Passport/Visa Requirements: Passports and visas are needed by Australian, Canadian, U.K. and U.S. citizens. Visa fees vary widely depending upon where they are issued. Enormous fines are levied against visitors who overstay their visas (about US$100 per day). Reconfirm travel-document requirements with your carrier before departure.
Population: 18,863,000.
Languages: Portuguese and a number of indigenous languages..
Predominant Religions: Animist, Islamic, Christian..
Time Zone: 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 258, country code; 1,Maputo city code; 3,Beira city code; 6,Nampula city code; 4,Quelimane city code; 23,Inhambane city code.
As of January 2007, Mozambique's only official currency is the new meticai. Pay attention when you exchage money and recieve change to avoid fraud.
Monday-Friday 7:30-11:15 am.
Tipping is not expected in Mozambique. But because of prolonged exposure to international aid workers and travelers, locals, especially in Maputo, have acquired a taste for tips. We suggest tipping around 10% in restaurants and taxis.
The best time to visit is May-October, when the days are warm and the nights are somewhat cooler (often requiring a sweater). The rest of the year it's warmer and rainier (though it generally doesn't rain hard or long enough to ruin a trip). The mountains in the west are always about 10 degrees F/5 C cooler than the rest of the country.
Maputo International Airport (MPM) is 5 mi/8 km northwest of the city. We suggest flying in from Johannesburg or Durban, South Africa. Internal flights, which are expensive, are frequently overbooked, delayed or cancelled.
Internal overland travel can still be risky because of occasional bandit attacks and forgotten land mines. Even within Maputo Province, it's advisable to travel only during the day. We suggest that first-time visitors take an escorted tour. Taxis are becoming more common in Maputo, and some even use meters. Expect a minimum charge of US$5 around town. Rental cars are available, but cars with drivers are recommended. Traffic moves on the left. Forget about public transport unless you wish to stand elbow-to-elbow in the back of a pickup truck.
Tourist Offices
Mozambique does not have tourist offices in Australia, Canada, the U.K. or the U.S. For more information, contact the nearest office of the South African Tourism Board.
Australia: Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA), Level 5, 68 Alfred St., Milsons Point, NSW 2061. Phone 612-9959-4277. Fax 612-9929-4544.
U.K.: South African Tourism Board, No. 5 & 6 Alt Grove, Wimbledon, London SW19 4DZ. Phone 0944-208-971-9350. Fax 0944-208-944-6705
U.S.: South African Tourism Board, 500 Fifth Ave., Suite 2040, New York, NY 10110. Phone 212-730-2929. Toll-free 800-222-5368. Fax 212-764-1980.
Mozambican Embassies
U.K.: Mozambique High Commission, 21 Fitzroy Square, London W1P 5HJ. Phone 20-7383-3800. Fax 20-7383-3801.
U.S.: Embassy of Mozambique, 1990 M St. N.W., Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036. Phone 202-293-7146. Fax 202-835-0245. http://www.embamoc-usa.org.
Mozambique does not have diplomatic representation in Australia or Canada.
Foreign Embassies in Mozambique
Australian Consulate, 95 Zedequias Manganhela Ave., Second Floor, Maputo. Phone 422-780. Fax 307-369.
Canadian High Commission, 1128 Julius Nyerere Ave., Maputo. Phone 492-623. Fax 492-667.
British High Commission, 310 Vladimir I. Lenine Ave., Maputo. Phone 420-111. Fax 421-666.
U.S. Embassy, 193 Kenneth Kaunda Ave., Maputo. Phone 492-797. Fax 490-114. http://www.usembassy-maputo.gov.mz.
A Complicated War: The Harrowing of Mozambique by William Finnegan (University of California Press) examines the roots of the country's lengthy civil war.
And Still They Dance: Women, War and the Struggle for Change in Mozambique by Stephanie Urdang (Monthly Review Press) investigates women’s roles in the war and their struggle for liberation.
Kalashnikovs and Zombie Cucumber: Travels in Mozambique by Nick Middleton (Kwela Books) is an inspiring travel memoir that covers everything from the colonial era to modern-day Mozambique.
With Both Hands Waving: A Journey Through Mozambique by Justin Fox (Vintage/Ebury) recounts the experiences of a team of South African journalists as they travel through Mozambique during the 1990s.
The Human Factor by Graham Greene (Everyman’s Library) is spy fiction at its best.
The best source of travel articles on Mozambique and information on tours to the country is Getaway, a travel magazine published in South Africa. http://www.getawaytoday.com.
