.

Operators offering tours in Mozambique

Attractions in Mozambique

Maputo

Chimanimani

Inhaca Island

Maputo Elephant Reserve

Zinave National Park

Ibo Island

4.8

Magaruque

4.8

Bazaruto Archipelago

4.8

Reviews of Santa Carolina

Yilian Infus

5
Reviewed: 2022-08-27

THE BEST!! A tiny paradise, so gorgeous!! You can swim with turtles and do a great snorkeling with so many colorful fishes. We were alone on the island, it was amazing. If you are staying in Vilankulos, I suggest to avoid the tours offered everywhere (they are all the same, with Jeff's boats). We went to the tourist office and the guy there called a contact in Inhassoro, we went by private car there (1 hour drive, 500mtc each) and from there with a nice tiny boat to the island (about 1 hour). It was in total 4000mtc each+250 for snorkeling+500 for the drive, while going by boat from Vilankulos takes more than 2.5 hours and they ask 130USD (more than double), and if the boat is not full they just end taking you to Bazaruto without advising you in advance (it happened the day before to a couple that we met).
Cheryl Theunissen

5
Reviewed: 2019-09-14

Deserted, remote island reached by rubberduck. Beautiful stretches of white sand with wonderful snorkelling opportunities around the island. We identified at least 15 different tropical fish, while paddling in the warm water. No facilities on the island and all food and water to be brought along- and take all refuse back with you.
Robert Fletcher

5
Reviewed: 2018-05-03

This tiny island is perhaps the jewel of the Bazaruto Archipelago. Uninhabited with amazing marine life in the reefs surrounding it.
David Smith

5
Reviewed: 2017-08-23

I was there in 2012 when talk was about refurbishing the hotel and many more projects on the Island. It seems little has been done of any real improvement and is still crumbling from what Miguel has said recently. Beautiful spot for seeing the tropical marine fishes under the water.
Miguel Franco

5
Reviewed: 2017-08-01

Santa Carolina has an unique ecosystem around it, where you can simply enter the water and immediately see vast coral reefs, tropical fish species of all colours, turtles, manta rays, and many, many others. Carefully take time to explore the hotel ruins, which occupied around half the island and will, in the near future, be rebuilt.