African adventure; It was ravaged by war but now the African state of Mozambique is undergoing a remarkable transformation. NEIL BONNER reports from the front line of green tourism.

Byline: NEIL BONNER

ACIVIL war that raged for 15 blood-soaked years, coupled with devastating floods, condemned Mozambique to the Z-list of holiday destinations.

But now the African state - situated opposite the island of Madagascar on the south-east coast - is fighting back.

Having shed the shadows of its recent past, the country has re-awoken to discover it has some of the best natural resources in the world and has the potential to become a magnet for international tourism.

The early seeds of regeneration are already beginning to bear fruit and tourism chiefs are working flat out to maximise its appeal. And, happily, they are going about it with a considered approach.

So this surprisingly beautiful part of the world is unlikely to become an African Costa del Sol, with apartments blighting every hillside.

Instead, the government is pursuing a green agenda which should see sustainable tourist development evolving without destroying the country's natural charms - and it has many.

Take its multitude of islands, for instance, such as Bazaruto, which is situated within a marine national park. It's not the most easily accessible of places - it took us two flights - but the views from the skies are breathtaking and when you finally land on the tiny airfield, you have a sense of setting foot somewhere really special.

As you walk across the white sands that lead you temptingly down to the blue waters of the Indian Ocean, it's like being on your own Robinson Crusoe island.

"You could walk along the beach for the next 30 miles and you wouldn't see a soul," says our host at the delightful Bazaruto Lodge.

Here, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: the solitude of the sea, coupled with the lodge's 21st century comforts.

Equally enjoyable was the night we spent at Indigo Bay Island Resort, recently voted one of the best spas in the world.

With stunning views across the Indian Ocean, it's the perfect setting for a wide range of watersports, as well as for relaxation and personal pampering.

In fact, Mozambique - ruled for many years by the Portuguese, whose language still dominates - has countless pristine beaches and the authorities insist that they will stay that way.

For their part, hotel owners, while encouraging guests to explore the beautiful coral reefs, impressive sand dunes and crocodile-infested freshwater lakes, are playing their part by ensuring that visitors do not damage any of the flora and fauna.

And at Indigo Bay, the management adds a voluntary surcharge to guests' bills - matched by the resort itself - to help provide educational aids for local children.

Away from the coast, nowhere is the sense of Mozambique's new beginning more stark than at one of its most treasured possessions - the Gorongosa national park.

Wilderness This 4,000 square kilometre stretch of diverse wilderness in central Mozambique was once mentioned in the same breath as its illustrious neighbour the Kruger national park, over the border in South Africa. It boasted a fantastic number of wild animals.

Sadly, Gorongosa became one of the victims of the war. As battles raged until 1992, its once abundant wildlife stock was all but wiped out. Where not long ago there were 400 lions roaming free, today there are just 40. During our stay at the park's comfortable Chitengo camp, we had hoped to see elephant on one of our safaris. Sadly, we were out of luck. Zebra, too, are now down to a rarely-seen handful.

But while this is a sad state of affairs, there is hope on the horizon, due in no small part to an American millionaire by the name of Greg Carr.

Over dinner at the attractive lodge restaurant, he told me how he is ploughing a considerable amount of his personal wealth into bringing the park back to life. A wildlife restocking programme is already underway, along with tourist facilities that will include a state of the art visitor centre.

But Carr doesn't want to spoil the uniqueness of the region.

"What we don't want to do is to Disney-fy it," he drawls. "And we definitely don't want Tarmac roads."

The rebirth of Gorongosa is fascinating and has now attracted the attention of TV's Discovery Channel, which will be documenting its phoenix-like revival with a major documentary narrated by Ewan McGregor.

Even today, while you are unlikely to spot any of the big boys virtually guaranteed at some other wildlife reserves, it's still an enchanting place and teeming with interesting - if less exciting - animals, such as baboons, a wide variety of deer, beautiful birds and a fascinating eco-system.

Everywhere, the talk is of green tourism.

And for the ultimate green safari experience, try a couple of nights with Explore Gorongosa.

In a section of the park enthusiastic husband and wife Rob and Jos have set up camp in a way that would delight even the choosiest eco-tourist.

While the tented rooms are superbly clean and comfortable (you even get a chocolate on your pillow at night) you won't be leaving behind a carbon footprint.

Take the shower, for instance.

The water is placed in a container suspended in a tree.

Pull a cord and there's your shower! Before leaving Mozambique we took in some of the sights its pleasant capital, Maputo. Tours can include visits to local schools, where the excited children give Western visitors an enthusiastic welcome.

If you like to be a trailblazer, rather than travelling to established tourist destinations, Mozambique is well worth considering. Its travel industry may be in its infancy but it's growing fast. Hopefully, it will continue to avoid the disasters of other, less carefully planned, hotspots elsewhere in the world.

Now that really would mean a new lease of life.

fact file l A two-week trip to Mozambique can be arranged through Bailey Robinson. Call 01488 689700 or click www.baileyrobinson.

com. l It includes two nights at the Southern Sun Hotel Maputo, three nights at Chitengo Camp, two nights at Explore Gorongosa, three nights at Pestana Bazaruto and two nights at Indigo Bay.

l The price is from pounds 3,325 per person, based on two sharing. This includes international flights with TAP Air Portugal (via Lisbon), internal flights, road transfers, safari activities and some watersports at the Bazaruto island resorts.

l For further information call the Mozambique Embassy in London on 020 7383 3800.