M O Z A M B I Q U E
“But why Mozambique?” I shrugged my shoulders and smiled, “I heard so much about the pristine beaches and diving here, I had to see for myself!”
A country on the coast of East Africa, Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. I spent nearly two weeks in-country, from the capital of Maputo to the beaches of Tofo and islands off Vilanculos. Here’s everything you need to know about visas, transportation, traveling overland, and the best places to see in Mozambique!
Arriving to Mozambique
Chances are, if you’re coming from the US or Europe you’re going to need a visa to enter Mozambique. Luckily you can get a visa on arrival at the airport in Maputo! It costs $50 and you need to make sure you have a letter from your accommodation along with a printed return ticket. They’re really strict about it so make sure you come prepared!
Next comes the nitty gritty before heading into the city: sim card and money. Picking up a sim card is easy in the arrivals terminal; there’s a booth near the exit that you can stop at. Regarding money, I usually just pull out cash from ATMs instead of exchanging since rates are always poor at airports, but I would make an exception for Mozambique. I had difficulty being able to take out more than $50 worth at a time from the ATM in the airport (actually, any ATM for that matter) so I would highly recommend exchanging in this case. Since most places only accept cash, it’s important to assume credit cards aren’t accepted and make sure you prepare at the start of your trip.
Maputo
The goal was to get to Tofo Beach on the coast, but information online is so hard to find anything on transportation. The local transport is mostly mini-buses, or chapas, to get around cheaply. Since I didn’t really know the chapa schedule, I found Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel incredibly helpful; they offer a daily shuttle at 5 AM to their sister hostel in Tofo Beach. I had the first day to explore Maputo, but honestly there wasn’t much to see besides the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
Update as of September 2023: Unfortunately I can no longer find the website to Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel, so I’ll provide a few other recommendations below.
WHERE TO STAY IN MAPUTO
Hotels
LIV INN GUESTHOUSE: When traveling in Africa for extended periods of time, as much as I’m flexible with whatever is thrown at me, I do need a clean place where I can unwind so I don’t get burnt out. Liv Inn Guesthouse is a great option since it’s not only a newer place, but it includes breakfast and has an airport shuttle.
HOSTELS
THE BASE BACKPACKERS: This hostel has both dormitories and private rooms if you’re just looking for something basic before heading towards the coast. Great reviews!
Tofo Beach
The chapa was nearly a 12-hour journey from Maputo to Tofo, but it dropped me off right at the hostel so I didn’t have to worry about changing buses several times. My plans were to go diving to see whale sharks, but the swell was too large for the boat to go out. Diving in Mozambique has been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was sad I didn’t get to go. Maybe one day I’ll return! The hostel I stayed at was right next to Liquid Dive Adventures, which was beautiful to just hang out at. They have AMAZING breakfast and juices, it felt like I was right back at home!
Update as of September 2023: Unfortunately I can no longer find the website to Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel, so I’ll provide a few other recommendations below.
WHERE TO STAY IN TOFO BEACH
HOTELS
LIQUID DIVE ADVENTURES: Like I previously mentioned, I absolutely loved this place and highly recommend it. The food was incredible and it was such a great place to relax.
HOSTELS
KITESURF TOFO HOUSE: Although I didn’t check this place out in-person, it has great reviews if you’re just looking for a good hostel to stay at!
Tofo Beach to Vilanculos
This trip was a little bit of an adventure via public transport. From the main part of the town in Tofo, you can take a chapa to Inhambane. Walk to the port and catch a boat across the bay to Maxixe. There’s an area in the town of Maxixe, a couple blocks from the port, where you can find a lot of chapas lined up. Just look for one that says “Vilanculos” and you’ll be on your way! There’s some larger buses that are much more comfortable, the chapas can get pretty hot and they pack them full until people are hanging out the door.
Vilanculos
If I could give any piece of advice: if you’re not a diver, just take the flight from Maputo to Vilanculos and skip Tofo and the headache of figuring out public transportation. The days are long and they run whenever they feel like it. The beaches in Vilanculos are amazing though and are so worth it! There’s not much to the town itself; it felt more like everything was centered around the resorts.
WHERE TO STAY IN VILANCULOS
HOTELS
BAHIA MAR: If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, I loved Bahia Mar! Their service was outstanding and everything about it was absolutely fantastic.
HOSTELS
BAOBAB BEACH HOSTEL: If you’re on a backpacker budget, I recommend Baobab Beach Hostel. The huts are right on the beach and the food is incredible!
WHAT TO DO IN VILANCULOS
One of the best things to do is to take a boat trip out to the islands of Bazaruto and Benguerra for the day. Sunset Dhow Safari had a great package that includes snorkeling; the first island we went to, Bazaruto Island, was great for lunch but my personal favorite was Benguerra Island. The water was an insane shade of blue and green, everything I thought Mozambique would be. Another great activity is either a sunrise or sunset traditional dhow cruise! Dhows are lateen-rigged sailboats, typically found in the Indian Ocean.
Health and Malaria
I was traveling with a friend of mine who had been in Central African Republic prior to Mozambique, where he believes he contracted malaria unknowingly. The signs are different for everyone, but I noticed he started acting strangely like hallucinating and had a really high fever, until he collapsed and was unresponsive. I was able to carry him from the hotel to find a tuk-tuk to take him to the hospital, where they confirmed it was malaria right away. They gave him a series of injections for three days, then had him continue to take tablets. He made a full recovery, but if you’re feeling unwell, don’t ignore the signs. Go to the doctor right away.
Another key item to note is the health care system in Mozambique; there are public hospitals and private hospitals. Sadly, the public hospitals are in poor condition and are extremely corrupt. My first night in Maputo I had a UTI in the middle of the night and went to a public hospital, but that was a huge mistake. That in itself is a long story, but to make it short, go to a private hospital if you have any health-related issue. I’m so glad I had that knowledge before my friend came down with malaria, because it saved his life. The private hospitals are extremely clean, the doctors are very attentive, and the service was amazing.
Where to get a PCR in Mozambique?
Since we were in Vilanculos at the private hospital, we decided to just get one done there instead of Maputo. All-Around Medical Solutions clinic was the only place to get a PCR in Vilanculos anyways, so your hotel can set up an appointment here!
Update as of September 2023: PCR tests are no longer required to enter Mozambique as long as you have a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. PCR tests are no longer required for exit.
