Places in the countryside in Africa

Nkhotakhota has very little to offer, but since the Ilala ferry stops here travellers might find themselves passing through. The boat docks here on its northward journey late on Friday nights, arriving at Likoma Island Saturday afternoon and at Nkhata Bay early Sunday morning. Going south, the Ilala ferry comes by on Tuesday morning. It is worth noting that the boats ferrying people from the Ilala to the shore have to stop in chest-deep water, but Sitia Inn - located right next to the stretch of beach outside which the Ilala docks - can arrange boats to take passengers all the way to or from the shore. Be prepared to board in the dark, however bring a headtorch, and be careful when passing bags onto the ferry. There are a few shops and a small market for self-caterers on the main road, and buses going between Nkhata Bay and Lilongwe (via Salima) pass through here. The Nkhotakhota Pottery is located approximately 15 km south of town, and transport to the Ilala can be arranged from here as well.

A ride outside Nouakchott is a huge camel market. There are a few fenced areas near the road, but as you venture behind the buildings you find the proper camel market, which is massive. There seems to be a small gun auction too, where vintage riffel change hands.
You can walk around and take pictures of the camels as you like, but the blue daraas wearing men are not too keen on getting photographed.

Amtoudi is a Berber village located in a lush oasis surrounded by imposing cliffs. Further, several historical sites (watchtowers and rock carvings) are within walking distance from the village, which has put Amtoudi on the campervan circuit.

Morocco is spoiled for road trips, but some still stand out. The road P1000 (on Google maps), which leads to the cute oasis village of Askens, is one of them. The oasis is not like the tourist attraction Paradise Valley Agadir, for this is a real village in an oasis. But no reason to only pick one of them as they are located only 30 km apart passing some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in Morocco.

The oasis town of M'hamid is literally at the end of the road. However, you can continue along sandy tracks into the Sahara, which will pass the famous sand dunes of Erg Chigaga, and eventually lead to Foum Zguid. The town itself has plenty of tourist camps, touts and desert adventures on offer.

There are many surf spots between Agadir and Essaouira. The next one from Essaouira (when you go south) is Sidi Kaouki. There are a few hotels and a popular camping site, which seems to attract "van life" from all walks of life. The surf spot is along a rocky dirt track south of the long sandy beach.

Entre Lagos is one of those dusty border towns that are fun to have experienced, but not particularly fun to be at. It's a confusing mess of ramshackle houses, empty buildings and sandy lanes. The Mozambican immigration is at the railway (which is apparently not in use) and from there a dirt trail follows the rails to the Malawian immigration a couple of kilometres away. The view over the plains from the rails are spectacular and a stark contrast to the otherwise bleak border crossing. It is possible to sleep, eat and change money in Entre Lagos, but the first two will no doubt be an experience.

The area around Memba Bay is a hidden gem. The beaches are pristine and white, and there are plenty of little bays without a single other person in sight. Quaint fishing villages line the coast, and beyond the beach the land is dotted with baobabs and mango trees, lots of mango trees. In season, the mangos are literally everywhere. The coast is lined by coral reefs, so the diving and snorkelling is great, and humpback whales make their way into the bay during the winter half of the year. This is a wonderful place to simply sit back and let the time pass, or to explore the underwater world. It is also a good place to interact with the locals, or just to watch them go about their business - grilling cashew nuts, catching fish, collecting water and playing on the beach. It is surely only a matter of time until this part of Mozambique becomes more developed, so do yourself a favour and spend some time here as soon as you get the chance.

Central Mozambique doesn't usually get much attention from travellers, as most of the top attractions are either in the north or south. Zalala is right in the middle of Mozambique's very long coastline. It has a few things going for it; mainly that it boasts an absolutely enormous, flat beach. It cannot compare to the pristine white sands of the Bazaruto or Quirimbas, but here is the second advantage of Zalala: there is nothing else to attract travellers for hundreds of kilometres to either side of it. So when driving along the length of Mozambique, Zalala is probably your best bet for breaking up the trip. Aside from the beach (and activities like sea kayaking), the main attraction here is people watching, both on and off the beach. Skipping Zalala won't ruin your trip to Mozambique, but stopping here will break up a very long journey and might add some interesting insights into life in Mozambique.

The border crossing at Gembu - Banyo between Nigeria and Cameroon is really out of the way. It's located on the Mambilla Plateau, which rises up to about 2000 m above sea level. The road is a potholed dirt road, which passes several villages on the way (picture). Cows graze the otherwise mostly barren soft rolling hils which make up the plateau. Due to the high altitude it's nicely chilled up here.