Sitting 33km due east from the capital of Mozambique which is Maputo is a sub-tropical island which measures 12km by 7km.
It’s called Inhaca island!
It is speculated that Vasco Da Gama would have sighted Inhaca island in 1497/98. The island was used as a trading post in the 1500,s mainly for ivory trade, however on of the most interesting features throughout the period of Portuguese trading was its fame as a haven of refuge for shipwrecked mariners working their way up the coast from the south. After indescribable hardships suffered on the long coast journey on foot, they always found the natives of Inhaca friendly and helpful. The first of these shipwrecks was the Galleon S. JOAO’ in 1552. After 3 months of traveling along the coast they reached Inhaca and were taken in by the tribe and king and offered food and hospitality and begged to stay until the next trading ship arrived.
This little island has been inhabited by local tribes for hundreds of years and has seen ups and downs political strife and economic woes. I have been privileged to have been part of its history for 31years and have fondly called it “god’s country” since the first time I landed on its beaches as a young 21year old that was passionate about saltwater fly-fishing.
For me the beauty of the island has always been not just the pristine natural beauty but the friendliness and attitude of its locals. It seems to me that when children grow up in a safe happy environment where they can run and play without feeling danger and malice, that they will grow up to be happy considerate and nice adults. In all my travels around the island I have always noticed kids that are laughing and joking, frolicking in the sea or playing up trees or in the fields.
Is it because it’s an island that people don’t feel they can behave badly? The fact that it is difficult to get away with criminality? Yes, I am sure that is a consideration. However, I feel it is more to do with the deep sense of community that people have on the island. Everybody knows everyone on the island and people value each other and respect their belongings.
There also doesn’t seem to be racial color issues as you find often in other African countries. I have been told it is partly as a result of Portuguese colonists who when they procreated with local inhabitants did not relegate the offspring, but rather integrated the child into their own family. This seems to have created a society where you are judged by the person you are and not by your color. I have always found this very refreshing and lovely.
The island also has a King! Yes, and I have met him frequently. He is a warm-hearted gentleman that wears a formal shirt and pants most of the time. He also loves to be barefoot which is the only way to be on the island! One can meet him at a quaint little shop called Hambanati which is a halfway stop for me whenever I drive to the Light house or the wild beach. I will write more about this lovely little place in my other blogs. The king can also be visited at his formal residence which is on the way to the lighthouse. His surname is Nhaca and his father the previous king died a couple of years ago. His name was Regulo Venice Nhaca. I believe he was a very astute arbitrator and fair person.
From what I can gather the people of the island are descendants of the Tsonga people. It seems that the Ronga tribe was was most prevalent in the Maputo/ Inhaca area. On the Island they are the nhaca tribe. They have land that has been allocated to them over the years. This land is managed by the chiefs of the tribe as well as the King.
Hard times have fallen on the island of late in so far as employment is concerned. The Hotel on the Island which was owned by the Pestana group has closed for the last 3 years. This has had a significant impact on the economy of the island and the tourist inflow. A lot of locals commute to Maputo for jobs and many it seems are jobless. This hasn’t dented their positive attitude and most weekends there is a festive attitude in the village. 2M, the local Mozambican beer is never short of customers!
Animals
No monkeys on the island which makes the building style a lot more open. On Machangulo all dwellings have to be closed up more as the little guys can become quite a menace.
Crow issue
Legend has it, a tourist family brought there two crow pets to the island. The birds escaped and over the years they proliferated so much mainly due to the lack of predators on the island. They became vermin destroying the natural endemic populations of birds, bats, insects and reptiles. They’re extremely intelligent animals able to outsmart and eradicate any competition. They also breed prolifically. Two years ago the MSC cruise ship company embarked on a poisoning campaign to reduce the crow population. They used a highly toxic poison called Starlicide which needs a license to use it. The reason for this is the potential hazard to humans if it got into the wrong hands. The poison has no odour or taste and has a 12 hour time delay from ingestion to death. Baiting stations were set up across the island at all the crow roosting spots. The crows were fed with lean beef mince (as the crow is able to detect the small of the poison if mixed with fat) and fed on a daily basis at exactly the same time with a person feeding them wearing the exact same clothing. This gave the crows a false sense of security and made sure all of them partook in the daily feeding programme. After approx. 40 days the Starlicide was introduced into the mince across the whole island. The baiting time was specifically chosen to be 4 in the afternoon so that after 12 hours the poison would kill the birds at 4 in the morning when they were roosting in the trees. This meant that they would be completely oblivious to what had happened.
The bulk of the crows were killed with the first poisoning. The mince would continue to be baited for at least 4 more feeding sessions in the hope of eradicating the last stragglers.
The programme was successful, however there were some crows left over. They are definitely at a controllable level for now. Unfortunately, it is just a matter of time before their breeding gets out of hand again. I also hear that they are infiltrating Maputo!
Snakes, spiders and insects are all on the island. Possibly not in as greater quantities as the mainland of Machangulo but they definitely are a wide spectrum. The only large wild mammal I know of is the Bush pig. It is confined to the dense bush of the eastern side of the island that is largely untouched and impenetrable to humans. There are many varieties of beautiful birds on the island, one of my favorite being the Trumpeter Hornbill. We have a couple of families that come and visit an indigenous tree to right of the property if you are facing the sea. The Giant fruit bats also love the fruit from this tree. They are almost the size of a Paella pan!
Sea life
There is not much dedicated literature on Inhaca island however there is a book called A Natural History of Inhaca Island, Mozambique which stands tall. The book was written by Zoology lecturers from University of the Witwatersrand and contains some fascinating facts on the islands inhabitants and fauna and flora. It was first printed in 1958 and I am fortunate enough to have one of its first editions.
Special people
Martha – this is a lovely lady who has a spot at the market and seems to be in control of all the goings on at the Market. Always friendly and helpful she is like a matriarch to the town.
Julius Pepello – this is the businessman of the island. If you need something Pepella’s shop will carry it. He has large Dhows which he brings in bulk merchandise onto the island
Lucas – the restaurateur who started it all in the late eighties. His restaurant Lucas has been operating since 1987 and has steadily grown into the most well known and popular restaurant in the Inhaca and Machangulo area. It is well known for its Prawns, crayfish and chicken dishes
Bruno – Lucas’ son who is a man of the world, having studied in Maputo and married a lovely lady in Holland. He is the owner of the vibey beach bar
Amos Dhow – this industrious and hard working man is a tradesman extraordinaire. Amos has built boats and houses. He can fix cars and boat engines. A lovely man to know especially if things need fixing!
Vinagre – old local who gives interesting guided tours in his land rover
Special places to stay
Mama’s Lodge – self-catering lodge, it is rented in its entirety to guarantee complete secluded privacy and relaxation.
Manico – this a fun camp. Good value, great bar with TV. Lovely little huts to stay. The place is nestled in the beautiful mangroves. It is self-catering with a lovely communal kitchen and nice braai areas.
Coco loco – beautiful and tropical place to stay right on the beach. Quaint and secluded, definitely a place to stay.
Fernando Nhaca Lodge – near the towns center, loads of activities to do, great value for money. Fernando is an entrepreneur who has made a diverse and vibrant place to stay.
Nahyeeni Lodge – five-star class, beautiful views, very special location. Fantastic service and conference facilities. They have a chef and a masseur to take care of your every needs.
Chamfuta Lodge – located next to Nahyeeni Lodge, this place has amazing views with beautiful indigenous forest trees.
Drink and eat
Beach bar – great location on the beach. Cool music, great cocktails and nice barbecued seafood
Lucas – is one of the oldest and best. Lucas moved to Inhaca in the middle 80s and has been operating ever since. Great seafood and ambience
Veloza – this up and comer has built a lovely restaurant with a great vibe. He is the first person on the island to start making pizzas
Special places to go to
Lighthouse – take a 4 Wheeler, hire a big tyre bicycle or rent a 4×4 with guide.
Market – great place to get your supplies. Ask anyone to help you with any item you can’t find. It will be in one the many shops in the village. I have even been able to buy Johnny Walker black in one of the quaint little stores!
Padaria/bakeries – there are at least 3 bakeries making fresh bread in the village and nearby. Each bakery or padaria has its own distinctive taste and feel to the rolls it makes. The bakery next to the Mercado in the village uses a wood fired oven which is particularly delicious
Biologica – this is a marine and biology Station where research has been carried out since the 1920s. it is well worth going on a trip. One needs to hire a vehicle as its approx. 2 km south of the main village. There is a small entrance fee at the place. One can browse all the beautiful specimens of molluscs, fish, birds, insects, mammals, plants and reptiles collected on the island. A lot of the specimens have been preserved in old tubular bottles with formalin. Don’t expect the place to be modern and snazzy. Its an old reminder of a bygone era when scientists and professors from Portugal and south Africa came and did wonderful research expeditions in the early 50s and 60s. There is also a full skeleton of the highly endangered Dugong which is well worth looking at.
Wild beach – this place is difficult to find and a guide is well recommended. It’s a little turnoff next to the Kings residence on the east side of the island. One parks in a little parking clearing and then walks up a sand dune to get to an amazing view of the whole eastern coastline which spans approx 5km north and 5km south! The beach is pristine and you can spend hours there without seeing a soul. Great bodysurfing, snorkeling and fishing. A night fishing trip here is highly recommended where you actually sleep on the beach and fish. One can expect to catch all the pelagic species as well as large inedibles such as skates, rays and sharks. There are many fishing guides that can be found to do this with you. Just speak to Tigo the Mamas lodge manager.
Coral Gardens – this band of shallow coral stretching approx. 500m is situated on the western side of the island between Mamas lodge and Biologica. It can be accessed via the beach or on a boat. The reef is very shallow not reaching more than 6m in high tide. It has an amazing selection of small to medium sized fish. It also has some large coral bombs and some very colorful fragile coral. It is best to snorkel this reef on a pushing tide as the visibility is better.
Portuguese island. MSC cruises- this little circular island with amazing pristine beaches right around it has been used by European seafarers since the 1500’s. it was used to load cargo like Ivory and wood in the old days. Nowadays a massive cruise liner called the Sinfonia which is owned by a multimillion-dollar shipping company called MSC comes every week in summer and deposits its 2000 odd guests on the island for a fully catered day trip. The logistics involved is amazing to see. What is equally amazing is that the island is still be used for maritime gain!
One of the reasons for this is the southwestern tip of the island has a deep drop-off literally 5m from the beach allowing easy access of disembarkment of boats. This sharp drop off can be quite dangerous to swimmers and caution is recommended when swimming in this area. A lot of the local fisherman fish successfully with handlines here. I have dived this area and seen Grunter, bonefish, pompano and snapper in large schools.
The wreck – apparently named this old steam driven frigate went down on the northern tip of the island just in front of the lighthouse in the late 50s. Its bow and stern used to stick out for everyone to view. This has since collapsed about 3 years ago. The wreck is a wonderful 8m dive site with great structure to poke around in and observe lovely fish species. In all the 25 years of spearfishing and diving this area I have not encountered any sizable sharks here.
Unfortunately, as with many closer reefs and wrecks the larger fish species have been fished and speared out by locals hunting it on a daily basis. That being said there still are tuna, barracuda and Siera that frequently pass by the wreck.
Lighthouse – this monument to a bygone era still is used as a functional lighthouse. It now has only one employee manning it, using solar panels, battery packs and highly efficient lighting. However, in the early 20th century this enclave housed at least 10 staff members who would have to produce power from large Lister diesel generators. This and tending the lighthouse was a major project.
The building of the Lighthouse is run down and dilapidated however there is an amazing romantic charm to the place. There still is a well that one can draw fresh water from a bucket on a rope!
The tiny windy and dark corridor leading up to the lighthouse tower viewpoint is in itself an adventure worth having. However, the spectacular 360 degree panoramic view of the island and Maputo mainland is truly worth experiencing. Its very high so prepare to be scared!!!
Loads of Coral reefs – the island offers loads of near and far reefs in which to fish, dive and spearfish. From small reefs literally 5km from the island to bigger reefs like Jerimihah and Baixa Danea. There is also an amazing reef approx. 50km north of the island called On Fire!
Baixa Danea is a largely unknown and unexplored World Class diving site located off the northern point of the Island and for the diving enthusiast, this is a rare and unique place offering a proliferation of marine and coral life interspersed between the remains of an old steam cargo ship, believed to be the M/S Hai Hing sunk by a German U-Boat in November 1942. Swim between its towering boilers, explore the engine room and marvel at the intact prop literally meters from the surface!
This is a huge coral reef, over 2km in length with many overhangs, caves, swim throughs and gulley’s, ranging from 5m down to 35 meters on the north westerly drop offs – Hammer Heads are regular visitors here and resident grey reef, black tip, white tip and nurse sharks are common. Loggerhead, Leatherback and Olive Ridley turtles, manta rays and ribbon tail rays as well as some very large potato and brindle bass are just some of the residents and visitors to this spectacular diving spot.
Fish found during the summer months:
Staghorn and plate coral, moray eel potato bass, large school of barracuda and kingfish are in abundance. Dolphins, whale sharks and manta rays are not uncommon.
The average depth is approximately 18m with a maximum diving depth of 30m. The water visibility is between 10-30m and the temperature is mostly between 22-27 degrees.
At Banco de Xina which is only 2km west of the island you can search for critters at the same time as getting vertigo from the thousands of Maasbankers (horse mackerel) and big eye kingfish shoals moving relentlessly up and down, whilst exhilarating big game fish diving at Garfield’s, Tower and Baixa de Santa Maria are not for the fainthearted!
Activities
Fishing
Fishing opportunities abound around Inhaca Island for every type of enthusiast with a number of world class spots to choose from. Mamas lodge makes use of Nahyeeni Lodges boat and skipper and allows you to easily go for a wonderful fishing expedition. It is better to bring your own tackle however they do have. There are also smaller local fishing outfitters that will take you on great trips. Ask Mamas lodge manager Tigo for info
Whether you prefer to trawl, jig, spin, or fly fish, some of the most exciting game fishing may be found around Inhaca – Various species of Kingfish including the elusive Giant Kingfish (Caranx Ignobilis), Barracuda, Dorado, Sierra, Queenfish, Wahoo, Job, Yellow fin tuna and Sailfish amongst others, not forgetting of course the magnificent Black, Striped and/or Blue Marlin. Inhaca has also, for many years, been a favourite destination for fly fishing for that ever elusive Bone Fish.
Diving Snorkeling
Unfortunately, with the Hotel on the island closing down there is no longer scuba diving available. There is however a great dive set up available at Machangulo lodge at very good rates. Top class diving is just a stone throw away. Here are the 2 best places to snorkel near the island.
Coral Gardens / Barreira Vermelha Inhaca Island
On the incoming tide, a short boat ride south will take you to Barreira Vermelha, more commonly known as Coral Gardens, where you can jump into the warm, shallow waters of the Indian Ocean and enjoy some incredible snorkelling opportunities where coral growth, due to the shallowness and protection of the waters in this area, continues to thrive – marvel at the size of the Plate and Brain Corals and spot the juvenile damsels and Chocolate Dips hiding in between Stag Corals. You will probably also spot a turtle or two!
A pushing tide is the best way to experience this reef as it brings clean clear water in from the ocean not the bay.
Spearfishing
Spearfishing has always been a passion of mine. The thrill of being underwater and hunting in a completely foreign environment has drawn me to the sport for decades.
Unfortunately, this sport does not allow catch and release as fishing does which means discretion is needed in order to be a responsible custodian of the ocean. I have come up with a technique which allows me to fulfill my desire to spearfish the whole day and not kill any more fish than I need for the table. What I do is put a rifle cartridge of the same diameter as the spear over the pointy end of the spear using a bit of silicone and a bit of wood inside to stop the point being blunted. What this allows is what I call “paintballing” the fish. So you can actually shoot the fish and GOpro the whole adventure with out the fish being killed. The spear literally bounces of the fish leaving you satisfied that you were stealthy and accurate enough, and the fish healthy to carry on another day. As far as I know no one has written about or practiced this type of spearfishing. If anyone has or wants info please contact me on roland@firstadvance.co.za.
Birdwatching
Inhaca is home to about 300 bird species, both resident and migratory. Endangered species are the pink-backed pelican, lesser crested tern, crab plover, greater sand plover, Mongolian plover, Terek sandpiper, southern banded snake eagle, mangrove kingfisher, grey-rumped swallow and spotted ground-thrush. The southerly Nhaquene Swamp and Saco Bay are strongholds for the sooty falcon, while terns roost on northerly Portuguese Island 25°58′31″S 32°54′38″E. Bird species of limited distribution are Rudd’s apalis, Neergaard’s sunbird and pink-throated twinspot.
Whale watching
During the months of July through to the end of November, migrating Humpback Whales and the occasional Southern Right Whale frequent the shores of Inhaca to mate, give birth and nurture their offspring before moving to the arctic.
One can often spot approx. 20 to 30 whales a day.
Humpback whales are an endangered species. In the pre whaling era their population size was about 750,000 to 2 million animals whereas the current global population is estimated in 2019 to be about 80 000.
Having migrated south from rich northern waters provisioned with tons of blubber, they are not in feeding mode, rather they devote all of their energy to birthing and nursing a new generation of young, or in courting and mating to create the next.
Watching from a boat one is treated to a variety of aerial moves including a variety of thrilling breaches, pectoral fin slapping, spy hopping, and lob tailing. It is possible to be able to witness all these behaviours in a day’s excursion!
Where Dolphins are family-based and highly social, Whales are actually relatively anti-social. Two grown whales together, usually mean one is a female and the other male.
If you see three, it’s usually two beaux vying for her attention, and this can be particularly noticeable during the early months of the mating season when their testosterone levels are high and they are eager to find a mate. The presence of a receptive female can lead to competitive rowdy groups as challenging males physically struggle to displace her escort.
The blow is quite visible and can reach heights of 20 feet. In concert with the blow is the sound of rushing air that can be heard up to 800 feet away. The blow of a humpback whale is unique to each animal and a great way to distinguish between types of whales.
When a whale dives, air is compressed in its lungs. Upon reaching the surface, the air is exhaled through the whale’s blowholes. The exhaled air expands, causing the temperature to decrease, thereby condensing into water vapour.
An adult humpback whales take a breath on average every ten to fifteen minutes, but can remain submerged for as long as forty-five minutes. Calves need to rise to the surface every three to five minutes to breathe.
“No living animals have captured our imaginations as have the great whales… They fire our imaginations and stab at our emotions. They inspire our art, literature, and music. And so they should. The indescribable blend of grace, power, and beauty of a whale as it glides underwater, leaps toward the sky, or simply lifts its flukes and slides into the sea symbolizes a vanishing poetry of the wild.”
Look out for Bottlenose and Spinner Dolphins who are frequently spotted around these northern waters of the Island.
Surfing
A movie in the 80s mentioned Inhaca island as having the top 10 waves in Africa. It would be the right reefbreak up near the lighthouse and I have seen it work only 2 times. They were both epic, near 800m of perfect wall! Unfortunately, the prevailing winds are not conducive to the break working and the worst thing is it’s a long drive to check out the wave and no one is there to report to you on it.
Kitesurfing
The prevailing southerly and northerly winds allow great Kitesurfing between Portuguese island and Inhaca. For the brave there is the lighthouse which had waves for jumping.
Turtle watching
Please speak to Tigo from Mamaslodge as there is a local guide who will take you in the right season to the wild beach to look for these incredible beasts laying their eggs. Leatherback and loggerhead can be viewed. Season is towards the end of the year sometimes nesting peaking towards March.
Our Mainland Family that is Machangulo/ Ponta Rorres/ Santa Maria
These are all names applying to a magical piece of land positioned on the mainland that almost would join Inhaca if not for a 500m piece of water called Hells gate! This foreboding place is aptly named as it is literally the drain pipe of the bay of Maputo. Every 6 hours as the tide changes Hells gate or the Gap lets millions of liters of water into or out of the bay. Its is an amazing site to behold and definitely a tiny wonder of the world.
Machangulo borders the Elephant reserve the bay of Maputo and the south eastern coast of Mozambique.
Machangulo once a small local village with a rustic campsite called Camp Carlos in the 80s, is now a thriving town with a huge amount of tourism and development. At least a hundred residential houses have been built in the last 30 years, a lot of them very big an up market owned by foreign tourists and investors. A gentleman by the name of Mike Braby was instrumental in developing the Machangulo nature estate which has its own 2km landing strip and supposedly has houses owned by international celebrities including royalty. What draws these A grade tourists is the solitude and absolutely unspoilt and unfrequented beaches and forest. Truly a place to escape to.
Machangulo has a hotel and some restaurants plus a lovely beach bar. The beach next to Ponta Abril is stunning and the beach that follows the hells gate peninsula is beautiful to walk.
Special places to go
Bemugi Restaurant
Bemugi is a local legend and a long time friend of mine. I met him when he had just started working for Irving Stephenson on Inhaca island. Here he learnt a tremendous amount of skills and being resourceful, clever and hard working he soon became the go to guy when you needed anything done. He became a top class fisherman and guide and then branched into his own tourism business where he has succeeded in creating one of the finest restaurant and bars in Mozambique. Bemugi is totally involved in the Machangulo area and if they ever elected a Mayor for the area there is no doubt he would be elected!
Coral reserve
The coral reserve although technically on the Inhaca island is very close to Machangulo. This strip of coral wall about 500m long and 10m deep has an amazing amount of marine fauna and flora. It is run by the Parks board and has rangers that will charge you a small daily fee to snorkel or dive the area. Most people park a boat on the northern most beach above the coral wall and then sunbath and snorkel. It’s a great pace for small kids, novice and experienced swimmers and divers.
Hells gate
Hells gate is approx. 500m wide and about 800 long.
It is approx. 10m deep on average and has a sharp rock ledge drop off on its southern beach. Fishing and diving is awesome here, however extreme caution must be exercised with the tidal surge that pushes through this channel.
Many a boat gets caught and capsizes going out through the gap. People have drowned and boats sunk navigating this treacherous peace of water
Ponta Abril
Surfing can be great here. This is a reef point with an amazing right break which can cook when the wind is right and there is some swell. There is an amazing wooden house nestled in the forest on the peninsula here that is owned by a Durban family and can be rented out. It is called Vista Abril. Perfect for a surfing family. The beach is also magnificent and good for a little beach break bodysurfing or boogey boarding.
Special places to stay
Check Mikes Braby place
Mike Braby manages some of the most amazing holiday houses in the area. If you check out his website, you will see 3 stunning self-catering villas. Located right on the beach on the inside of the bay, these are houses Mozambique dreams are made of. My personal favorite house is called the Beach house!
Machangulo Reserve
This vast Reserve has some amazingly grand houses nestled into it. This is where the glitterati have built massive houses overlooking the unspoilt beaches. If budget is not an issue, fly your private jet in here and rent one of these bodacious villas!
Bemugi’s
Whether you want a 5 star dinner with langoustines or crayfish or just a piece of peri peri chicken Bemugis is the place to go. He also has accommodation to suite all budgets.
Bemugi the guy to book if you want the best guided fishing tours. He knows fishing and he knows the area! Trust me.www.bemugis.com
Machangulo Beach lodge- this is a great 5 star hotel that has a great vibe with lots of activities for adults and kids alike. The Hotel has excellent dive masters that will show you some of the best dive spots Mozambique has to offer. From ancient circular sinkholes 10m below the water that turtles sleep in, to open water reefs, this place has it all!
Camp Carlos
This is the oldest camp in Machangulo. Located on the tip of the Santa Maria peninsula Camp Carlos has an array of different accommodation options. From campsites to small chalets this is the quintessential way to enjoy a Mozambique holiday.
How to get to Inhaca Island
One can fly or drive to Maputo very easily. SAA and LAM both have daily flights to Maputo. The cost of these flights is significantly cheaper than up north to Vilanculos, making a holiday for a family pretty cheap. It’s a 1,5 hour flight from Jhb to Maputo. International flights are also readily available.
It is approximately a 6 hour drive from Johannesburg to Maputo. The border post at Komatipoort is relatively efficient and shouldn’t take more than a half an hour to an hour.
One can also access Maputo through the Swaziland border post or the Kosi bay border post. The Kosi bay post now has a new tar road all the way up to Maputo which is amazing. One also crosses the new Katembe bridge which is awesome.
Once you’re in Maputo you have a range of options to access Inhaca island. The cheapest is the local Ferry. It has just been revamped and is really cool. You can also hire one of the local charter operators to take you across. There is also a 1km airstrip and some local charter companies will take you across. There is also a helicopter charter which you can google for details.
Stay over in Maputo
A lot of people like to stay over for a night in Maputo before shooting across to Inhaca. There are some lovely places to stay in Maputo. Be aware they are dollar prices so unfortunately South Africans might find it a bit expensive.
Rovuma Hotel – this is a great affordable hotel which is ideally situated in all the hum drum of Maputo
Holiday Inn – great location on the beach front. This is a 5-star gem with a great chef and restaurant
Radisson – also a five-star experience
Polana – this is the quintessential 5-star hotel. Steeped in history with a casino this legend has been here for a hundred years!
Places to eat in Maputo
Club Navale – great vibe next to a crystal clear pool on the marine parade.
Zambi – this is a top restaurant which need to be visited
Campo di mare, Sagres and Dhow are all great seafood eateries
The Fish market has also been revamped and is far more clean and palatable than it used to be
So that’s it from me guys. You have to get there, and experience a unique piece of the warm east coast of Africa.
Inhaca and its lovely people are waiting for you!
