Mozambique
The information below is provided by Lonely Planet readers and is not verified by Lonely Planet. For the official lowdown, contact your nearest embassy or check out our Travel Links.
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
Thirty day visas are available to buy on arrival at Maputo airport. You can pay in US dollars or SA rand. The price is US$25; the rand equivalent makes the price slightly cheaper. Note: three month multiple entry visa does mean you still have to leave the country and come back in on a monthly basis. It may therefore be easier to get a one month visa and keep renewing it, although there is a different set of problems with this as outlined below - but then nothing's ever simple in Mozambique.
Visa extensions can be difficult and expensive to get outside the capital. Although getting an extension involves filling in a simple form and obtaining one signature and one rubber stamp, back logs, absence of the only person who can sign your passport and corrupt staff means extending your visa can be the most time consuming and arduous process you have to deal with in Mozambique. Outside Maputo allow seven days to get your visa, to be safe. Visa prices differ from Mtc 200,000 in Maputo to Mtc 250,000 in Beira and rise up to Mtc 720,000 at Vilankulo airport. These prices may vary a little bit depending on who serves you at the counter. It's best to ask locals and other travellers what you should expect to pay before you go to the migracao office, so you don't pay an inflated price.
Ami Baker, UK (Oct 03)
Now it's possible to get Mozambique visas at the border (we paid US$25). Travelling by bus from South Africa, it's possible to buy a ticket to Maputo even if your passport has no visa. In this case, at the border the bus will wait for the completion of the procedures for your visa. Sometimes it may be a time-consuming task (although we completed everything in half an hour), so some bus companies don't sell you any ticket unless your passport has a valid visa BEFORE the start of the journey.
Francesco Catalano, Italy (Sep 03)
When crossing the Mozambique border, if you have Mozambique meticais or South African rand, do not let on that you also have US dollars, or else they will make you pay all your fees in dollars, which is much more expensive!
Denise Warner, Germany (Mar 03)
It is now possible to get Mozambique visas at the border. It takes about ten minutes and costs US$15 take some South African rand with you because the stamping fee is 10 rand or US$5.
Alastair Womack, UK (Feb 03)
We entered Mozambique easily from Malawi by car via the Tete corridor. To bring a car into the country you do need to buy insurance (US$15) at the border as well as a temporary import permit which is issued for free. It is also worth getting your visa before you get to the border as you will have to pay US$10 - US$20 more for one at the border. These visas are issued in Blantyre at the Mozambique embassy and can take up to a week, so plan ahead.
Anon, UK (Jan 03)
Travel Tips
It seems that ATM's work rarely and if you wish to draw money use "Bank Astral" which works with VISA only. We tried seven banks and this was the only one that finally spat out money. Also, don't even think about cashing any type of traveller's cheques in Mozambique. We entered one fancy hotel thinking we'd get lucky and they assured us they could change our traveller's cheques however, they had no cash to do so! Be aware that Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya accept US dollars, however they must be bills issued post 1996 with the large president heads on the bills. They will not accept the older bills no matter what.
Christine Ingemorsen, Canada (Feb 05)
While most Mozambicans seem to use small denomination coins and notes, as a foreigner you always seem to end up with Mtc 100,000 notes. No one ever seems to have change for these. As a result you can either purchase something or end up paying way over the odds. Try to get small denomination notes from banks or tourist bars. Once you have these, hoard them.
Most Mozambicans are honest and friendly people; however, they are very poor, so you can't blame them for wanting to get the best end of a deal with a perceived rich foreigner. As a result it is very common for people not to give you some, or all, of your change. You are especially vulnerable to this when buying stuff through bus windows. Always do as the locals do; therefore, negotiate a price, take hold of the goods, show the vendor the money you are going to pay with but don't hand it over until they hand over the change. Be aware that it might take 5 minutes for them to get you change. Be patient - and don't unlike two English girls did - complain that the money is too grubby for you to accept, when you do get it! If you do meet someone with the intention of ripping you off, 9 times out of 10 it will be a chapa driver. Always ask around the locals for the real price of the journey, where the drivers can't hear you. It's worth learning the Portuguese for how much: Quanto custa?
Ami Baker, UK (Oct 03)
Beware of the police. They are definitely your worst enemy! We got fined twice: once for speeding (stick to the speed limits of 80 then 60 km/h when crossing towns) and once for going up the road the wrong way. This time, we managed to bring the fine down.... equivalent of bribing. Speaking with other people, it seemed that everybody had the same problem. Some got away by "donating" cans of coca-cola, or smaller amounts of money. Very frustrating and unsettling.
Unleaded petrol is difficult to find away from Maputo. One place in Xai-Xai sometimes has stock. But no unleaded is available in Inhambane or around. In this case, the only solution is to fill the tank with leaded.
Magali Malherbe, South Africa (May 03)
The major problem we had in Mozambique was changing travellers cheques, as there are very few banks who are willing to change them and the ones that are often ask for your receipt slip that contains your cheque numbers. They also all seemed to charge US$20 for any transaction regardless of the amount. A visa card was the best option here as it is widely accepted in most cash machines. This was the only real way to get any local currency without having to pay excessive commission charges.
Anon, UK (Jan 03)
It is virtually impossible to change travellers cheques in Mozambique. Even in Maputo they actually run out of the local currency at the end of the month in the bureaus. Your best bet is to travel with US dollars in cash or with a visa card. There are plenty of ATM's in Maputo and cash advances are available elsewhere.
Nicole Smith, Australia (Jan 03)
Moving About
Inhambane, southern Mozambique, getting there and away by bus. There is a daily service back to Maputo. at 11 am, a bus from the north heads back to the capital. The bus arrives in Maputo at approximately 6 pm. I thought this would be a good thing to know if you don't want to get up too early to catch a bus back.Tip: Be there on time because the buses depart surprisingly on time. And you can choose a better place on the bus.
Maybe it is also good to know that when you miss a bus, you can get a lift to the 'junta' terminal. That is the first stop every bus makes no matter where it's going. There you probably can get on the bus you missed. I could get a ride on an empty bus heading for junta. Maybe I was lucky, maybe they will take you there anyway.
Paul Spaans, Netherlands (Jan 02)
Scams & Warnings
The Cuamba to Nampula train is rife with pickpockets. It is especially risky when all the passengers are disembarking.
Bobby Russell, UK (Dec 02)
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