1. Archipelago hopping
The most popular tourist attraction in Mozambique is the Bazaruto Archipelago which includes the islands of Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque and Santa Carolina. 35 km off the mainland from Vilanculos, the islands are accessible by boat and small aircraft. In addition to the full range of watersports including snorkelling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, sailing and waterskiing ( in some places) , the islands are brimming with wildlife and birdlife. Sea creatures that you may see are humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays, five species of turtle and a 100 strong pod of dugongs.
The northern Quirimbas Archipelago has more than 30 coral islands stretching from Pemba to the Tanzanian border. The eleven southern most islands and a stretch of mainland form the Quirimbas National park which hosts a large diversity of wildlife, bird life and sea life.
2. Diving
With its azure and turquoise waters, numerous reefs and abundant marine life, Mozambique offers some of the best diving in the world, without the distraction of crowds and commercialisation. Regular sightings include hard and soft corals, fusiliers, snapper, dolphin, whale shark, hammerhead shark, manta ray, barracuda, manta rays and dugong. Diving is popular in both the Bazaruto Archipelago and Quirimbas archipelago. September through to November is the best time for seeing whales.
3. Fishing
Mozambique is a dream for game fishing and some of the biggest prizes found anywhere in the world were caught in Mozambique. The all Africa record (a 1300 lb black marlin) was caught in 1998 off the Bazaruto Archipelago. The black marlin season runs from early October through to January. The season for blue and striped marlin runs from September through to January. The main sailfish season is June to September. Year round fish include giant, bluefin, brassy kingfish, yellowtail, pompano, dorado, wahoo, tuna, mackarell, great and pickhandle barracuda and bonefish. Shark are also common.
CAPITAL: Maputo
CLIMATE:
Summer is from October to April and is hot and rainy. The heaviest rains fall from January to March.
Winter runs from April to September and is dry and mild.
Average annual temperature is 30 C
COMMUNICATIONS:
The international country code for Mozambique is + 258
The cell phone providers are MCel and Vodacom. Internet cafes are available in Maputo only.
ELECTRICITY:
220 V. The plug type is the round two pin
LANGUAGE:
Portuguese is the official language, although English is spoken in the southern tourist regions.
TIME: GMT + 2 hours
ENTERING THE COUNTRY:
AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX:
A departure tax of USD20 is levied on all international flights. Departure tax of USD5 on all domestic flights. These must be paid in USD with exact amounts.
ARRIVAL BY AIR:
The main airport for Mozambique is Maputo airport. The Bazaruto Archipelago is serviced by Vilanculos Airport and the Quirimbas Archipelago by Pemba Airport
CUSTOMS:
Duty free allowance of 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 50 ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette. Currency must be declared on arrival.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
A valid passport is required to enter Mozambique and the validity date needs to be atleast 6 months after the visitor intends to leave the country. Visitors may also be asked to produce outgoing travel documents and proof of sufficient funds to finance their stay. Nationals of most countries require visas – please check individual requirements. Visas need to be obtained prior to departure and will not be issued at border posts on arrival.
HEALTH
Please check with your local doctor on which immunizations are deemed necessary and whether malaria prophylactics should be taken. Mozambique is considered a malaria risk area all year round.
It is strongly recommended that you ensure that you have adequate medical insurance when visiting Mozambique as private hospitals will turn away patients who cannot demonstrate ability to pay. Make sure this includes medical evacuation insurance.
MONEY
ATM’S: These are found in Maputo and are very scarce in the rest of the country.
BANKS: Mozambique has 9 commercial banks, the largest of which are Banco Internacional de Mozambique, Banco Comercial e de Investimentos (BCI), Banco Austral and Standard Bank. Most branches are in Maputo and branch networks in the rest of the country are not extensive. Opening hours vary, but are usually 08h30 to 11h00 Mondays to Fridays.
CREDIT CARDS:
Credit cards are not widely accepted in Mozambique and travellers wishing to pay by credit card are advised to check with their service provider in advance.
CURRENCY:
The official Mozambique currency is the Metical or Meticais in plural.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE:
There is no restriction to the amount of foreign currency you can bring into the country as long as it is declared on arrival. Money can be exchange at banks or authorised Bureaux de change, however expenses can usually be settled in foreign currency. USD or South African Rands are widely accepted as well as British Pounds.
TRAVELLERS CHEQUES:
These can be cashed at banks and Bureaux de Change, but should not be relied on as a sole source of funding in Mozambique. Outside of hotels, cash is recommended for transactions. Make sure you have small denominations of foreign currency.
