Mozambique is a friendly southern African country with a tropical climate, thousands of miles of unspoilt coastline, a unique culture and history and some amazing wildlife. Those who do visit keep coming back and many who come to live for a short while never leave. There are many reasons to visit Mozambique and I will try to cover some of the main reasons below.
The beaches and islands
Mozambique has thousands of miles of pristine white sand beaches edged by dune forest all on the warm Indian ocean. You can visit or stay at isolated beaches where it would be rare to see another person or head to one of Mozambique’s resorts where you will find restaurants, lodges and parties. These are resorts in Mozambique’s own style, a rustic collection of buildings on sand roads grown over time to provide visitors with what they need. Many of the isolated beaches have lodges serving them, so you can stay in comfort while having access to Mozambique’s remote and wild coast line. You can read more about Mozambique’s beaches here. Mozambique also has a lot of stunning tropical islands, some are UNESCO reserves such as the Bazaruto Archipelago
Wildlife
Mozambique has a number of national parks all containing a wide range of large game, birds, reptiles and more. These are not the large highly organised parks of South Africa. Visiting a park in Mozambique is much more of an experience in itself. Many can be a challenge to get to such as the Niassa reserve in the far north. But almost all have great accommodation, knowledgeable guides and will offer an experience you will never forget.
Diving
Mozambique’s diving is famous among a select number of divers, but those who have been keep coming back. Mozambique’s tropical waters offer large areas of pristine coral reefs, or Ponta Do Ouro’s justly famous deep dives to see rays and sharks. The sector is developed enough that almost all resorts have at least one dive outfit, the larger ones have several. The dive outfits are usually well organised and safe. Read more about diving in Mozambique here
Safety
Mozambique can be a generally safe country to visit with little of the crime problems that some of its neighbours have. But recent political protests have changed that to some extent. You can read more about safety and these protests here. Beyond the protests visitors find the low crime rate and friendly nature of Mozambicans make it an attractive place to visit. Road safety is another matter and an issue in Mozambique. You can read about driving in Mozambique here.
Culture
If you are visiting from South Africa the culture is quite different as soon as you cross the border. For those travelling from further afield, Mozambique is a great introduction to visiting sub-Saharan Africa. It is further from the beaten tourist trail than many of its neighbours, but with enough tourist infrastructure for you to have a comfortable stay. It is very laid back and everything happens in its own time.
Fishing, off-road driving and camping
Many visitors come from neighbouring countries for all of these reasons and Mozambique does not disappoint. Beyond the main roads and central cities all roads are sand and so the opportunities for offroad driving are large. Though please do not drive on the beach as this is illegal. Camp sites are plentiful in Mozambique and usually are located at resorts that have a bar, restaurant and other amenities. Ocean fishing is very popular and available with your own boat, by chartering a boat or joining a commercially organised fishing trip.
All budgets catered for
Mozambique has a full range of tourist services available from basic backpacker hostels to luxury resorts with helicopter transfers and everything in between.
Finally
Mozambique is much loved by those who visit. It is slightly chaotic and very laid back. But that’s part of its charm. It’s all year round warm climate and stunning coastline keep bringing back visitors again and again.
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