On the front of a breezy, palm-lined dune this spacious, airy, beautifully-crafted, rustic on the outside, well-equipped within wooden house has spectacular views over Barra Beach. Made from local materials, the house blends into the surrounds. Inside it's excellently kitted with ironwood floors, a well equipped kitchen, comfortable mattresses, mosquito nets and bedding. Sea breezes keep it cool and surprisingly mosquito-free, even in mid-summer. Has to be seen to be breathed and believed. This is a spectacularly situated large, airy, spacious house, beautifully constructed by Etna and Renaud Booysen (who lectures in plumbing and electrical matters). Sturdily-built from ironwood, local materials and grass thatch, it has survived a few cyclones unscathed. Rustic on the outside but well-equipped and comfortable within, it sits atop a palm tree-lined dune, reached via the Rua da Farol (Lighthouse Road), a 4x4 road through pretty local homesteads that turns off from the main road, just before Barra. (PLEASE NOTE: Our electricity is Pay-as-You-Go - we ask guests to top up on arrival and as they need.) The views from this property on the front of the dune over Barra Beach are heavenly (celestial in Portuguese). Stargazing at night on the front soft-sand "beach", braai and deckchair area of the clear Mozambican night is breathtaking. In the day, the aqua blue tropical waters, main reef just a few hundred metres off the beach, fishing boats directly below, Inhambane estuary and mouth and the country's endless north coast stretching into the haze are as spectacular. Placed high on the dune, but still just 170-metres walk down a path to the beach, the house enjoys sea breezes that make it surprisingly cool and with few mosquitos, even in mid-summer. A central high-roof, open plan living area and excellently-kitted kitchen (including quality cutlery, glasses, pans and pots, microwave, fridge, ice machine (!), kettle, Moulinex blender, wall-mounted mixer, built-in gas stove and cupboards) includes a Rhodesian teak bar counter with bar stools. The water is filtered and crystal tasty and drinkable. The kitchen opens to the long front, wraparound veranda with amazing views - each point of this house has remarkable views - with front breakfast tables and benches, and comfortable low ironwood chairs. The ironwood floors add to the cooling effect, including in the two spacious, elegant front-facing main rooms on either side of the kitchen/living area, from which one can enjoy the view of the beach through French doors without leaving one's double/queen bed, each of which has a non-claustrophobic "rail-design" mosquito net. Each main room has walk-in cupboard and large en-suite bathroom (shower, basin, toilet). The spacious, airy upstairs rooms (reached by outside staircases) have spectacular side views of their own from their balconies - one has two single beds which can be joined, the other three singles. This house is our dream home we have recently acquired and feel is too much of a hidden gem to have kept to ourselves. Please enjoy it - it is beautiful and spectacularly located. PLEASE NOTE: One important request and house rule we make is that guests burn only coal fires, with the grid down, in the braai. Absolutely no wood fires! Both the cottage and house are made of wood, reeds and grass, and an ember can burn them down. We thank you for your understanding on this. Please be careful with any flammables, and treat is as you would your own. The Lighthouse Road (Rua da Farol) runs along the back, top of the dune next to the beach to the old, famous lighthouse at the point, which is about a 600-metre walk away on the beach or road. There are restaurants to sample all along the the beach below. Local fish, prawn, calamari, clam and crayfish catches will be brought to your door to negotiate a sale, and Sarah can daily bring fresh fruit, vegetables and Portuguese rolls. For those without 4x4s, there is a rental service in both Tofo (20min) away, and Barra. Contact us for pricing and details. Our minority shareholder Luis and his family will welcome you, briefly clean each day, give advice on Dhow trips to Pansy Island in the Inhambane estuary, where to shop, who to buy fish from, and make your stay more comfortable. Should you require more than the quick daily clean-up, or want your clothes washed (which is not included), negotiate a further price with him. He can arrange local sim cards and data, at a nominal fee to himself. Barra Reef Divers is the local dive company/school and there are multiple dive companies in Tofo. Manta Reef, a world famous dive site, is in Barra Bay. There is a deep see fishing charter company at the bottom of the dune, within a 300-metre walk. On the property we also have a very cute, comfortable, 2-person cottage for rent, under the listing "Chalé Vista Celestial". Look for it under Hildegard's "Listings", or search Barra's listings for it, or if you can't find it, message Hildegard and we will send you a link.