About 50 km from Mzuzu, lies Nkhata Bay. This is Malawi's most scenic lakeside town. It is difficult to imagine that this beautiful town is not somewhere on the Indian Ocean: there are beautiful stretches of white, sandy beaches lapped by the gentle waves of Lake Malawi. The Bay is actually a number of small bays, with winding dirt roads connecting them, and at each bay there are a number of different restaurants and hotels to give them all a very different feel.

It is the northern rival of Cape Maclear as a great backpacker’s destination, with bays and beaches, hostel accommodation, a bustling market and good opportunities for kayaking and scuba diving. The Lake Malawi steamer also stops of here, and it is a busy fishing port with an interesting market full of fresh fish and vegetables. Lazy days can be spent lying on the beaches, and young traders will bring their wooden carved wares to you for bargaining.