Malawi

Malawi never shouts for attention, which is precisely why people fall for it. The centrepiece is the lake: an inland sea of clear, warm water scattered with islands, where you can kayak at dawn, snorkel among cichlids that exist nowhere else, and sleep in barefoot lodges a short walk from the water. The safari story here is one of Africa's great comebacks. Reserves like Majete and Liwonde have been restored and restocked, and now deliver proper Big Five game viewing without a queue of vehicles in sight. What ties it all together is the welcome. Malawians have a warmth that changes the temperature of a whole trip. Come for two weeks, mix lake and bush, and leave wondering why the world is not talking about this place.