There’s a wonderful word that the Japanese use to give meaning to a way of cultivating a life of purpose, a reason for living, with an acute focus on joy. A deeply romantic sentiment, Ikigai is not necessarily an easy or romantic concept to master. How do we parlay what we are passionate about and feels inherently right into something that’s as equally gratifying as it is noble? Perhaps this is the very essence of Ikigai – the greater we challenge ourselves, the greater the reveal of our intended existence. And perhaps it is more about our role within the delicate ecosystem of the natural world than it is about ourselves.
In moments of still reflection, on the shores of Sussurro’s lagoon, as the seasoned fishermen dally about on their dhows and their eager proteges skip through the tide with their hand engineered rods, the late afternoon breeze whistles with the palms as they dance. One of us is doing a few gentle laps in the swimming pool, whilst another reclines on a sisal string daybed, witnessing the light bounce from blue to blue. The chefs are whipping up a wild granadilla pavlova and blending some homemade mayonnaise that’ll accompany the crayfish on the open flame. Perhaps a few laps for me too. Another handful of roasted chilli cashew nuts and a swig of homemade ginger beer, first. The resident chickens are sauntering through their permaculture garden as the nimble knuckles of a weaver, weaves his magic. The magic that’s seen in the baraca style roof and makuti ceilings of each bungalow. The baskets, the bowls, the beds and the broomsticks. A hedonistic dose of Afrocentric literature – plucked from the library’s shelves – has had me diving deep and surfacing clearer. Into the pool I go. Lap after gentle lap, with the colours of the sky honing in on the fire I feel inside. Back to reclining with that view; those palms as umbrellas, those ripples on the lagoon as subtle messages from an ocean’s life, those silhouettes of the sails sketching figurines into the pink sky. Time collapses in one single moment as whispers of Ikigai linger alongside the lounger. It’s in the salty air, the sand and the stitchings of every artisan responsible for bringing Sussurro to life, and the representation of purpose and existence around it.
Settled on the sanative waters of Nhamabue’s lagoon in Southern Mozambique, this hideaway has been consciously constructed from the soil up, by the heads, hearts and hands of its community. Retaining a raw simplicity of its environment, the residence comprises of six incredibly spacious private bungalows – with their bounteous indoor and outdoor bathing facilities, long lagoon-facing verandahs and bespoke collections of instinctively curated craftwork – an open plan kitchen that meets the dining space, a day bar, a gallery, a library, a swimming pool and a deck. Beyond that there’s the beach and behind all of that there’s a permaculture garden where the chefs source all of the good stuff you’ll be feasting over throughout the hours of the day. A de-salinisation plant has been built to water the juicy vegetables and a solar farm installed to keep those ceiling fans turning. Whatever’s not thriving in the garden will be sourced from the local markets. It’s an ocean to table, patch to plate, barrel to belly philosophy.
When you’re not in the pool or on a lounger, in the bathtub or on the bed under the fan, adjacent the bar with a coconut whiskey sour or experiencing an East African culinary take on mise en place, chatting to the chickens or walking that long stretch of sand; you’re at liberty to venture out and tap into the pulse of the peninsula. Local markets, island picnics, waterskiing and paddle boarding, snorkelling, scuba diving and sunset dhow sailing. You’ll be satiated and sully with sand. And when it’s time to return to residence, and all of the lanterns are lit up like the phosphorescence of the lagoon, and the stars are beginning to blanket the deep blue like the soft linen blankets your sun-kissed skin after a fresh shower. And the scent of peri-peri chicken sizzles from the coals of the beach bonfire as you and your clan gather with a decent tipple and a swagger that grooves to the beat of your own African drum. You have succumbed to Sussurro’s secret and are completely in tune with the lagoon’s existence.
What we love!
- Early mornings, rising with the sun and taking a few meditative moments on the deck to breathe in the pink sky. Sipping on a hot rooibos or ginger brew as you stroll along the deck towards the pool, dipping in to complete a few laps before the coconuts have been chopped open and their water served chilled in a glass.
- Late afternoons, sailing with the setting sun on the dhow, listening to the hum and drum of Salif Keita’s tones whilst snacking on crispy coconut peels blanched in soy sauce and clutching a flute filled to the brim with champagne. Sailing home to the sight of the lanterns all lit up and the lovely smiles of (Obert And Jeremiah) welcoming you back.
- The roots of Sussurro’s ethos that’s pertinent to the culture of its community where everything is African and championed as being African, sustainable, eco-aware and consciously remapping a lesser navigated yet more enriching way to travel.
- The sheer and utter beauty of the build. Its design, its materials, its artisans, its message.
- Feasting from the harvest table, with a front-row view of the kitchen and the chefs as they fold a rucola cashew pesto into an aubergine ravioli, curry up some mango crab, salt and pepper a chilli squid, and slice, dice and sauté a beautiful selection of seasonal vegetables foraged from the garden.
- The privacy and seclusion of each bungalow – that are as voluminous as they come. All with their own, unique designs and spaces, maximising on the view of the lagoon, the vegetation and nature that abounds and the eternal island light.
What you need to know…
- Sussurro settles itself on a remote peninsula known known as Nhamabue, that forms part of the Bazaruto Archipelago in Southern Mozambique. Access is made by vehicle, along the beach, dependent on the tide. The nearest airport is Vilanculos.
- All six of the bungalows may be booked exclusively to accommodate as many as twelve guests.
- The lovely resident chefs are trained with Sussurro’s real food philosophy. Fresh produce is sourced daily from the organic garden, the local organic markets – where the tomatoes are bigger, redder and juicier than Italy’s – the artisanal fishermen and sustainable traders.
- There is an extensive activity list for those eager to explore the magic of Mozambique; its culture, its craft, its history and its natural sights. The amazing staff of Sussurro will advise on how to quench your curiosity.
Reviewed by Colleen Ogilvie