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Story: Hoang Phong
Famous British explorer David Livingstone, on his expedition to search for the source of the Nile, came across an immense lake in the heart of Africa. Seeing the lanterns of fishing boats dotting the lake at night, he gave Lake Malawi a nickname: “Lake of Stars.”
Lake Malawi is more than 500 kilometers long and 80 kilometers wide and reaches a depth of 700 meters.
If blindfolded and brought to the shore of this massive body of water, you may think you are standing by the ocean, encircled by white sands and rippling waves. Only upon tasting the crystal-clear fresh water would you realize that it is a lake.
It is not just sheer size that attracts visitors to Lake Malawi, but also its remarkable aquatic biodiversity. Over 1,000 species of the Cichlid fish family reside here, more than the rest of the world combined.
To admire this miracle of nature in person, just wade into the lake around submerged cliffs by the shore with throngs of fish of all sizes, shapes and colors. Even veteran snorkelers and divers are overwhelmed by the quantity and diversity of fish here.
In Malawi, you can enjoy natural surroundings in a rustic eco-resort. Accommodations are spartan huts of wooden pillars, thatched roofs and bamboo partitions, which let in fresh breezes from the lake. Troops of monkeys entertain with their antics on display right outside your own lodge.
You can take a discovery walk by strolling along paths left by animals through sun-drenched grasslands, clambering to precipitous cliffs and taking in a panoramic view of the seemingly boundless azure that is the lake below. No restaurant can hold a candle to a simple lunch under the shade of a millennium-old baobab tree. No cocktail lounge is comparable to a glass of wine on a boulder by the lake at sunset.
It is pure, primal bliss to spend afternoons weaving a kayak through wave-splashed rock formations or exploring untouched sandy beaches. Discovering a small bay encircled by rocks, pulling up your kayak and resting under a fig tree laden with succulent fruits, you might find yourself feeling a bit like Robinson Crusoe in your own secluded corner of the world.
