In the newly rediscovered Mozambique, one that offers white sandy beaches, pregos and peri peri prawns without the perils of civil war, a new tourist trade is being built on the crumbling vestiges of its colonial past.
Maputo is becoming the exotic destination it once was. South Africans flock to Ponta D'Ouro to swim with wild dolphins and the rest of Mozambique is being knocked into shape for the influx of tourists from the 2010 World Cup.
In Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province in the north of the country, a world-class spa has been built, catching the wave of this tourism buzz. The 200 000 inhabitants of Pemba enjoy the fruits of the third-largest deep-water bay in the world and can now be part of the new economy of tourism and leisure.
The Sanctuary Spa at Pemba is the very first spa of its kind in Mozambique. Built on a hill overlooking Wimbe Beach, it is part of the four-star Pemba Beach Resort Hotel. It was recently opened to the public, with a VIP guest list that included South African cricketer Justin Kemp and model Brigid Osborne.
The opening happened in July after months of building, interior decorating and getting the structure just right so that the outdoor elements of sun, sea, sand and palm trees could be included in the overall design. The result is a statement of opulence with touches of minimalism, a look that's boudoir kitsch without being gaudy.
The idea was to create a spa that was warm and inviting rather than clinical. The design blends the style of Morocco with that of Arabia and Zanzibar, with hints of Southern Africa here and there.
Fountains lead to the reception area, which picks up the earthy hues of beach sand. The scent of frangipani wafts from the treatment rooms like a promise of things to come.
Leading from the reception area is a guest lounge with folding glass doors that open up to the Indian Ocean; oversized couches are piled with scatter cushions of fine and raw silk. A chandelier made up of lights collected from around the world hangs at the centre of the raffia ceiling.
A view of the ocean lends a burst of turquoise to the scene, picking up the blue threads in the Persian rugs.
"We wanted the spa to feel like an extension of a very laid-back and relaxed holiday. A place where people can come and hang out at the juice bar before a treatment or lie on one of the rattan sunbeds on the verandah," says Penny Brewer, the spa manager.
"The treatments we offer work well with the Pemba vibe, very laidback and unhurried. We didn't want people to feel like they were in a factory where they are rushed in and out, as happens in spas in big cities.
"Here in Pemba things are island style, including the concept of time. People are very chilled and we want this to come across in our treatments and everything that happens before and after," continues Brewer.
The spa is a collaboration between Rani Resorts, the hotel group that owns and manages Pemba Beach Resort Hotel, and the Sanctuary Spa group.
The Sanctuary Spa at Pemba Beach is the group's first foray into foreign territory and is their most ambitious to date.
No effort or money has been spared in the construction of the spa - to the point where the building was knocked down and repositioned after Adel Aujan, the founder of Rani Resorts, went on a site inspection and decided that the orientation was wrong : the jacuzzi had to face the setting sun, not the rising sun.
Occupying 500m², the spa's hot and cold treatment rooms, steam rooms, outside double treatment room, seaside hydropool, saunas and showers are designed to merge indoor and outdoor experiences against a backdrop of ocean and sunsets.
Treatments are varied and cater for both men and women. These include Swedish massages, milk baths, body brushes, body wraps, facials and exotic packages such as the Calmar e Adiantar package, which includes an exfoliation with lime and ginger salt followed by an Elemis de-stress massage and Japanese Camelia oil scalp therapy. An exotic antidote to modern living indeed!
- For more information on packages to Pemba Beach Resort Hotel and the Sanctuary Spa, contact Rani Resorts on 011-461-1277 or go to Rani Resorts