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Beach on Lake Malawi

Travel guide · The lake of stars and the warm heart of Africa

Travelling to Malawi

Vast Lake Malawi with its colourful fish, freshwater beaches, the Zomba Plateau and the friendliest people in the region. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from April to November
  • Where to eat: a local restaurant or one by the lake
Photo: Joachim Huber from Switzerland · CC BY-SA 2.0

Malawi in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Malawi are from April to November.
  • To eat like a local: a local restaurant or one by the lake. Don’t leave without trying: Nsima, Chambo, Usipa.

Malawi in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Malawi. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Malawi

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Malawi are from April to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June · where to travel in July

  • from December to March

    Rainy season

    From December to March it rains heavily and some roads are cut off.

    What to do: The best time is May to October.

What to see in Malawi

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Lilongwe

    Lilongwe

    The capital, quiet and green, the starting point for the lake.

    • Old Town Market
    • Wildlife sanctuary
    • Kamuzu Mausoleum
    • Craft market
    Lilongwe guide
  • Lake Malawi

    Lake Malawi

    A lake like a sea, with sandy beaches, clear water and hundreds of colourful fish.

    • Nkhata Bay
    • Likoma
    • Senga Bay
    • Kayaking
    Lake Malawi guide
  • Blantyre

    Blantyre

    The commercial city, with a brick church and the Thyolo tea plantations nearby.

    • St Michael and All Angels Church
    • Thyolo tea plantations
    • Mount Mulanje
    • Mandala House
    Blantyre guide
  • Cape Maclear

    Cape Maclear

    A fishing village in the lake’s national park, with islands to kayak to.

    • Snorkelling with cichlids
    • Kayaking to Thumbi Island
    • Fishing village
    • Sunsets
    Cape Maclear guide
  • Zomba

    Zomba

    The old colonial capital, at the foot of a plateau with forests, waterfalls and viewpoints.

    • Zomba Plateau
    • Williams Falls
    • Zomba Market
    • Emperor’s View
    Zomba guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Lilongwe

From Lake Malawi

From Blantyre

From Cape Maclear

From Zomba

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What to eat in Malawi

To eat like a local: a local restaurant or one by the lake, and order nsima or chambo. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Nsima

    A maize porridge, the basis of everything.

  • Chambo

    Lake tilapia, chargrilled.

  • Usipa

    Small dried fish.

  • Ndiwo

    Greens with peanuts.

  • Kondowole

    A cassava dough.

  • Malawi tea

    From the Thyolo plantations.

The typical dish of Malawi, at home

Chambo with nsima
Photo: Michaelphoya · CC BY-SA 4.0

Chambo with nsima

The dish of Lake Malawi: chambo, a lake tilapia, chargrilled or fried, with nsima (maize porridge) and a tomato and onion sauce.

  • Serves 4
  • 50 min

Ingredients

  • 4 whole tilapia, cleaned (or sea bream)
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • Salt
  • Oil
  • 2 tomatoes and 1 onion
  • 1 chilli
  • 400 g white maize meal for the nsima

How to make it at home

  1. Score the fish, salt it and squeeze over some lemon.
  2. Chargrill or fry it until golden and crisp.
  3. For the sauce, fry the onion, tomato and chilli with a little water.
  4. Make the nsima: a porridge of maize meal in boiling water, then more meal, stirring, until firm.
  5. Serve the fish with the nsima and the sauce.

The trick: On the lakeshore it’s eaten with your hands.

Curious facts about Malawi

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It’s called “the warm heart of Africa” because of how friendly its people are.
  • Lake Malawi has more species of fish than any other lake in the world.
  • Livingstone called it “the lake of stars” because of the fishermen’s lamps.
  • Lake Malawi National Park is a World Heritage Site.
  • Chambo, a fish from the lake, is the star dish.
  • The lake covers a fifth of the country.

Traditions of Malawi

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • Gule wamkulu

    Chewa masked dance, part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

  • September or October Lake of Stars Festival

    Music by the lake.

  • 6 July Independence Day

    A national holiday.

  • Vimbuza

    A healing dance.

What not to do in Malawi

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t forget malaria prevention.
  • Don’t swim in areas with reeds: there may be bilharzia.
  • Don’t drive at night.
  • Don’t photograph people without permission.
  • Don’t rely on cards alone: there are few cash machines outside the cities.
  • Don’t take photos of official buildings.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Malawi

What people search for most before travelling to Malawi.

What’s the best time to travel to Malawi?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Malawi are from April to November.

What to see in Malawi in a week?

The essentials of Malawi: Lilongwe, Lake Malawi, Blantyre, Cape Maclear and Zomba. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Malawi?

Nsima, Chambo, Usipa, Ndiwo, Kondowole, Malawi tea. To eat like a local: a local restaurant or one by the lake.

What is the typical dish of Malawi?

Chambo with nsima. The dish of Lake Malawi: chambo, a lake tilapia, chargrilled or fried, with nsima (maize porridge) and a tomato and onion sauce.

What should you not do in Malawi?

Don’t forget malaria prevention. Don’t swim in areas with reeds: there may be bilharzia. Don’t drive at night.

Is it worth travelling to Malawi in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Malawi. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Joachim Huber from Switzerland (CC BY-SA 2.0). Lilongwe, Brian Dell (Public domain). Lake Malawi, Dhumiwiki (CC BY-SA 4.0). Blantyre, SMuyila (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cape Maclear, Hans Hillewaert (CC BY-SA 4.0). Zomba, Lix from german Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).