The traditional wooden dhow is the working vessel of the Mozambican coast, and Vilanculos is one of the best places in southern Africa to experience sailing in one. Local operators run dhow trips across the bay to the closer islands and sandbanks, usually combining sailing with snorkelling and a fresh seafood lunch prepared on a beach.
A full-day dhow trip to the sandbanks at low tide — when wide, firm flats emerge from the bay and the water turns luminous blue-green around them — is one of the genuinely memorable experiences on the East African coast. The trips are unhurried and depend on wind and tide; this is not a tourist product but functional sailing with fishermen who actually know these waters.