AsDunas Lodge

NOT canceling our trip was the best decision. Despite unrest in Maputo, we were 100% safe flying into Vilanculas. Treated like royalty from the get go, we had the most idyllic 5 days in paradise. Amazing food and tasting menus worthy of a Michelin star, gorgeous beach villas with plunge pools, amazing cocktails and free daily massages! We'd landed in heaven! As for our Christmas day treats, amazing entertainment and dancing, bubbly and delicious food! And thanks for making my 50th memorable - we absolutely fell in love with Moz thanks to you, with your warmest and friendliest staff, Orquido, Filipe, Buono, Maria, Marta, Chelsie, Reaz and everyone else! Thanks for your goodbye chorus - sad to leave and we'd love to come back! And huge thanks to Haylee at Barefoot Breaks for making it all possible- a pleasure to deal with!

This place is even better than all the rave reviews it has received. Let’s start with the food. I have had the good fortune to eat at excellent restaurants in many parts of the world and I cannot recall ever having such consistently creative, fresh, attractive and delicious meals as I did during our 5 day stay here. A 5 course tasting menu each night plus an amuse-bouche and not a single miss. The local chef, Jaime, draws on Italian owner Fabio’s experience to craft absolutely spectacular meals. Next the staff. To a person, they are all so friendly and helpful. I wish I could remember the names of everyone who made our stay so good, but I want to give a special word of thanks to the three people we interacted with the most — Boaventura (ever gracious, always smiling and outgoing), Filipe (who wanted to assist you in whatever way you needed it, whether it was getting up a steep sand dune at dusk, or getting you your favorite beverage) and Chelsie, the gregarious co-manager with a dry sense of humor, a quick wit and the answer to any question you might have. In addition were Celso, João, Unidécio, Jaime, the massage therapists and the housekeepers. We even had the good fortune to spend some time and have a great conversation with owner, Fabio (although his wife, Elena, was out of town.) The grounds and rooms. Most of the rooms are glamping tents with a private deck and plunge pool. A couple have solid walls. We stayed in one of the tented units and could not have been happier. We stayed comfortable in both cool and warm weather, loved the privacy afforded each room as they are spread out down sand trails among dense brush, and found our room to be very well appointed with outlets, a loaner outlet adapter, great shower and bathroom space and a very comfortable bed. From our room, we could lie in bed, look out over our pool and see the Indian Ocean with its dramatic change in appearance from low tide to high tide. Wow! The beach. The resort is set above the beach so one has to walk down a number of steps to get to it. Once there, the resort has dedicated chaises with canopies over them for its guests. The beach is a beautiful sand beach that slopes very gradually, meaning that while high tide is fairly close to shore, low tide provides lots of opportunities to walk far away from shore and explore what is ocean bottom during the high tide. Massages. You can get one daily and they are included. My wife was a huge fan of this perk. Excursions. We didn’t take any but we spoke with several other guests who did and who loved their snorkeling experiences on neighboring islands as well as their trip into town. Sunset. A walk up a somewhat steep dune to a great sunset-viewing spot is offered each evening. The staff will bring up your favorite beverage and a chair for you to sit in. I did it twice during our stay and loved it. Overall. We loved it; can you tell? Can’t wait to go back. Any caveats or drawbacks? The only one I can think of is

As we flew in to Mozambique, the sea and sand gleamed. The lodge is situated just above a stunning beach, as good as I have ever seen and very quiet. The staff are so attentive and polite. One of the main managers, a top guy explains everything in detail you need to know when you arrive. The evening meal is a tasting menu, so each afternoon the chef Jaime goes through it and you select the main course. The food is delicious with local wild game included. The cocktails, drinks etc are great some with an Italian theme. They'll tell you the story if you ask. One of the honeymooning couples were given a romantic lunch trip to a sand bank in the middle of the sea. Just across the water there are other islands, where you can see whales etc. Boaventura (i think that's the spelling, I should have made a note) looked after us throughout and led a choir to sing to us when we left, very moving and lovely. There's also a stunning sunset viewed from a dune, just above the lodge, which people come from wide and far to view. Don't miss the trip into Vilanculos, which is complimentary and very safe I felt. The view from our bedroom, 4 poster bed, with a private pool, hammock etc was stunning. I don't often return to to holiday destinations, but this one I feel I may do. As an aside our 1st journey with Audley travel, it was superb...

asDunas lodge was absolutely incredible . From the moment we walked in a saw the breathtaking view we knew we had found the right place. The accommodation "tents" are so comfy and big, and with your own pool it was a luxury experience. The food was superb, and we tried so many new things, and if you didn't like one of the courses they would try their best to serve you something else. The beach is great, and the sea warm, and we went on trips from the beach all arranged by the lodge, and always welcomed back with a cold drink and refreshing towel. But what really makes asDunas special is the staff, everybody was so welcoming and friendly. From Helen the owner all the way down. We had a warm welcome from Chelsea, who also looked after us during our stay, booked trips, and was on hand with any thing we needed, a great trip to the local town with Lorenzo, and then were kept watered and fed by Joao, Filipie, Boaventura, Jamie and Reaz, to name but a few!!! The ladies who did the massages were excellent and all the lodge staff were just fantastic. If you want somewhere to escape and relax and try new things I recommed asDunas. Thanks you and one day we will return!

I can't say enough good things about asDunas. My husband and I were looking for a relaxing beach breakaway and that is exactly what we found. Our stay included a beautiful breakfast in our suite each morning, a 3 course lunch and a 5 course gourmet tasting menu each evening. The food was delicious and wholesome every time. We stayed for 7 nights and never had the same meal twice. The also have a beautiful wine list of Italian wines and a bespoke cocktail menu. We tried them all. We split our stay and spent 4 nights in a cottage suite and 3 in a safari tent. Both accommodation options provide absolute privacy, private pools and breathtaking views. Elena and Fabio were fabulous hosts, they made us feel so special and taken care of from the moment I first made a booking enquiry. They really went the extra mile, Elena helped us navigate the Covid19 travel regulations in Mozambique and ensured we received our test results just in time for our flight and Fabio selflessly sacrificed his beauty rest to get us safely to our driver at 3am to ensure we reached Maputo Airport in time for our return flight. We returned to South Africa relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated. We will most definitely be back.

7 relaxing days for me as a single. A unique pampering program in a secluded dreamlike area with daily professional massage. Perfect service, the food was so varied and delicious, an absolute paradise to switch off. Thank you to all the staff…