asamizademeans ‘friendship’ in Portuguese. We have
our own semi-equipped kitchen, indoor and outdoor
lounges, a 10m pool and a bath big enough to sleep in.
It’s a two-bedroom dream come true, and we swiftly turn
it into base camp, moving in along with the shoot’s entire
wardrobe.
I’m reluctant to leave my new sanctuary, but dinner
awaits. Our first meal takes place on the deck of the
Jellyfish restaurant, where we’re reunited with Pedro and
Raul, who encourage us to work our way through all four
courses on the tasting menu. Dinners at Azura Benguerra
Island range from informal ‘feet in the sand’ experiences
and secluded picnics, to dinner by candlelight beneath
the stars and feasting in the intimacy of your own villa.
Menus change daily based on available produce, so meals
are almost a Masterchef mystery-box challenge for head
chef Mika.
With happy tummies and a big day tomorrow, we
make our way back to our respective villas by torchlight
along paths of crushed shells, as bats take wing overhead.
I treat myself to a complimentary dose of Africology sleep
gel and set my alarm for 5am.
Shoot day one kicks off with hot-out-of-the-oven
pastries, yoghurt, muesli and freshly squeezed orange
juice delivered to our villa at 6am. Then it’s time to get
going – we have only five or so hours to work before
the sun gets too hot to handle. Right now though, the
tide is high and the sun is only just rising, its deep
orange rays illuminating Azura’s boats floating in the
distance. At one point, to get a particular angle, make-
up artist Kelly and I become a human stepladder for
Niquita and her camera – the things we do for the
perfect shot...
Day two finds us on a short drive to the southern end of
the island. En route, we pass through the local Benguerra120 MARIECLAIRE.CO.ZA JAN/FEB 2018
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR RIGHT
Model Laura poses for an aerial
shot; Azura’s infinity pools make
for the perfect spot to watch the
sun set; drones have changed the
photography game; Azura’s buildings
are designed to blend in with the
environment; make-up artist Kelly
gives model Tana a touch-up