Mozambique Things to See & Do Guide

Important marine sites include the Bazaruto Archipelago, Inhaca Island near Maputo, and Maputo Elephant Sanctuary, while Gorongoza Mountain (near Gorongoza National Park) and the forests north of Dondo are important forested sites in southern Mozambique.

Other game fish include tuna, wahoo, king mackerel, giant barracuda and kingfish. Saltwater fly-fishing has also taken off in Mozambique, especially around Bazaruto.

All local shops now accept Mozambican, South African and U.S. currency. The Interfranca complexes in the main cities are like department stores, selling everything from food to televisions to clothing.

Day 1—Arrive Maputo.

Day 2—Maputo.

Day 3—Fly to Bazaruto.

Day 4—Bazaruto.

Day 5—Take a dhow (Arab-style sailing boat) to Vilanculos and drive through Inhambane to Tofo.

Day 6—Tofo.

Day 7—Return to Maputo and depart Mozambique.

If you have more time, try to visit one of the parks or game reserves, or explore the islands of the Quirimba Archipelago or Mozambique Island.

About 35 mi/55 km off the mainland and 380 mi/610 km northeast of Maputo, the Bazaruto Archipelago consists of five islands: Bazaruto, Magaruque, Santa Carolina, Benguera (Benguerra) and Bangue.

In 1971, the Portuguese bestowed national-park status on the area to protect its fragile fauna. Small herds of red duiker antelope still roam the islands, carving out a precarious existence alongside freshwater crocodiles and samango monkeys. The choppy reefs are fertile breeding grounds for turtles, dolphins and dugongs.

To keep environmental damage to a minimum, visitors must stay at one of several private lodges, which offer excellent scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and sailing. The islands are covered by large sand dunes (the sand is so soft it squeaks beneath your feet) and freshwater lakes, which are nesting grounds for beautiful black-winged flamingos.

To get there, take one of the chartered flights from Maputo or South Africa, or go by dhow (Arab-style sailing boat) from the mainland towns of Vilanculos and Inhassoro.

Before the war, Beira, 450 mi/725 km northeast of Maputo, was a busy port filled with goods destined for Zimbabwe (both rail and road service run between Beira and Harare, Zimbabwe). The government's reconstruction efforts have been slow in reaching the city, which now lies in some disrepair.

Beira, among Mozambique's largest cities, still has good beaches (the farther north you go, the better they are) and adequate hotels, making it a jumping-off point for scuba divers and those interested in deep-sea fishing. There is very little of interest for tourists in Beira itself—one night is more than adequate.

This 2,500sq-mi / 4,000sq-km national park, 480 mi/775 km north of Maputo and whose boundaries enclose both coastal plains and mountains, was once home to a wide variety of animals. Unfortunately, it was heavily damaged during the civil war, when it was a rebel headquarters and was the scene of a number of government offensives. An estimated 95% of its animals were killed during the war, and although the park has reopened, wildlife volumes remain quite low. Decent facilities can be found at Chitengo Camp, which has recently been restored after being destroyed in the civil war. The park supports more than 500 bird species.

This former slave-trading center is part of the Quirimba Archipelago (the country's newest nature reserve) and is 1,000 mi/1,600 km northeast of Maputo. It is similar to Mozambique Island—full of decaying fortresses, palaces and villas—but the town is much smaller, more sprawling and sleepier. There are a few charter flights to Ibo; you can also get there by dhow from Tandanhangue or Pemba (Be sure to check a tide table if you go by dhow: The boats can only reach the islands around high tide.).

One of the first areas colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Inhambane, 220 mi/355 km northeast of Maputo, was once an important trading center. Today, however, it is little more than a sleepy provincial town.

Old buildings and cobblestoned streets provide faded colonial charm, as does the lovely 18th-century Catholic Church, but most travelers only stay a few hours before heading to the beautiful beaches of Tofo (Praia do Tofo) 14 mi/22 km east of town, and Barra (Praia do Barra), 12 mi/20 km north of town.

Running for more than 347 mi/560 km along the Rift Valley Floor approximately 800 mi/1,300 km north of Maputo, Lake Niassa (also known as Lake Malawi) forms part of the border between Mozambique and the nation of Malawi.

The world's ninth largest freshwater body, it offers fishing and various watersports and is known to ecologists for its remarkable piscine diversity, with more than 500 different species of endemic cichlid described to date.

There are only limited accommodations in the Mozambican towns along the lake, so we suggest seeing it from a Malawi town instead.

If you do visit it in Mozambique, ask locally about the presence of the bilharzia parasite in the lake—some areas are safe, some are not.

Accessible by 4x4 only, this 400-sq-mi/1,040-sq-km reserve lies 49 mi/79km south of Maputo and protects an estimated population of around 200 elephant and an incredible variety of birds. Much of its other wildlife, including a population of 65 white rhinos translocated from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi in South Africa, fell victim to the civil war.

It now forms part of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, together with the Lubombo Conservancy in Swaziland and Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa.

Previously known as Lourenco Marques, Maputo, Mozambique's economic, political and cultural capital, was hit hard by the war. Although no fighting occurred there, the city was overwhelmed by neglect. Before the war, Maputo had graceful, tree-lined streets, cafes, a good variety of restaurants, some nightlife and the colorful Central Market. Today, the city remains swollen with refugees and crumbling from a lack of resources to rebuild it. Nevertheless, there has been some progress in putting the place back together, and Maputo is slowly regaining its charm.

New nightclubs and restaurants have opened, with some even acquiring a certain trendiness. (There are so few nightspots, though, that you'll see the same faces everywhere you go.)

Maputo has a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere not found anywhere else in southern Africa, and visitors will come across once-beautiful Portuguese-style buildings. Other sights include the cathedral, the Alvaro Castro Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Revolution, the National Arts Museum and several interesting markets. The Polana, the city's old colonial hotel, has been returned to its former glory and—if you can't afford to stay there—is worth a visit just to take in the atmosphere.

The Marginal (pronounced mar-zhee-NAL) is a tree-lined boulevard along the coast, which leads to Costa do Sol (3 mi/5 km from the city center), a nice restaurant with a nightclub.

The better beaches are north of the city. Excursions can be made to Inhaca Island, visible from the mainland, to see its beaches, marine biology museum and nature reserve. There is only one hotel on the island, but camping is permitted in some places.

Just off the northern coast and linked to it by a motorable causeway, this historic island served as the Portuguese capital in East Africa from 1530 until it was usurped by Lourenco Marques (Maputo) in 1898, and it was more recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island is 800 mi/1,300 km northeast of the country's capital of Maputo.

Conveniently, most of the major sites are on the northern half of the island. These include the Palace of Sao Paolo (full of artifacts from the time when the island was home to numerous wealthy traders) and the Nossa Senhora do Baluarte chapel (the oldest standing European buildings in the Southern Hemisphere). The massive fort built with stone shipped from Portugal dates from the late 16th century, and several times was all that stood between the Portuguese and other European powers that attacked the island.

Be sure to leave some time to just stroll the streets: The island has a truly diverse population, giving it an atmosphere that's easier to absorb if you're not in a hurry.

Mozambique has a number of national parks and game reserves, including Niassa Reserve (on the Tanzanian border), Gile Reserve (in the coastal lowlands northeast of the Quelimane), Gorongosa National Park, Marromeu Reserve (in the Zambezi River delta southwest of Quelimane), Zinave National Park (on the Save River southwest of Beira) and Banhine National Park (north of Maputo).

Unfortunately, they were completely neglected during the war, and the large mammal population was severely depleted. Some parks and reserves have reopened, but others have not. Even the parks that are open can't provide the kind of accommodations, maps and guides that you'll find in other African countries such as Kenya or South Africa.

Still, the animals are there (though in relatively small numbers), and nature lovers and hunters will want to visit at least one park or reserve.

The good news is that a recent international initiative has been formed to establish a transfrontier conservation area across the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To be called the Limpopo Transfrontier Park, it links the Banhine National Park with the Kruger National Park in South Africa and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe.

Located in the far north of the country, this pretty town is situated at the tip of a peninsula enclosing an enormous natural harbor. Pemba was mostly untouched by the civil war and is well worth a visit for its craft markets, beaches and good diving offshore. 1,020 mi/1,650 km northeast of Maputo.

Set close to the border with the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal approximately 143 mi/ 230 km south of Maputo, this attractive beachside village is popular with South African divers and snorkelers who flock there during school holidays to see sharks, potato bass and other fascinating marine creatures. Outside of South African school holidays, it is a very peaceful spot.

Located near the Zambezi River delta, this port (pop. 160,000) was the center of a thriving agricultural area before the war. The Marromeu Game Reserve lies to the southwest, and the Gile Reserve is to the northeast. 670 mi/1,000 km northeast of Maputo.

Vilanculos is the jumping-off point for travelers bound for the Bazaruto Archipelago by dhow. Visitors will inevitably spend at least a day in the town waiting for the right winds to the islands or for the bus that heads south toward Maputo or north to Beira. It's a relaxing town with a curious old Portuguese hotel that makes the wait pleasurable, and there's a new airport building financed by aid money. 435 mi/700 km northeast of Maputo.

Once a favorite beach resort for South Africans, Xai-Xai (pronounced shy-shy) has fallen into neglect. Still, a beautiful beach, seaside hotel and nice campground make the town an agreeable stopover on the north-south road from Maputo. 140 mi/225 km northeast of Maputo.