Boats of all sizes are available on Lake Malawi, offering simple individual hire, short pleasure trips or full cruises lasting some days. Hire is possible of everything from pedalos and canoes to outboard dinghies and sailing boats.

Kayaking is proving increasingly popular, particularly in the Lake Malawi National Park. Sea-going kayaks are used to paddle to luxury eco-camps on two deserted islands in the park (Mumbo and Domwe). Canoe expeditions are also on offer at Nkwichi Lodge in the Manda Wilderness Community Reserve.

The tide- and current-free waters make for good sailing. The highlight of the sailing calendar is the Lake Malawi Yachting Marathon every July. This international event consists of a series of daily stages, beginning in the south, and ending some eight days and 560 kilometres (350 miles) later in the north.

For a simple organised pleasure trip of up to a few hours there is a choice of destinations - places of interest along the shore, or small islands just offshore. Traditional wooden fishing boats or modern fibreglass speed boats are available. There can be minimum or maximum numbers for these excursions and some include snorkelling or fishing along the way.

If only one pleasure trip is to be taken, it should be out to the Lake Malawi National Park. Brightly coloured fish are easily visible through the crystal clear water, and are eager to swarm round, and feed from, any hand placed in the water holding a piece of bread or biscuit.

Leisurely cruises on larger boats can also be arranged from the main hotels - to last hours or days. Though there are scheduled trips by motor launch, the more interesting are again the sailing cruises. Catamarans can be chartered, complete with skipper. Daytime cruising can be complemented by diving, snorkelling or swimming and overnight beach camping.

A new ocean-going catamaran is now operated by Danforth Yachting. From their guest house at Cape Maclear in the Lake Malawi National Park, everything from a sunset cruise to a full tour of Lake Malawi is offered aboard the Mufasa, which sleeps up to eight guests.

Perhaps the ultimate journey on the lake is on the Ilala, a large motorised vessel offering a scheduled ferry service up and down the lake. This is a functional ship much used by local people, but also offers passage and cabin accommodation to tourists. Bookings can be made through the local Tour & Safari Companies

Boat trips are also offered along the upper part of the River Shire, particularly through Liwonde National Park. These are primarily for game viewing and can be extremely successful in this regard as many animals are unperturbed by objects on the water. Boats set out from Liwonde township, heading north, but also from Lake Malawi heading south. Based at Club Makokola, the mv Sunbird is a 22m cruiser which sails along Lake Malawi, past Mangochi, and through Lake Malombe before entering the River Shire in Liwonde National Park.