Port guides

Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania

Africa

Kilwa Kisiwani dates back to the 9th century as one of the most famous trading posts in East Africa and on the Indian Ocean. From the 11th century to early 15th century this island community off the southern coast of present-day Tanzania was a powerful city, political force, and major trading center with close links to the interior of Africa as well as distant Asian ports. Goods exchanged here included gold, iron, ivory, slaves, textiles, jewelry, porcelain and spices.

15 cruises

Sao Tome

Sao Tome & Principe · Africa

This largest city of this two-island nation is one of the world’s smallest capital cities. A verdant, varied landscape is shrouded in canopies of green – resulting from the advancing jungle that surrounds the island's iconic needle-shaped Pico Cão Grande, a volcanic pillar jutting 2,175 feet above sea level. It’s a place of 16th century fortresses, a reviving cocoa (and artisan chocolate) trade, vibrant reef diving in turquoise waters beyond the white sand beaches.

14 cruises

Pomene, Mozambique

Africa

Smiling and hospitable people, magical beaches, colonial cities and hut villages, baobab and mangrove forests, unspoiled islands and some of the most stunning beaches on the African continent. Your MSC South Africa cruise welcomes you to Mozambique, a natural portent just waiting to be discovered. Between the capital Maputo, in the South, and Pemba, in the North of the State, there are 2000 kilometres of coastline, characterised by stretches of white sand that blend into the horizon, blue lagoons and unexplored coral reefs. During your holiday with MSC Cruises you can disembark in Pomene Bay, one of the most picturesque sites in Mozambique. The lagoon that protects this extraordinary bay, set between the blue Indian Ocean and the waters where the mangroves grow – these extraordinary plants appear to float on the surface of the water, like a forest in a fairy tale – is part of the Pomene Nature Reserve, a protected marine area that has managed to preserve its authentic and wild beauty thanks to its remote location. A MSC Cruises excursion to this sun-kissed place offers you the opportunity to relax with long walks or horseback riding on the beach, to explore the surrounding nature with the help of a guide, immersing yourself in lush leafy vegetation, with an abundance of different species, or watch the sunset while lying on the fine sand of Pomene Bay. Your MSC cruise ship will take you to an African paradise that is also famous for diving and snorkelling, perfect for lovers of the underwater world. Mozambique is a land full of natural beauty spots that never cease to surprise and amaze.

11 cruises

Portuguese Island, Mozambique

Africa

Set between the African coast and the Indian Ocean, Portuguese Island is a small, uninhabited island: one of the enchanting destinations of an MSC cruise to Southern Africa. It is located at the external limit of Maputo Bay, host to the capital of Mozambique, under the cover of Inhaca Island, the chosen location for some of the most luxurious resorts of the entire continent. During your holiday, take some time between dips in the warm, crystalline ocean waters to stroll around this island. It is six kilometres long, about an hour walk on sand that caresses the soles of your feet (during the central hours of the day, it is best to wear open sandals because the sand becomes very hot), with only the blue of the water and the green of the low vegetation for company. The mild effort involved will be repaid in kiosks serving refreshing beverages and local food. If you like rum, try the Tipo Tinto, which is distilled from local sugar cane. There is also no lack of beach activities: in addition to all the services available for those who just want to lay in the sun undisturbed, such as beach umbrellas, deckchairs and sunbeds, there is equipment for playing beach volleyball and beach tennis. However, a piece of advice for all: don’t stop as soon as you get off the tender t that brings you to the island, look for a more secluded bay; they are just a short, pleasant stroll away. For those who wish it, it is also possible to circumnavigate the island and admire the coast and the bay of Maputo in a traditional dhow: boats with a triangular sail of Middle-Eastern origins that have sailed the waters of the Indian Ocean for centuries. From Portuguese Island, it is possible to reach the nearby main island of Inhaca, where, in addition to fantastic beaches,there are restaurants, bars, a market and even a Marine Museum and old lighthouse.

11 cruises

Antsiranana

Madagascar · Africa

Antsiranana is located at the northernmost tip of Madagascar on the second largest natural bay in the world with 250 km² - only that in Rio de Janeiro is larger. The city is better known under its former name Diego Suarez, which was officially dropped in 1975. The city is considered a gem of the colonial architectural style and impresses with wide streets and colorful buildings, luxury hotels and gemstone shops. Enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the provincial capital on a cruise in the Indian Ocean, which sets it apart from other cities in Madagascar. The city is also recommended as a starting point for various day trips in the area. The bay in Antsiranana alone is one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

10 cruises

Abidjan

Ivory Coast · Africa

Located on Africa’s Ivory Coast, Abidjan lies amid canals and waterways. It’s a modern African city, affectionately known as Babi by locals, or, more optimistically, Paris of West Africa. This last moniker could be due to two things: one, Abidjan is both the economic and cultural capital of West Africa and two: it truly is a city of lights. It is also the most populous French speaking country in the continent, so welcome, bienvenue to Abidjan! Looking at Abidjan’s towering skyscrapers, you would be surprised to think that the sprawling city was originally a small fishing village. The French established a protectorate in Abidjan in 1842, and eventually colonised the region in 1893. Under French rule Abidjan quickly became a major port terminus, exporting mainly timber and coffee to Europe. Cote d’Ivoire was granted independence in 1960 but Abidjan remained the country’s capital until 1983. Today it considered one of the foremost African cities in terms of fashion, culture and the standard of living. Like much of West Africa, Abidjan has cachet and soul in buckets. The civil war of 2007-2007 may have left some pock marked remnants, but that should and must be easily overlooked. The city is bubbling with energy, enjoying a diversity of cultures from the aforementioned French connection to the steady stream of travellers that come to Abidjan looking for a destination with a bit of authenticity. If travelling outside of the city, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Grand Bassam is less than an hour away.

9 cruises

Cotonou

Benin · Africa

Tucked between Nigeria and Togo in Benin is the busy trading port of Cotonou. Named a “market town” for its coastal placement and lucrative palm oil and textile trades, Cotonou is a sprawling amorphous city, swaddled between the Atlantic coast and Lake Nakoué. Because of its especial geographical situation, Cotonou is bursting with life — visitors disembarking here will find a colourful port, alive with economic activity and very much the capital (although not in name, the official capital is Porto-Novo to the east) of the trading industry.

7 cruises

East London, South Africa

Africa

As South Africa's only large river and sea port, East London is important for the export of citrus fruit, mineral ores and wool. A considerable amount of goods are imported here as well. The first documented vessel to arrive in these waters was in 1688 while searching for survivors of a shipwreck. In 1848, a proclamation annexed the area to the Cape Colony. Today, East London serves as the area's commercial centre and is a bustling town with a population of approximately 175,000. The town's small museum contains the world's only surviving egg of the extinct dodo bird, as well as a mounted coelacanth caught near East London in 1938, a fish thought to be extinct.

6 cruises

Mayotte

French Comoros · Africa

Mayotte is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique. It’s a department and region of France, though traditional Mayotte culture is most closely related to that of the neighboring Comoros islands. The Mayotte archipelago is surrounded by a coral barrier reef, which shelters a lagoon and marine reserve that are popular diving destinations.

6 cruises

Accra

Africa

Tema port is about 25 km from Ghana’s teeming capital. The cultures of West Africa share a traditional propensity to be busy. It’s exciting and can be dazzling to newcomers. Accra is a bustling, colorful city where everybody is rather joyfully struggling to get ahead. Enjoy it. The oldest section, Jamestown, is centered around the 17th century James Fort, where the British converted a traditional market for precious metals to a trade in slaves. Climb the red-and-white lighthouse for a view of the busy city. Visit the National Museum to get a glimpse of the elaborate and very ancient cultures of Ghana through exhibits of art and artifacts. Then survey Independence Square, and its memorial to the independent nation’s first leader Kwame Nkrumah. Once your pulse is up to speed, perhaps venture into the sea of humanity that is the Makola Market. The Artists Alliance gallery contains works in every medium imaginable from the fertile community of Ghanaian artists. The ANO Centre for Cultural Research is another place to discover the rich vein of creativity that runs from antiquity into today’s culture. A more vivid example can be experienced at Labadi Beach, where enterprising entertainers, venders and artists gather to ply their trades among the visitors from neighboring luxury hotels. Like the pulsing, jazzy Ghanaian popular music, the beat of Accra is fast-paced and insistent, but full of joy.

5 cruises

Lome

Togo · Africa

Like much of West Africa, Togo is a result of European colonial disruption of long-standing African kingdoms. Togo’s long, thin territory reflects its history as a trade franchise for Germany, which controlled the coastline and plundered the interior. The country’s citizenry is made up of 40 ethnic groups. Blessed with broad golden beaches and a sunny, warm climate, Togo is a favorite of European vacationers. The huge Grand Market distributes everything required for life in the city. The picturesque and fragrant Akodessewa fetish market dispenses all sorts of botanicals and mummified animal parts to the 51 percent of Togo’s population who are practitioners of Vodun or other native animist religions. It is the largest such market in Africa and draws devotees from all over the continent. The smaller Centre Artisanal offers handcrafts. The National Museum is a good place to learn more about the history and cultures of Togo, with displays of traditional jewelry, clothing, pottery, sculpture and musical instruments. Modernist monuments around town include the Independence Memorial and the Peace Dove Monument, while the tall steeples of the red-and-white Cathedral are a memorial of German colonial occupation. The city’s pace is slower and more relaxed than other West African capitals, and the golden sands of Lomé and Aneho beaches invite you to admire the rolling sapphire surf from the Gulf of Guinea.

5 cruises

Nosy Hara

Africa

Nosy Hara is an uninhabited limestone islet off the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is the habitat of Brookesia micra, the smallest known chameleon.

5 cruises

Taolagnaro

Madagascar · Africa

At Azamara® we believe the most memorable destinations are found off the beaten path—and with only dirt roads connecting it to the rest of the country, Tolagnaro certainly fits the bill. Jutting out into the Indian Ocean, surrounded by crescent-shaped beaches on three sides, this secluded port on the southeast coast is your gateway to otherworldly natural wonder when you cruise to Madagascar.

5 cruises

Diego Suarez

Africa

Diego-Suarez, also called Antsiranana, is the largest city in the north of Madagascar and the third port of the “Grande île”. Along with Nosy Be and Nosy Boraha (previously known as Île Sainte-Marie), it is a former territory of the French protectorate of Madagascar. The city is located on Cap d’Ambre in the north of Madagascar, bordered to the west by the Mozambique Channel and to the east by the Indian Ocean. You’ll be able to walk in the lush Montagne d'Ambre National Park, full of a rich variety of tropical plants, to the Roussettes Waterfalls or head off to explore the Tsingy Rouge Park, which offers extraordinary landscapes of canyons and red laterite stone mounds.

4 cruises

Hermanus

South Africa · Africa

Hermanus is a seaside town southeast of Cape Town, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. It's known as a whale-watching destination. Beaches include Voëlklip Beach and the broad Grotto Beach, overlooking Walker Bay. The Old Harbour Museum is a site encompassing the old harbour, a fishermen’s village and the Whale House Museum. The latter has informative displays and a suspended skeleton of a whale.

4 cruises

Madagascar

Africa

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa. At 592,800 square kilometres Madagascar is the world's second-largest island country.

3 cruises

Port D'Ehoala

Africa

The Port d'Ehola is a port in southern Madagascar at approx. 10 km from the city of Tôlanaro. It was built for the exportations of Ilmenite from the nearby mine of QIT Madagascar Minerals and opened on July 8, 2009.

3 cruises

Porto Novo, Cape Verde Isles

Africa

Porto Novo is found on Sao Antonio, the northwesternmost of the Cape Verde Islands, and is the island’s largest town with approximately 17,400 inhabitants. Located on Sao Antonio’s southeastern and arid side, Porto Novo began as a fishing village and only in 2005 it was recognized as a city. Since the island has no airport and Porto Novo faces the town of Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente, this harbor is the main link to the other islands in Cape Verde and the outside world. View less A monument above the port shows a woman waving goodbye to those emigrating from the Cape Verde Islands. Roads leading out of Porto Novo have to either go along the impressive northeast coast or cross the island’s mountains through a rugged and even more spectacular landscape. The third highest peak of the Cape Verde islands at 1,979 meters is the Tope de Coroa to the west of Porto Novo.

3 cruises

Bijagos Archipelago

Africa

Dotted with authentic and wild landscapes, the Bissagos archipelago is a constellation of islands covered in savannah, forests of palm trees, mangrove trees, silk-cotton trees, baobabs and, in large part, mangrove swamps. From the island of Caravela, you will be able to set out in a Zodiac® dinghy to explore the mangrove and observe the African grey hornbill, the palm-nut vulture, the kingfisher, the weaverbird and some of the many species that fly to this region each year. It is the second most important site for migratory birds in West Africa, after Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania: herons, curlews, red-chested swallows. In full immersion, far from the beaten track, your discovery of the archipelago will take on an air of adventure.

2 cruises

Dar Es Salaam

Tanzania · Africa

Tanzania’s largest and richest city, Dar El Salaam is a multi-cultural crossroads that is home to African, Asian and Middle Eastern communities. When translated, the city’s name is Haven of Peace; however, Dar El Salaam is far from a sleepy town. Its bustling streets encircle markets, luxury hotels and the best restaurants in East Africa. The city boasts international cuisine ranging from traditional Tanzanian barbecue and Zanzibari food to Thai, Chinese and American restaurants. After a delicious meal, visit the National Museum for insight into the history of Tanzania.

2 cruises

Lobito

Angola · Africa

Lobito is a municipality in Angola. Located in the Benguela Province, on the Atlantic Coast north of Catumbela Estuary. Lobito municipality had a population of 393,079 in 2014.

2 cruises

Assumption Island

Africa

Assumption (Assomption) Island is a small, crescent shaped island about 4.3 square miles (11.07 sq km) in size. Considered one of the Outer Seychelles Islands, Assumption is part of the Aldabra Group, lying approximately 600 miles (960 km) southwest of Mahé, in the Indian Ocean. These outer islands are not made from granite, like their larger sisters Mahé, Praslin or La Digue, but rather are coralline formations. Once a part of the French colony Réunion, then a member of the British Indian Ocean Territories, today Assumption is governed by the Seychelles.

1 cruise

Fort Dauphin

Africa

1 cruise

Langebaan, South Africa

Africa

1 cruise