Survival Guide 2012

Cabo Delgado

Maputo

Inhambane

Inhambane Maputo Manica

Nampula

Niassa

Sofala Tete

Cabo Delgado Gaza Inhambane Manica Maputo (city) Maputo Nampula Niassa Sofala Tete Zambezia

Provincies

Zambezia

Provinces

Provinces

Cabo Delgado

Cabo Delgado
Cabo Delgado is the north-eastern province of Mozambique. Translating approximately as Cape Thin, the province is bordered by Tanzania to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, Mozambique's Nampula province to the south and its Niassa province to the west. Although Pemba receives a fair amount of tourism, most of which arrives by air, Cabo Delgado is one of the least visited provinces in Mozambique. Despite this, it has an impressive array of attractions, most of which are along or just off its approximately 300km of coastline. The Makua are the main ethnic group of the Cabo Delgado province and Makonde are known as artists, particularly for their wood and ivory carvings. The city of Pemba, located on the large bay of the same Pemba, has little industrial activity and thus its natural beauty has been preserved and its beautiful beaches are untouched by pollution e.g. Praia do Wimbe is a palm-lined beach with white sand and blue clear waters. The old town contains several traditional markets where you can admire the silversmiths at work on their verandas. These craftsmen transform coins into silver necklaces, bracelets and ear-rings. If you walk around Pemba you'll notice the local women walking around with white paste on their face. This is nothing more than a skin-softening mask just like those worn by Western women. The only difference is that Makua women don't hide theirs and have become well known for this practice. Ibo Island is a beautiful island and part of the idyllic Quirimbas Archipelago. In historic times, it was an important Portuguese trade post. To visit the island you can hire a boat in Pemba for the crossing.

Gaza
Gaza is one of the most remote and inaccessible (and dry) parts of Mozambique, with relatively little to offer tourists beyond its short coastline. It is known as the granary of Mozambique because of the fertility of the Limpopo valley where there is extensive cereal and rice cultivation. Portuguese is the most prevalent official language in Gaza, an inheritance from the countrys colonial past, but most of the regions population cannot read nor speak it. The capital city, Xai-Xai (pronounced shy-shy) is the greatest attraction, due to its lovely beaches. Located just 224 km from Maputo and the nearby beach (10km) is a popular tourist destination. There are several Hotels and restaurants in the town, however, the majority of tourists prefer to stay at the beach, Praia do Xai Xai. It is a place for holidays or simply for relaxing weekends as it offers well equipped tourist complexes. About 145 km north of Maputo (EN 1) is the small town of Macia which is the turning for Bilene, some 30 km further. Bilene lies on the shore of a huge, 27km long lagoon of clear, brackish water and fine, white sand. Further attraction is The Banhine National Park, situated between the Limpopo and Changane rivers, is an important area, protected due to its rich variety of wildlife.

Survival Guide 2012

Survival Guide 2012

Gaza

Provinces

Provinces

Inhambane

Inhambane
Inhamban is the most developed Province of Mozambique in terms of the tourism industry and its characterised extensive of coconut palms and cashew trees. It is considered as perhaps one of the best quality tourist region in Mozambique. The towns of Vilanculo and Inhambane are beautiful and alluring, and the most popular tourist destinations in Inhambane Province. History is ubiquitous with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception which is an old and imposing church in the town of Inhambane, with a fine clock tower which was built by the Portuguese about 200 years ago. There are various luxurious hotels on the islands, and to reach the islands it is possible to hire a boat locally, or to travel by air from Maputo and Beira or to fly directly from a neighbouring country via Vilanculos where there are immigration and customs services. This province has innumerable famous beaches, amongst which are: Praia de Zavala (11 km from Quissico), Praia de Zvora (85 km south of Inhambane), Baa dos Cocos (Coconut Bay) and Praia do Tofo (22 km east of Inhambane), Praia da Barra (20 km north of Inhambane) and Pomene (174 km north of Inhambane).

Inhambane

This province has one of the most famous tourist destinations of the country; the Bazaruto archipelago. The Bazaruto Archipelago consists of four islands (Bazaruto, Benguera, Magaruque and Santa Carolina). They are situated off mainland between Vilanculos and Inhassoro (780 km from Maputo). Its long and idyllic coastline is home to a sequence of low-key resorts that only fill up during the South African school holidays and are practically empty for the rest of the year. The province is a great place to enjoy the beach and ocean: snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving and sun worshipping are the orders of the day, along with bird watching for enthusiasts Apart from the excellent beaches stretching all along the cost, and the famous tourist destination the Archipelago of Bazaruto, the interior holds natural parks where various species of wildlife can be observed. Zinave National Park and Bazaruto National Park are conservation areas.

VILANCULOS - Vilanculos is a district of Inhambane province, located at 780 km from Maputo. Is has a good urban centre, worth a visit! To arrive there you can go by land, through EN 1 or by plane, because this district has an airport, which receives regular flights and charter flight from Maputo and South Africa. Against this locality extends the National Bazaruto Archipelago, 780 kilometres from Maputo. This archipelago is made up of 4 islands as mentioned above. A tourist Map below gives an overview of some of the local attractions.

Survival Guide 2012

Survival Guide 2012

Inhambane

Provinces

Provinces

Manica
Manica is one of Mozambiques ten provinces. The province is an important producer of a wide range of fruits and vegetables. Its a narrow strip on the western side of the country, just south of the curiously positioned Tete Province, which pokes northwest from the main stretch of the Mozambique. Although not of great interest to travellers, the inland Manica Province and its coastal adjacent Sofala Province are of great strategic and historical importance to Mozambique. They are connected by the Beira corridor between Mutare in Zimbabwe and the port of Beira on the Indian Ocean, which was important to the Swahili gold trade in medieval times and continues to be important to modern trade. Chimoio, the capital city of Manica Province, is an important commercial centre for the trade of agricultural products which comes in from the surrounding fertile areas. Cabea do Velho (Face of the Old Man) - the most well known feature of the city is a spectacular natural stone formation resembling the face of an old man. Chicamba Real is a hydroelectric dam between Manica and Chimoio. It is uniquely situated with the sheared off rock forming a natural V-shape to house the dam. About 45 km from Chimoio towards the Machipanda border there is a sign for Casa Msika, a tourist resort on the edge of Lake Chicamba with chalets, a campsite and a pool. This is the ideal place for a fisherman or an ardent bird watcher. Visitors are also invited to visit the crocodile farm nearby. Mozambiques capital city is called Maputo (previously known as Delagoa Bay - Baa do Esprito Santo). It shares borders with South Africa and Swaziland and is very accessible not only by road via South Africa and Swaziland but by Air and Rail. The city became firmly established when the central authority was transferred here in 1898, it was also a major outlet for the gold fields of South Africa especially once a railway line was constructed. Prior to the 1970s and 1980s, Maputo was one of the most glamorous places to be in Africa where a mix of Portuguese and African culture attracted visitors from all over the world who wanted to enjoy freedom with beauty and fun rolled into one place. It was and is a beautiful and exotic destination with an impressive skyline. Neglect set in during the war years and the city fell into disrepair. In the last few years renovation works, new developments have started that marks the beginning of a new era. Maputo has lilac jacaranda trees, lined avenues, a variety of interesting historical and scenic spots, local restaurants serve wonderful fresh seafood and cold beer with cuisines from all over the world while enjoying the beauty of the Bay . The Bay of Maputo, together with the river Incomati and Maputo define the limits of the capital. Xefina Island, the Old prison Island holds deep stories and can be viewed clearly from the shore. The bay has a long beach that does get busy in the summer but is ideal for collecting pansy shells or walking your dogs. Maputo has exploded with boutiques, art shops and boasts modern shopping centres such as Game, MBS, Polana Shopping centres and much more. Other attractions of this Mozambican province is Inhaca Island - popular for diving and snorkelling, and ofcourse Portuguese Island that rest off Inhaca Island and is a maginificant unspoilt paradise. Snorkelling is a must or a walk

Survival Guide 2012

Survival Guide 2012

Maputo

Manica

Province

Province

Maputo

to the in land lagoons to cool off is a memorable experience. Further south is the Maputo Elephant Reserve, and about a 2 hour drive in 4x4 only from Maputo is Ponta do Ouro a very popular diving and snorkelling spot with beautiful beaches. The beaches near Ponte the abbreviated name host some of the top lodges visited by royalty and top celebrities. Marine life is rich with tropical fish, and dolphins which can be viewed and if you join the dolphin expeditions can swim with them. There are many historic landmarks to see in Maputo and a good place to start is the Praca de Independencia, also worth visiting are the Central Railway Station, Tunduru Gardens, the Art Museum and the Museum of the Revolution.

Nampula Province was officially called Moambique during the days of Portuguese colonial rule. When the country gained independence, Mozambique was adopted as its new name and so the province was renamed after its capital, Nampula. This province is located in the upper regions of Mozambique with rugged mountains and Miombo forest. The capital city, also named Nampula, is located inland on the plains near Mozambique Islands that have popular beaches and was the Capital of Portuguese East Africa but only until 1898. After that the capital was moved to Lourenzo Marques, now Maputo. The Province of Nampula has some of the most surprisingly beautiful landscapes in the country. Among the places of interest are the Port of Nacala, one of the most important in Africa. Mozambique Island has a long and fascinating history that is so important and incredible that so many people are unaware of its history in slave trade, trade in spices and gold for hundreds of years, the older section was declared a World Heritage Site in 1992. Here there are buildings constructed out of coral though now not as pristine as they once were - places of interest include: St. Pauls Palace, The Museum of Sacred Art and also The Fortress of St Sebastian. This is the third largest town in Mozambique and is quite modern with banks, hotels, tennis clubs, supermarkets and shops. Although not really a designated tourist area there are a lot of places that are worth a visit like a museum, mosques and interesting cathedrals such as the imposing Cathedral de Nosa Senhora da Conceicao.

Nampula

Survival Guide 2012

Survival Guide 2012

Nampula