This beautiful country in southeast Africa boasts some of the most spectacular landscapes. (Image: Getty)
Tucked between the more famous countries of , Tanzania, and Mozambique lies a small landlocked country that is not as famous as its neighbours, despite being named one of safest countries.
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, but it still boasts some of the most incredible beaches in the world – but vastly different from those in the .
Malawi is home to one of the world’s biggest freshwater lakes – Lake Malawi – accounting for an incredible one-fifth of the country’s total area.
Often dubbed “The Warm Heart of Africa”, Malawi is one of Africa’s most loved destinations by those who venture beyond the more well-known choices in the south of the continent.
The country’s landscape is incredibly varied, with four distinct regions. The most dominant is the , a massive trough-like depression running through the country, the central plateaus, the highlands and isolated mountains.
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Lake Malawi is the fourth-largest freshwater lake in the world, fringed by crowd-free beaches. (Image: Getty)
Stretching for over 300 miles, Lake Malawi is a UNESCO and the jewel in the country’s tourism crown. It is the fourth-largest freshwater lake in the world by volume and the second-deepest lake in Africa, behind Lake Tanganyika.
Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world, including at least 700 species of cichlids alone. As such, this vast body of clear water is one of the best freshwater diving and snorkelling spots in Africa.
What’s more, it’s fringed by crowd-free golden sand , which can easily be combined with a safari. One of its best is Nkhata Bay, a relaxed resort village with two sandy bays and a peninsula, perfect for walking, kayaking and diving.
In the north lies Nyika, Malawi’s oldest and largest national park. Boasting a breathtaking mountainous scenery, the park is home to a diverse range of animals and plants including large herds of zebra, sable antelope, leopard and hundreds of wildflower species.
Liwonde National Park, meanwhile, is brimming with wildlife, including elephants, hippos, black rhinos, crocodiles and over 600 species of birds.
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The Malawians describe themselves as the friendliest people in Africa. (Image: Getty)
Malawi has few urban areas, with its capital and largest city being Lilongwe, followed by Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba, the former capital.
Home to an estimated 21.2 million people, Malawi remains one of the world’s least developed countries, with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture.
It also has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality rate, with and AIDS highly prevalent, which impacts the labour force and takes up a considerable amount of government spending.
Nevertheless, Malawi is renowned for its warm and friendly atmosphere, which is created by its people. The Malawians describe themselves as the friendliest people in Africa, living in the “warm heart” of the continent.
Malawi is also known to be one of the to visit in Africa, with a reputation for being a peaceful destination with low crime rates, particularly in tourist areas. There have been reports of crimes in the major cities, just like any other country in the world, but this includes mainly petty crimes such as pickpocketing and muggings.