Usefulinfo
Sightseeing
Maputo
Maputo is the premier city of Mozambique and the administrative capital. An interesting old city that early travellers compared to Capetown and Rio, Maputo was known as Laurenco Marques under the Portuguese. The long civil war has left the city with a legacy of neglect and disrepair but efforts are underway to restore it to its former glory. Political stability and economic reforms have led to improved facilities in the city - new shops and restaurants, hotels nightclubs and an improved public transport system are some of the improvements. The Museum of the Revolution, National Art Museum with its collection of the country’s contemporary artists and the old Fort on Parca are some of the attractions of Maputo.
Maputo perks up on Friday and Saturday evenings with late night parties and nightclubs that stay open till dawn.
Beira
A port city on the mouth of the River Pungoe, Beira is the second most important city in Mozambique. Beira is the provincial capital of the province of Sofala and the gateway to the famous Bazaruto Archipelago. The city spreads along the coast from the port to the lighthouse in the Macuti area. Most of the city lies on a plain below sea level, and is built in a typically Mediterranean style with colonial buildings, patios, city squares and market areas.
The Macuti Beach is the main centre of attraction for tourists. Inhambane is the very first Portuguese settlement in southern Africa dating back to 1534 when the Portuguese established a permanent trading post on the coast. The area has a long coastline, beautiful beaches and plantations of coconut palms and cashew trees.
Bazaruto Archipelago
Beira has one of the most famous tourist destinations of the country - the Bazaruto Archipelago. Bazaruto Archipelago is a beautiful location and consists of the four islands of Bazaruto, Benguera, Magaruque and Santa Carolina situated off mainland Mozambique between Vilanculos and Inhassoro Islands. Over 1000 varieties of species and many species of corals are found in surrounding waters, making it a snorkeling and scuba diving paradise. An added bonus for divers is the warm water that remains at 23 C in winter and warms up 32 C in summer. The four islands and smaller islets have clean white beaches, fringed by coconut palms and an abundant wildlife
The archipelago boasts of some 150-bird species including the non-breeding crab plover, great flamingo and migratory waders those rests in the mudflats from September to April. Several species of marine mammals inhabit the open sea and the sheltered bays of the archipelago, among them the elusive dugong, common bottlenose, humpback and spinner dolphins, which live in the bays on the leeward shores of the islands and the open sea. There are also two resident whale species, minke and southern right, while humpback whales are frequently sighted from September to November when they migrate up the coast to Madagascar. An angler's paradise, the archipelago offers some great big game fishing in the Indian Ocean; enthusiasts come over to the islands in search of the giant marlin.
Mozambique Island is a place full of mosques, churches, colonial buildings, a fort, a grand palace and a huge hospital. It is also a World Heritage Site as the northern part of this island has buildings of immense historical importance.
National Parks
Mozambique has three good national parks; the Gorongosa National Park, the Maputo Elephant Park on the right bank of the Maputo River and the Marromeu National Park at the mouth of the Zambesi River. The Gorongosa National Park is open from the beginning of May to the end of October. An enormous effort is currently underway to restock the game parks with native species that were either destroyed or displaced during the 17 years of civil war. The animals that can be seen in the parks include buffalo, hippo, elephants, zebra, blue wildebeest, oribi, waterbuck, eland, kudu, impala, bushbuck, steenbok, suni, and nyala.
PASSPORTS:
Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond intended date of departure required by all.
VISAS: Required by all.
Types of visa and cost: Tourist and Business: £40 (single-entry); £70 (multiple-entry). Express service: £50 (single-entry); £100 (multiple-entry). Same-day express service: £60 (single-entry); £110 (multiple-entry). Transit: £40.
Validity: Single-entry: One day to one month from date of entry, renewable to a maximum of three months. Multiple-entry: One to six months from date of issue. Transit: On request.
Application to: Mozambique Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates; or Empresa Nacional de Turismo (see Contact Addresses section).
Note: A visa can sometimes be obtained through a contact living in Mozambique or at the airport, although processing is often subject to delay. Apply to nearest High Commission for more information.
Application requirements: (a) Official application form. (b) Two passport-size photos. (c) Valid passport. (d) Return or onward ticket or flight confirmation slip. (e) Evidence of booked hotel/hostel accommodation or sufficient financial means. (f) Fee payable in cash or by cheque (made payable to the Mozambique High Commission). (g) Stamped, self-addressed registered envelope for postal applications. Business: (a)-(g) and, (h) Letter of invitation to Mozambique and/or introduction from an official or business institution.
Working days required: Three. Visas can be processed within 24 hours (express service) or within 90 minutes (same-day express service) for an additional fee.
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