Traveling can be a lot like dating. You try hotel after hotel, until one day, everything just falls into place. For us, sea-blown Casa Babi strikes that perfect note. We could happily spend night after night here. The helpful French owners, both avid divers, have created a perfect marriage between homely relaxation and eco design. There’s a laid-back but quality restaurant, and lovely, good-value rooms kissed by sea spray and open to the ocean.

It’s worth checking the website for deals, since if you’re driving from Johannesburg, the owners will offer a discount in return for bringing up a few supplies. The on-site diving school, Odyssea, is a huge plus, running trustworthy, high-quality trips out to the reefs and beyond. If we were going to lose our diving virginity anywhere in Vilanculos, we’d choose Odyssea. There’s a plunge pool on site that’s great for first diving experiences as well as a refreshing morning swim.

The private restaurant has a menu scrawled on a huge blackboard. It changes daily and includes dishes such as crab quiche, coconut curries, and grilled fish with garlic and lemongrass. Healthy sandwiches can also be ordered for diving trips or other excursions. We loved the breakfast here, which was easy on the oil, and included delicious fresh fruit as well as hot options.

The rooms (from 90 Euros) are all about the ocean; the comfortable beds are dressed with soft white throws, and there’s tasteful driftwood sculptures on the walls. The bathrooms are simple but stylish, and the balcony doors can be flung open at night or day for a shot of sea air. In short, a night here is simple but blissful.