Travel to Malawi with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Malawi with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

Although affected by extreme poverty in many areas, Malawi is a nation of spectacular scenic beauty and warm, welcoming locals. Blessed with abundant national parks and the colossal Lake Malawi, this fabulous country tends to draw travellers in for months on end, captivating them with its unique and special flavour.

The capital city of Lilongwe, though not especially beautiful, has a number of interesting sights to provide amusement to those passing through. The Old Town is the most enticing part of the city, with a bustling market at its centre that sells everything from live chickens to kitchen utilities. The New City is primarily a collection of modern civic buildings and shopping outlets, separated from the Old Town by the Nature Sanctuary, encompassing 150 hectares of indigenous forest and a number of walking trails.

Blantyre is Malawi’s commercial and industrial centre, located amid an attractive setting in southern Malawi. The major attractions here are the Church of St Michael’s and All Angels, dating from 1891, and the National Museum, featuring fascinating historical exhibitions. Alternatively, a drive up Soche Hill affords a bird’s eye view of the city and its surrounds.

Malawi’s extensive land form is dotted with national parks and game reserves where travellers can view prolific bird and animal life in gorgeous natural environments. The largest of these preserves is Kasungu National Park, where over 300 species of birds have been sighted, along with bushbucks, impala, elephants, zebras, lions, cheetahs and other animals. Lengwe National Park, within easy driving distance of Blantyre, provides sanctuary for the rare nyala antelope and samango monkey among other species, and nearby Majete Game Reserve has elephants, hippos, zebra and waterbucks.

Lake Malawi National Park, at the lake’s southern tip, encompasses the Nankhumba and Cape Maclear peninsulas and a few offshore islands. Boating, bird-watching and game-viewing are popular pastimes here, and an underwater trail at Mitande Rocks affords supreme opportunities for snorkelling among Lake Malawi’s colourful freshwater fish.

Cape Maclear is one of the country’s most beguiling destinations, offering a beautiful sandy beach, excellent food and cold beer from a selection of restaurants and beach barbeques, as well as a friendly, laid-back atmosphere. For the energetic traveller, this is a great place for swimming, diving and kayaking, while a plethora of scattered hammocks provide the ultimate relaxation alternative. Likoma and Chizimulu Islands are two of Lake Malawi’s most precious retreats, both covered in mango and baobab trees and offering fabulously secluded beaches and wonderful snorkelling.

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