1. It’s possibly the most beautiful festival location in the world
Yeah, yeah. A bold claim to make – especially considering the natural wonder inherent in a Leeds Festival toilet block fire. But Malawi is a stunning southeast African country. And vast sea-like Lake Malawi – on the banks of which the festival usually takes place – is a truly magical destination. It was nicknamed ‘The Lake of Stars’ by Scottish explorer David Livingstone (the first Westerner to reach the sub-Saharan nation) because of the lights of the boats he saw on the water. Now, while you’re stood with your back to the main stage, warm sand under your feet, you can look across the lake and see more lights twinkling along the coastline of Madagascar.
Not a bad view, then. But it’s also the fest’s beachside setup which makes it something special. You'll drive to the event through a dusty, relatively empty landscape, before arriving at a site where – being staged within Sunbird Nkopola hotel complex – lush, watered lawns edge the sand. Festival-goers, and some workers, take naps beneath the trees. Wooden bars built on the beach serve cheap beers. A pretty even mix of Malawians and foreigners (mostly South Africans and Europeans) dive in and out of the lake through the hot days, while during the balmy nights the beach gets overtaken by dancing punters kicking up sand grains till morning.
Not a bad view, then. But it’s also the fest’s beachside setup which makes it something special. You'll drive to the event through a dusty, relatively empty landscape, before arriving at a site where – being staged within Sunbird Nkopola hotel complex – lush, watered lawns edge the sand. Festival-goers, and some workers, take naps beneath the trees. Wooden bars built on the beach serve cheap beers. A pretty even mix of Malawians and foreigners (mostly South Africans and Europeans) dive in and out of the lake through the hot days, while during the balmy nights the beach gets overtaken by dancing punters kicking up sand grains till morning.
