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Lake Malawi |
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Lying at
the southern end of Africa’s Great Rift
Valley, Lake Malawi occupies 20% of the
country’s total area. At 590km long and 85km
wide, it’s the third largest lake in Africa.
Its eastern edge is in Mozambique and its
northern edge reaches into Tanzania.
For such a large body of water it is
surprising that only one river, the Shire,
drains from it. This eventually joins the
Zambezi further south in Mozambique before
it spills into the Indian Ocean. The surface
of the lake is 470 metres above sea level,
but in the north it’s 700 metres deep,
plunging it well below sea level.
Part of southern Malawi has been proclaimed
a World Heritage Site for having the richest
variety of tropical fish of any freshwater
lake in the world. Almost 600 species of
cichlids are unique to these waters.
Although he was certainly not the first
European to gaze upon the lake, David
Livingstone was the first to expose its
presence to the rest of the world. He
described it as a ‘lake of stars’, referring
to its glittering surface.
Today fishing villages are scattered along
the length of the lakeshore and the
traditional fishing industry plays an
important part in Malawi’s economy. Between
the villages are long stretches of totally
uninhabited golden sand, and plenty of
opportunities for travellers to enjoy
lake-based activities at the various
resorts.
The lake shore road runs the entire length
of the lake, but to reach the beaches it's
usually necessary to take a short detour off
the main road. Once there, the cries of fish
eagles, the fishermen in dugouts silhouetted
against the evening skies, and the warm,
sleepy atmosphere, make it impossible not to
relax.
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| Northern Malawi |
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The northern shores of
Lake Malawi are among the country's most
beautiful and least visited. The north is
much less populated than the south and the
beaches here are far more remote. Miles of
pristine white sand are interspersed with
jagged rock formations and charming fishing
villages. Even the President of Malawi
agrees - he has a holiday home near Chitimba.
It’s also well within the tropics and the
vegetation is greener and thicker, providing
a dramatic backdrop to the lake. The lake is
at its widest here, but on a clear day you
can see Mozambique 80km away. Between
Chitimba and Salima there are a number of
simple beachside resorts where days are
whiled away horse riding along the sand,
diving or snorkelling in the lake, or simply
swinging in a hammock.
Away from the lake, the north is
characterized by great highlands, including
the impressive Nyika Plateau National Park,
which has excellent hiking, trekking and
horse riding opportunities, and a surprising
amount of game. The historic Livingstonia
Mission can be visited by hiking up the
Livingstone escarpment.
The regional centre for the north is the
small town of Mzuzu through which you will
inevitably pass on the way to and from
Tanzania. It sits on the junction of
Malawi’s lakeshore road and the main
north-south highway. Although it's hardly a
great metropolis, it does have a bank, a few
food shops and a post office.
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| Lilongwe |
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Lilongwe was created in the late
1960s and early 1970s. It has been the capital city
of Malawi since 1975 when the capital was moved from
Blantyre.
Lilongwe is situated in the fertile central region
of the country. It owes its status to Dr Hastings
Banda, the country’s first President, who was born
just north of the town. It’s very small for a
capital city, with a population of only 250 000.
It's split into two main centres a few kilometres
apart, known as the New and Old Towns.
The New Town is where all the airline offices,
travel agencies, Government Buildings, embassies,
International Aid Agencies, the Reserve Bank
Headquarters, upper crust hotels and some mini
shopping malls are located. It is distinguished by
gleaming high rises with manicured lawns, smart
security guards and expensive aid agency 4x4s.
The Old Town couldn’t be more different. The
original village of Lilongwe has bustling markets,
bus stations, Asian shops, street vendors,
restaurants and dubious hotels. Neither centre holds
much interest for travellers and Lilongwe is usually
just used as a stop-over for people entering and
leaving the country or on the way to and from the
resorts on Lake Malawi to the east.
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