Malawi is a beautiful small country in southeastern Africa and a great destination if you want some off-the-beaten-path variety when you travel.
Two small wildlife parks in the south – Liwonde and Majete – are relatively accessible and should satisfy your safari fantasies. At Liwonde you can take a boat safari for a unique experience. At Majete the “Big Five” animals have been reintroduced so successfully that whole elephant herds have had to be moved to another park Nkhotakota further north.
My favorite wildlife park though is in the far north: Nyika. There you'll see zebras and a range of antelope and bird species among gorgeous rolling hills that resemble the Scottish Highlands. While you're in the north stop by the charming town of Livingstonia to get a taste of Malawi's English colonial history.
Lake Malawi lined with white-sand beaches is Malawi's other major attraction. The third largest lake in Africa its deep clear water is safe for swimming. Go snorkeling to see the colorful mouth-breeding cichlids that live nowhere else or enjoy a range of other watersports.
A poor country Malawi is relatively unknown to Western tourism and has huge potential. Infrastructure can be substandard but the beauty of its landscapes and its interesting cultures more than make up for that.