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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.
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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.
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.
We were a group of 7 people and we stay at Marimba Secret Gardends for few days, the hosts were really friendly! They picked us up, they helped us organise the excursions to the islands and the food was excellent! The bungalows and the area is very well done and equipped. I highly recommend few days in this place, it is truly magical!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
Room Tip:Bungalows are amazing!
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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.
Sam and Mike really do have a paradise there in the middle of nowhere ... next to Vilanculos. They offer everything you want from a relaxing beach holiday - and definitely more! It’s like staying with friends (but with the perfect amount of privacy). The casitas are simply amazing, the food is just delicious and they organize snorkelling-trips to wonderful Bazaruto! What I liked most where all the little beautiful details in the garden, in the rooms, even on the (short) way to the beach! We had a wonderful time at this breathtaking place and recommend everyone who wants to stay at the beach in Mozambique to go there. Thank you so much, Sam and Mike! :)
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:The casitas are overwhelmingly beautiful and cosy!
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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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 2 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your beautiful review Julia. We really enjoyed having you both stay at Marimba. We hope to have you back at Marimba one day!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Heaven must be like this. Out near Paradise islands, in complete serenity lies Marimba gardens that has been infused with love by beautiful Samantha's. You can see her eye of detail and lovingly kept abode. She is a great company and makes you feel comfortable. I simply loved this place !
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2019Trip 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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 2 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your kind words. I will be sure to pass on thanks to all the staff that were involved in making your stay a memorable one. We hope to welcome you back to Marimba in the near future!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What an amazing experience it was to stay at Marimba Secret Gardens. We had the warmest welcome by Samantha and her staff. Her staff are all locals from neighboring villages, who are learning trades as they go. We felt part of the family while staying there and got to see the beautiful Bazaruto archipelago and enjoyed incredible fresh food. And, because we loved it so much, we extended our stay. For the ones looking for a beautiful location for a destination wedding, make sure to put this place on your list... paradise!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2019Trip 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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 2 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your kind words Sophie. It was an absolute pleasure having you both at Marimba and appreciated your company so much! Hope to see you again soon :)
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I rearranged my travel schedule in Mozambique to spend three nights at Marimba, based on a friend's recommendation, and I'm so happy I did. It's definitely in the middle of nowhere: a solid 40/50 min drive on a rough road from Vilankulo. If you're looking for a place with restaurants/attractions nearby or a lot of activities, this is NOT for you. But if you're looking for a charming, quiet spot out in nature that's perfect for reading, chilling, and relaxing, it's a great option. The new managers, Samantha and Mike, are super sweet and helpful, and they're doing a great job of renovating and keeping up the property. The casitas are quite simple and basic, but they're cozy and adorable. The landscaping is really interesting, and they're also building out the gardens. Food is reasonably-priced, fresh and tasty. The beach is a short, sweet little walk and is quite pretty, too. My only recommendation would be to change the blinds on the casita windows so you can let light into the room, but...that's pretty tiny. Great stay; would love to come back.…
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Date of stay: September 2019
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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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 11 Oct 2019
Hi Sara, Thank you so much for your feedback and kind words. We loved having you at Marimba Secret Gardens. Enjoy the rest of your travels and we hope to welcome you back again in the near future! Travel Safe x
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were supposed to stay there 3 days. But when you arrive at Marimba you just want to stay more. One hour after arriving we asked to stay one more day. And the day after we asked to stay another extra day, so 2 extra days! When you arrive in Marimba you feel a such a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that you just want to stay more! Mike, Sam and their team are wonderful people fully dedicated to their guests and with a and will stay in our memories. The restaurant is the best we did during our stay in Mozambique. You get great meals and for those who like seafood you can enjoy having every day a different fish depending on the catch of the day. If you care about shared bathrooms just don’t care! They are very clean and it is just a detail you forget quickly when you are in such an idyllic place. Picture 1:Marimba Secret Gardens Picture 2:Ocean from Marimba Secret Gardens beach…
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip 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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 25 Sept 2019
Hi Gaultier, Thank you so much for your fantastic review! :) We absolutely loved having you both stay at Marimba and are so glad you ended up staying the extra days with us. Will definitely pass on the kind words to our staff and the chef in the kitchen. We hope to welcome you back to Marimba Secret Gardens one day!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had a great time at Marimba secret gardens. The off the beaten track location makes it a unique place to explore the Vilanculos and Bazaruto archipelago. The hosts are very friendly and made us feel at home immediately. The place looks very idillic and romantic, with good facilities and camp fire every night. The almost " private" beach is just a few minutes away by foot with a great ocean view overlooking the Bazaruto archipelago. Excursions to the Bazaruto islands were arranged for us with a pick up at the beach of Marimba. We would definitely recommend staying at Marimba secret gardens, for us it was an unforgettable experience!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2019Trip 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.
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Response from samanthastew11, Manager at Marimba Secret Gardens
Responded 10 Sept 2019
Thank you so much for your kind words Christiaan. Was an absolute pleasure having you both at Marimba Secret Gardens and we hope to welcome you back again for one of your wedding anniversaries!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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