In a peaceful and pristine bay, 25km north of Vilanculos, Marimba Secret Gardens offers comfortable and unique accommodation for individual travelers. Take a time out in pure nature, get to know the traditional Mozambican way of life or discover the Bazaruto Archipelago either by diving, snorkeling or just a day trip.Our restaurant offers a combination of European and African dishes and a big range of cocktails.
Marimbas secret garden is a little peace of heaven. It is the perfect blend of beach meets bush... The staff are friendly and helpful, and the hosts, Sam and Mike, go above and beyond to make sure you have the best holiday! Between the delicious food and nightly bonfires we couldnt of asked for a better getaway!
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were a group of 7 staying in different huts. We absolutely loved the experience. It was remote enough that we could feel we were in close contact with nature, but we were also able to organise great tours into bazaruto. The food, the service, the owners, all were amazing, going above and beyond on all matters. Really cannot recommend enough, it made our trip!
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marimba is not only an exceptionally beautiful and pristine place, but it’s also an initiative that brings the Mozambican idea of warmth and hospitality into the hard work and joyfulness of a team of professionals. Secret Garden is a project to experience and support. Adapt to whoever needs a relaxing gateway with simple yet unique attention to details. Food is lovely, access to sea, rooms are nice, possibility of doing activities around the area and directly going to the islands.. and you finish the day by a lovely night campfire and an avalanche of stars... Not to miss!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello everyone,I would like to put you into context. The owners bought Marimba in 2007 and stayed several years living in Mozambique. Now they are back in Switzerland, where they are originally from, and come back twice a year to Marimba for a couple of weeks. This said, the property is run only by locals at the moment and hence your expectations should be different.
Marimba is 24km northern Vilanculos (aprox 90mins driving, 4x4 is a must!) and there is literally nothing around. Trees, sand and the gorgeous beach! The place is completely isolated, which can be cool but has its limitations as well. There are 6 beautiful casitas, when we stayed there we were the only guests. This was a downside for us as we could not engage with anyone, the locals that run the place were not interested in getting to know foreigners even though we could speak a bit of Portuguese. However, we met in the beach a very nice man called Alfredo who took us around and showed us the community. So not everyone in Mozambique is the same of course :)
We informed Marcel, the owner, that going to Bazaruto island was a highlight for us, as well as going to Sta Carolina. Sta Carolina was not an option due to the weather conditions and Jaime, the local running Marimba charged us 85USD per person to go to Bazaruto (25USD more than what it says in Marimba website, shame!). Take this into consideration because we ended up paying much more for a lower quality excursion rather than if we were staying in Vilanculos town or nearby. The boat was old and small and we had to shorten the excursion by approx 1h30m, comparing to other boats that were in Bazaruto with us. Besides, no dhow will come to pick you up to Marimba so if you really want to experience a dhow, Marimba is not your place.
Electricity runs from 6pm to 9pm, enough to charge your camera and phone but there is no cold beer until 7.30pm. They did not play any music while we were in there, maybe when more people come they do. As a suggestion for management, bear in mind that there is nothing to do around and it is dark at 5.30pm so a beer and some music would be appreciated.
There are no amenities in the shared bathrooms so make sure you bring your personal toiletries. Also, in 4 days we were there bathrooms were not even cleaned once.
Food was tasty but EXPENSIVE for Mozambique. Just dinner of the day is 650mzn per person so if you plan to stay several days here bring some food as it can get pricey. Make sure that the dish is not in the menu, one night they cooked pasta and a side salad for us an still charged us 650. 300 more per person. The cook is called Arnaldo, he always has a smile in his face and makes sure that you enjoy your food. He and the doggy (Temple) were definitely the best of Marimba!
Overall, I do not recommend Marimba. It is expensive for what it offers and is not the real Mozambiquean experience. If you are a group of at least 4 and you drive your own car that gives you flexibility traveling around this could be an option for you. The more you are the better chances you'll have the property is fully working and ready for your stay. Organize the excursions on your own, do not let Marimba do it for you as they will book you in the cheapest boat to make a bigger profit. Bazaruto is spectacular! Make sure you travel there with a good local company to make the most out of it!
I wish someone would have informed me about all these things before I made my decision to come to Marimba so I'd have a better and clearer picture of what I was going to experience. I hope this is useful for you. Cheers!
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Date of stay: September 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 4 Apr 2019
Hi Cristina, Thank you so much for taking the time to right a review to Marimba Secret Gardens. We believe reviews are there to thank people for their hospitality or to shed light on issues that need to be addressed. So we appreciate all your feedback and take it all very seriously. You are correct in saying the owners have returned to Switzerland, but myself and Michael are now the new managers at Marimba and trust we have sorted out most the issues addressed above. We tend to all our guests needs and requirements and we stay on the property so we are available at any given time. Marimba is now situated 18km out of Vilanculos on a new road of which only +/- 7km is a 4x4 road. This journey now takes us 45min. We prefer to meet our guests in town and show them the route to Marimba to ensure there are no hassles and nobody gets lost. With regards to island trips. We now work closely with 4 different companies, so it is up to the guests if they would prefer a dhow, speed boat, group or private excursion. Whatever it may be, we will organise it all for you. With regards to electricity, there is still no electricity at Marimba. However there is now gas fridges to ensure all drinks are kept cold and food fresh. We understand guests may want a drink or cocktail in the afternoon and this is now possible. There is also solar power now at Marimba, so this allows for a longer period of power in the evenings and guests can definitely charge phones and cameras. Bathrooms not being cleaned - we can understand your gripe. Bathrooms are now cleaned 1st every morning by our cleaning lady before anything else is done. Food pricing is now very fair in comparison to any lodges in Vilanculos. keeping in mind that all food and fresh produce needs to be bought in town (18km away) and brought back to Marimba and kept fresh so the logistics involved are more complicated than other lodges. I can guarantee you the property is now fully working and ready for anybody to come and stay. All pricing is now very reasonable and we will happily assist in booking your excursions with the top boat companies in Vilanculos. We want to promise our guests good quality and service. Thank you again for your feedback. I understand this was in 2017, but we want future travellers to understand that things have changed and Marimba Secret Gardens is now under new management :)
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We stayed at Marimba Secret Gardens for 10 days and enjoyed every second of it. The backpacker is far away from any hassle and perfect for recovery. Isabelle and Marcel run this place with so much passion and effort that ends up in superb hospitality. The daily bonfire and the excellent dinner of the day make the day just perfect. The generous and stylish bungalows are clean and very comfortable. Value for money is especially for Africa exceptional.
Taken as a whole, Marimba Secret Gardens leaves nothing to be desired and we definitely will be back!
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Date of stay: May 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Marimba in December 2011. They'd only just opened for business but the place was fantastic. Marcel, Isobel and the staff made us feel very welcome. The food was great and the prices very reasonable for Mozambique. The beach is only a few hundred meters away. The huts on stilts are comfortable and clean and the place is small and intimate enough that we felt special being there. Even the 1 and a half hour 4 x 4 journey from Vilanculos is a great experience... proper African bush country. Well worth the effort to get there. Thoroughly recommended.
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Date of stay: December 2011
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Isabelle M, Owner at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 28 Aug 2013
Thanks very much, guys!! We feel very flattered by your review!! Knowing that we have such satisfied and happy guests provides the whole team with a lot of energy and motivation! Best regards!
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Thank you Isabelle and Marcel for the beautiful time we could spend at your beautiful place. We enjoyed every minute of our stay in this paradise. The spacious hut was very nice and clean and the own little veranda underneath the hut was just excellent to read a book or enjoy a cool drink ;-).
We travelled a lot the last few years. But we haven't seen such a relaxing beach with so much privacy. ...and the island trip to Bazaruto exceeded everything! We recommend this place to everyone. The food was very good and varied from seafood to piccata milanese.The home made cake was a big surprise. All we eat was really delicious and fresh. And Katrin was very happy to get always a vegetarian variant of the dinner of the day :-).
We can't wait visiting you again!
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Date of stay: March 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A group of 10 students, including myself, planned a 9 days trip in Mozambique where we stayed exclusively at backpackers. Marimba was the highlight of the trip for everyone! Marcel and Isabelle (the owners) were two of the nicest and most helpful people we encountered on our whole trip. Their friendly service and relaxed attitude made the entire stay a stress-free vacation in paradise. The food was the better here than at any other restaurant or backpacker we stayed at and the service was far and away the quickest, not to mention they priced their food at the same or less than the other backpackers (which had terrible food and terrible service). I highly recommend staying here for at least a couple days so you can go on the Island tour that they offer, which showcased the virtually-untouched-by-tourists scenery and islands. The 25k drive north of Vilancunos is worth every second in order to see this Mozambican gem, which is priced the same as a typical backpacker in Mozambique (500 Meticas a night, or roughly $20 USD).
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Date of stay: April 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â The rooms we stayed in had 3 bunk beds that were very nice and had a lot of head room on the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The most wonderful place on earth to relax! Although Marimba has just opened it is very well run. The owners Marcel and Isabelle are so nice and helpful. They built up everything with locals and the staff is local to. Everyone is really cordial and friendly. Food is great. To find such a remote place with a tasteful design surrounded by untouched nature is a truly extraordinary experience! So is the one and a half hour bush-road-trip from Vilanculos where you can see an authentic original Mocambique. You can either take your own car (only 4 x 4) or let the owners pick you up in Vilanculos. We stayed at Marimba Secret Gardens two weeks in december and january. During this time we made a trip to amazing Bazzaruto Island which is just opposite Marimba. It's also worth visiting the local market of vilanculos where you can find great fabrics. It is fantastic to sit at the empty beach and have a nice chat with the fishermen and women. In the evenings you can sit at the fire and see the impressive starry sky. Last but not least a visit to a local bush bar is more than extraordinary... We will be back for sure and can highly recommend this place!
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Date of stay: December 2011
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â All rooms are alike. Double rooms and dorms available. Good value
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"The rooms have no bathrooms, but there are clean showers and bathrooms close to the rooms. The only thing you need to prepare for is that there is no aircondition in the rooms and the electricity is turned off around 22.30 - then there is not much more to do than going to bed!"
There are more places to choose from in the Vilanculos area.
LOCATION
MozambiqueInhambane ProvinceVilanculos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
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