Bilene is about a 2.5 hour drive from Maputo. This makes it just about possible as a weekend (or more ideally long weekend) trip from Maputo and easily reachable within a day from South Africa and eSwatini.
Bilene is a resort centred around a huge lagoon. The lagoon is the real draw here and unlike the often wavy sea beaches, allows for access to warm, calm waters. A perfect place for fishing, power boating, kite surfing and paddle boarding. The lagoon is huge so there is no issue with all of these activities sharing the water together. The resort itself is more a loose collection of accommodation along the shore of the lagoon than a coherent resort. That said, there is a small central town with a few shops, restaurants and tourist facilities.
Accommodation
Bilene can be done on a self catering or camping basis with plenty of options to choose from. There is a small supermarket in town but if you want much choice in food I would recommend stocking up in Maputo before heading out. The lagoon is long, allowing for a lot of accommodation being lagoon facing, while some is a little further back or in the town itself. There is a wide range of options and prices available to you.
There are also hotels available in Bilene, so you can just turn up and enjoy the trip without so much packing and planning. Some of the hotels have activities such as motor boats or sit on top kayaks
Activities
These are largely based around the lagoon and largely on a bring your own basis. There is a kitesurfing school who are there most of the year and provide lessons and hire kit. Motor boats and associated activities such as fishing, or wake boarding or being towed on inflatables are largely done by private individuals, there is little chance to pay to do this unless you are staying in the handful of accommodation places that offer this.
Using stand up paddle boards and kayaks are a perfect activity on the lake. The lake is shallow for a good way out. It can be easy to stand up a hundred metres out from the shore, but after a certain point the floor suddenly drops to being very deep. Do be aware of the wind before setting off, especially with children as it can be strong and quickly take you away to the other side of the lagoon. Access to the other side is challenging without a boat.
For those who enjoy birdwatching there is, as in most places in Mozambique, a lot to see, with weaver nests and kingfishers over the water being a particular highlight.
Going out
Don’t go to Bilene expecting a vast choice of restaurants and bars. There are a couple of places in town where you can eat and one or two places on the water. But the selection is quite limited.
Stores
There is a good supply of bottle stores with beer, a good choice of wine and spirits all being easily available. There is a small supermarket with a reasonable selection of dried, frozen and packaged foods. But I would not recommend relying on this if you are self catering. As always in Mozambique, locals will approach you offering freshly caught seafood and fish which is usually excellent. There are also a couple of garages that sell basics like canned drinks, Magnums and crisps.
When to visit
As with all resorts within easy reach of the South African border, they get very busy during South African school holidays, particularly at Christmas where you will have to book well ahead to find a place to stay. Apart from that it is a great trip any time of year, but given the water based activities perhaps better avoided in the winter months.
Finally
If warm, calm water and water activities are your thing, then this is a great place to go. If you are looking for lots of bars, restaurants and organised activities, then perhaps this is less ideal for you.
0 Comments