personal evaluation after 3 weeks in Mozambique

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sophie44
sophie44

I would like to share this personal evaluation of places that I’ve seen and experienced with other travellers. I was a solo woman traveller, and during all my stay in Mozambique I felt safe and most of the local people were very friendly and helpful. If you take precautions you will be fine.

VISA

  • Visa cost in Maputo Airport is 25$, but if you don’t have $ but Euros only it will cost you 25 Euros, so if you want to save some money have $ prepared

MAPUTO

  • In Maputo I stayed at “The Base” - RECOMMENDED – good location, basic but clean, Arceli who works there is very helpful
  • In Maputo go to the fish market, buy some prawns and have them prepared (grilled) by one of the local, small restaurants, it was the highlight of the day
  • I found the capital of Mozambique not as charming as in the description in Lonely Planet, but still I enjoyed visiting National Art Museum with beautiful exposition and Centro Cultural Franco-Mozambicano
  • Excellent Bar “Chez Rangel” at the train station (you must enter the train station to find it). Great atmosphere, jazz music and drinks – RECOMMENDED
  • If you stay in Maputo only one day (as I did) and want to visit many places you can use a minitaxi, I had a reliable driver Timotiu, his mobile 821 383 850, you can negotiate the price (pricey but great)

TOFO

I loved Tofo, maybe because I found there all what I was looking for during this holiday. Beautiful beaches (you can walk for kilometers and not see another tourist, only fishermen), gentle local people, amazing sea life (you can see a humpback whales as soon as you look at the ocean line) great diving.
- I stayed in Turtle Cove – RECOMMENDED – great place, great atmosphere, very friendly and helpful staff, great food, quiet, you can sleep at night. Excellent yoga retreat. You can take daily yoga classes with Candice.
- Turtle Cove is 15 min walk from Tofo, but while walking you meet lots of locals and you can watch the life in the villages. From Turtle Cove you can walk only 5min to Tofino Beach, beautiful, unspoiled beach with great surf.
- Turtle Cove organises also Ocean safaris combined with fishing, great fun, very relaxed, they give you lots of time to watch the sea life and snorkel (mantas, dolphins, whale sharks – MUST SEE), safe
- I did diving with Tofo Scuba – RECOMMENDED – great location right on the beach
- As I stayed in Tofo for 2 weeks I have tried most of the restaurants, best fish Hotel Tofo Mar, best pizza Dino’s beach bar, Bamboozi – NOT RECOMMENDED for food, if you want to spend a bit more and have lunch with stunning views walk along the ocean to Mango Beach, a beautiful restaurant on the dunes and amazing food, call in advance, they also arrange dinners and can pick you up at the place where you stay.
- Do not leave your belongings on the beach while you go swimming, make sure someone has an eye on them

VILANKULOS

I stayed in Vilankulos only 4 days, it is a place that grows in you, the longer you stay there the more you like it. In September Vilankulos was very quiet.

  • I stayed in Zombie Cucumber – RECOMMENDED – a lovely place with garden, 5 steps from the beach, quiet, VERY CLEAN. Sabrina who manages the place is SUPER helpful, and she cooks so well you don’t want to eat anywhere else. If Sabrina is not cooking go to the local bar on the beach for an excellent fresh fish, 5 steps from Zombie Cucumber or to Veranda.
  • Bazaruto National Park is one of the most stunning places I have seen in my life. I visited Bazaruto Island and Magaruque, both islands very beautiful and what most amazing you just don`t see other people! The coral reef has all the forms and colours.
  • To go to Magaruque I used “Rodriguez” dhow operator – RECOMMENDED – friendly, safe, they cook for you on the boat, and the sailing on the dhow is a must
  • To go Bazaruto Island I used “Dolphin Dhow” operator – NOT RECOMMENDED – I will write about this operator in a separate post.
  • If you like riding horses you must go for a ride with Mandy and Patrick, they will take you to remote and gorgeous places.
  • Take a walk in the morning on the Vilanculos Beach during low tide, half of the town is fishing and you can see great things and meet lovely locals.

TRANSPORT
-chapas- make sure that you agree on the price with the DRIVER before you get on the chapa, when they drop you off it happens that they change their mind and make a “new” price
To finish, if you will travel in Mozambique you will be safe (take precautions) and you will discover wonderful places and nature, but don’t rush, stay in places to get the full feeling.

Happy travels,
Sophie

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fulana
fulana

I agree about the Jazz Cafe Rangel, it is an interesting place and excellent music, however, when i visited it , it was open only from Thursdays to Saturdays. The owner, Mozambique's most famous photographer Ricardo Rangel passed away in June, so i wonder is the cafe still open? You don't mention when you visited Maputo.

I strongly believe if you had given Maputo more than one day, you would have found it truly charming....

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talya
talya

Great feedback Sophie, though I agree with #1... Maputo is a wonderful city, though you do need a little time to get into it!

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bbc
bbc

Great report...can really hear your enjoyment of Mozambique....agree with you needing a bit longer in Maputo to get a better feel for the place. It is a great city.

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tinocris
tinocris

About Vilankulo & Dolphin Dhow
Hi Sophie
Thanks for all your information. I only want to add something.
I’ve have been travelling during 3 weeks along the country. I’m in Vilankulos right now. I’ll write a more extensive post when back home. Just I’d like to point on something.
Yesterday I went into Magaruque Island (Bazaruto NP) for some snorkeling, sunbathing, sailing … and it was great. I used Dolphin Dhow Safaris which I strongly recommend. My post is a little bit special ‘cause your bad experience. I’m sorry Sophie, it’s really a pity. Sometimes different things happen and maybe was your turn or … I don’t know. I only feel that I need to write something about this operator who is offering high professionality and quality services. Junior is always open to talk about price and conditions. I’d like to remark that this company is locally owned, 100% Mozambican, with more than 12 years experience, people proud of its country, trying to survive to the hugue SA investments.
Thanks and good trips.
Cristina (Barcelona-Spain)

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toughy
toughy

Sophie, great post, i too went for a ride with Mandy and Pat at Mozambique Horse Safari which was absolutely amazing and highly recommend it to anyone out there.

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poadawg
poadawg

Sophie, good stuff! I just got home from 3 weeks of travel in Moz and your list was great!

Totally agree about the Dolphin Dhow Safaris with Junior - I wrote about it elsewhere but just wanted to stress to anyone heading the Vilankulo, DO NOT deal with Junior, the owner of Dolphin Dhow. He's a complete freak and was extremely rude and aggressive to the managers of the backpackers I stayed at. I watched him go off on fanatical tirades which resulted in me and many other guests staying far far away from his business. He seams like the shadiest of shady characters.

Sorry, I don't like to 'hate' on anyone this much but just trying to save all you travelers some unneeded stress while you are in Vilankulo.

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