Monkey Bay

Monkey Bay is a deep sheltered inlet at the southern end of Lake Malawi and the home port of the Ilala, the passenger and cargo ferry that has worked the length of the lake since 1951; the boat is laid up and serviced here between circuits. The town around the harbour is a working place rather than a resort, with a market and boatyards, and Cape Maclear and the national park lie a short distance west.

What you actually see

• The Ilala's home port - the ferry's base and servicing point.
• The sheltered inlet - the deep bay the harbour is built in.
• The boatyards - the working repair and building yards on the shore.
• The Cape Maclear approach - the road west to the national park.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. The Ilala's schedule shifts constantly and should be checked locally. The town is busiest when the ferry is in.

Honest expectations

The Ilala runs late as a matter of routine and schedules are unreliable. The town is workaday with limited facilities. Bilharzia is present in the lake.

Nearby

Cape Maclear is west, and Mangochi is south.