Nina Flohr doesn't mention her royal connections when she walks you through Kisawa's 300 hectares on Benguerra Island. The Swiss-Greek entrepreneur talks instead about dugong feeding patterns, the pH levels required for coral propagation, and why she insisted on 196 staff for just 22 guests, not for bragging rights, but because that's what proper hospitality requires when you're serious about it. With years in the making, Kisawa feels less like a resort than the beach house of someone obsessed with getting every detail right. Eleven residences scattered so far apart you need electric buggies to visit your neighbor. Seven restaurants that stay open whether one guest wants dinner or all twenty-two. A marine research station next door where actual scientists, not hotel staff in khaki, document endangered species you'll swim alongside tomorrow. The absence of compromise shows everywhere. Where other properties might place a beach bar, Kisawa protects turtle nesting grounds. The spa uses indigenous plants researched by ethnobotanists. Local fishermen don't perform for tourists; they teach techniques their grandfathers taught them, if you're genuinely interested. This is what happens when someone with unlimited resources builds for love, not returns. At Kisawa, you're not booking a luxury resort, you're buying into one woman's magnificent obsession with doing everything properly.
Awarded: Gold
Location
Kisawa occupies Benguerra Island’s entire southern peninsula—300 hectares that Nina Flohr insisted remain otherwise untouched. The nearest neighbor sits five kilometres north, invisible beyond primary dune forest that filters even sound.
This isolation isn’t accidental. Flohr chose the peninsula specifically because it borders both the archipelago’s calmest lagoon waters and open ocean swells, but more importantly, because it hosts Mozambique’s densest dugong feeding grounds. The Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies operates next door—not a hotel “partnership” but an actual research station that predates the resort and continues year-round whether guests visit or not.
Access requires a 15-minute helicopter transfer from Vilanculos, though Flohr regularly makes the journey by dhow, the way locals have traveled these waters for centuries. No roads connect to other parts of Benguerra. Your only company: marine biologists counting turtle nests, traditional fishermen working the channels, and roughly 200 dugongs who don’t distinguish between protected waters and everywhere else they’ve always lived.
Rooms
The eleven residences feel like what happens when an architect stops asking “what will guests expect?” and starts asking “what would I want if I lived here?” Each occupies at least an acre—not for privacy’s sake but because Flohr believed proper houses need proper gardens, and proper gardens need space to breathe.
One-Bedroom Residences sprawl across 370 square metres where living spaces flow into sleeping spaces flow into bathing spaces with no clear boundaries—walls open, ceilings disappear, floors extend into sand. The bathroom opens completely onto the deck because Flohr showers outside and assumed you would too. Your pool faces either ocean or lagoon depending on which view spoke to you at booking. The outdoor kitchen exists because sometimes you want your butler to prepare lunch while you watch, or better, teach you.
Two-Bedroom Residences aren’t supersized one-bedrooms but two complete homes sharing a courtyard, because Flohr understands that couples traveling together need walls between them at 2am. Each bedroom pavilion maintains complete autonomy—own entrance, own bathroom, own silence. The shared pool and dining pavilion become neutral territory for morning coffee and evening drinks.
Three-Bedroom Residences sprawl across 840 square metres designed for the specific dynamics of three-generation travel. Grandparents get the quiet wing. Parents get the ocean views. Children get the room nearest the pool. Everyone gets space to disappear.
The Kisawa Residence remains Flohr’s personal favorite, where she stayed during construction and still returns. Every piece tells a story she’ll share if asked—the driftwood sculpture from a Cyclone Kenneth, the copper bath from a demolished Johannesburg hotel, the dining table carved from a single fever tree that fell naturally.
Each residence includes someone whose sole job is knowing your preferences—not a butler playing a role but usually a local who’s worked these beaches their whole life and genuinely wants to show you why they’ve never left. The electric Mini Mokes exist because walking 300 hectares in sand exhausts everyone, though most guests abandon them after day two for bicycles, which feel more honest.
Communal Areas
The Main Pavilion rises from the dunes like something that washed ashore and decided to stay—all weathered timber and woven screens that breathe with the wind. Flohr designed it after living in a tent on this spot for six months, learning where shadows fall and breezes flow. The library stocks what she actually reads: African literature, marine biology texts, yellowing Portuguese poetry. The wine cellar doubles as dining room because she believes good wine demands good conversation.
The dining philosophy reflects Flohr’s intolerance for schedules. Seven venues operate simultaneously despite maximum occupancy of 22 because she wanted to eat wherever the mood struck. The Pizza Tuk Tuk—a mobile wood-fired oven—exists because her nephew demanded pizza on the beach at midnight and she couldn’t see why not. Baracca serves what fishermen catch. The Robata Counter grills what the garden grows. Nobody takes reservations because there’s always space.
The Natural Wellness Centre emerged from Flohr’s skepticism about hotel spas. Instead of treatment menus, practitioners trained in specific traditions—an Ayurvedic doctor from Kerala, a Traditional Chinese Medicine specialist from Hong Kong—offer what they actually believe works. The infrared sauna and Pilates reformer exist because Flohr uses them. The gym equipment faces the ocean because she refuses to exercise staring at walls.
The 25-metre pool heats year-round—not for guests but for the marine biologists who use it to rehabilitate injured turtles before release. Guests can swim while juvenile hawksbills recover in the shallow end, though most just watch.
The Sports Locker operates on radical trust—equipment sits unlocked, ungaurded, ready. Take what you need. Return it when done. Or don’t. Flohr assumes people behave better when treated like adults, and five years later, she hasn’t been proven wrong.
Activities
The marine experiences at Kisawa happen because Nina Flohr befriended the marine biologists before she built the resort. The Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies doesn’t offer “guest programs”—they’re actual researchers who sometimes let you tag along. Morning snorkeling means helping photograph reef species for their database. The whale watching boat (at additional cost) doubles as a research vessel tracking humpback mothers with calves. Even the “Blue Watching” helicopter excursions (at additional cost) carry scientific equipment for aerial surveys.
The diving operates differently here. Instead of dive masters performing for tips, you get marine biologists who forget you’re a guest once underwater. They’ll show you the twelve coral nurseries they’re cultivating, explain why certain species indicate ecosystem health, point out dugong feeding trails carved into seagrass beds. Certification matters less than genuine interest.
Cultural experiences avoid the usual choreography. The Kuvedja fishing lessons (at additional cost) happen because local fishermen actually use these techniques daily and Flohr wanted to ensure their knowledge survives. Andre teaches wood carving in the workshop where he creates pieces for the residences—not demonstrations but actual apprenticeship if you commit. Floyd, the resident artist, paints portraits because that’s what he does, guests or no guests.
The Pizza Tuk Tuk (at additional cost) exists because Flohr’s nephew wanted wood-fired pizza on random beaches. Now it appears wherever you want—midnight at your pool, sunrise on the peninsula’s tip, during the full moon drum circles that happen monthly whether guests participate or not.
Water dictates everything. Four-metre tides mean morning kayaking through mangroves becomes afternoon walking on exposed flats. The flamingos arrive when freshwater mixes with salt. Kite surfing works only when wind and tide align. The dhow sails at sunset not for romance but because that’s when thermal winds shift.
The overnight beach camping (at additional cost) happens on beaches Flohr camps on herself—no platforms or permanent structures, just canvas and stars and the knowledge that green turtles nest exactly where you’re sleeping, just not tonight.
Bed & Breakfast
Half Board
All Inclusive
When to go
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Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
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What People Say
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The personalised service provided was far beyond my expectations. A three week trip visiting four countries in Africa, multiple game reserves, wineries and much, much more was flawless. While a close encounter with a leopard and her cubs…
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We got in touch after hearing about Hide & Seek from a friend. Have to say hats off to Jamie, he was so patient throughout, even through our indecisiveness! Ultimately we ended up with the most incredible holiday of our lives. Thank you again, we will be back!!
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Thank you for arranging our Safari holiday in Kenya and Tanzania for us. It was to celebrate our 40th. Wedding anniversary which was on July 1st. 2018, and through your arrangements, we have had a holiday that we will never forget...
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Thanks so much for a truly unforgettable once in a life time holiday. Hopefully we will be in touch again soon!
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Spot on in terms of itinerary . We not disappointed by any of the suggestions and had the best holiday ever! Thank you!
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Jamie was very helpful throughout the booking process and recommended the perfect holiday. There was nothing we would change having now been out to Tanzania. I would highly recommend Hide & Seek to friends and relatives.
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Jamie was excellent. Once I described what we wanted I knew he would come up with the business. ..and he did!!! 5 stars
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We spoke to numerous travel agents over the period we looked at booking our honeymoon and only hide and seek gave me the confidence I was looking for. Really pleased with our decision.
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Hide and seek dealt with our last minute travel plans extremely well. Obviously, our accommodations shifted as availability diminished but ultimately they came up with a vacation that we will never forget.
