Mozambique

Philip Briggs (www.philipbriggs.com) is a travel writer specialising in Africa. Raised in South Africa, where he still lives, Philip first visited East Africa in 1986 and has since spent an average of six months annually exploring the highways and back roads of the continent. His first Bradt Travel Guide, to South Africa, was published in 1991. Over the rest of the 1990s, Philip wrote a series of pioneering Bradt travel guides to destinations that were then - and in some cases still are - otherwise practically uncharted by the travel publishing industry. These include guides to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Rwanda, Somaliland and East African wildlife - new editions of which have been published ever since. Philip has contributed to more than a dozen other books about Africa, and his work regularly appears in magazines such as Africa Geographic, Travel Africa and Wanderlust.

• Introduction viiiPART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 1Chapter 1 Background Information Geography 3, Climate 4, History 4, Government andpolitics 20, Economy 20, People 24, Language 25,Religion 26, Culture 26Chapter 2 Natural History 29Vegetation 29, Mammals 30, Birds 32, Reptiles 35, Marinelife 37Chapter 3 Practical Information 41When to visit 41, Highlights 41, Tourist information 42,Tour operators 42, Red tape 44, Getting there andaway 46, Crime and safety 50, Women travellers 52,LGBTQ+ travellers 52, Travelling with a disability 52,Travelling with children 53, What to take 53, Money 55,Budgeting 56, Getting around 57, Accommodation 61,Eating and drinking 64, Public holidays 66, Shopping 66,Photography 67, Media and communications 68,Responsible tourism 69, Getting involved 70Chapter 4 Health 72Preparations 72, On the road 73, Safety and security 78Chapter 5 Diving and Snorkelling 79Choosing an operator 79, Preparations before diving 79,During the dive 82, Snorkelling 85PART TWO SOUTHERN MOZAMBIQUE 87Chapter 6 Maputo 91History 92, Getting there and away 94, Getting around 98,Where to stay 99, Where to eat and drink 104, Nightlife109, Safety and hassles 110, Entertainment 111, Shopping113, Other practicalities 115, What to see and do 117, Citywalks 118, Day trips from Maputo 121Chapter 7 South of Maputo 125Inhaca Island 125, Katembe 129, Bela Vista andSalamanga 132, Maputo National Park 132, Ponta Mamoliand Malongane 135, Ponta do Ouro 137Chapter 8 The Limpopo Valley and Coast South of Inhambane 143Marracuene and surrounds 144, Bilene 144,Limpopo National Park 146, Xai-Xai 150, Northeastof Xai-Xai 156Chapter 9 Inhambane, Tofo and Surrounds 159Inhambane 159, Maxixe 165, Beaches aroundInhambane 167, North of Inhambane 179Chapter 10 Vilankulo, Inhassoro and Bazaruto National Park 181Vilankulo 181, Inhassoro 191, Bazaruto National Park 194PART THREE CENTRAL MOZAMBIQUE 199Chapter 11 Beira 203History 203, Getting there and away 204, Orientation andgetting around 206, Where to stay 206, Where to eat anddrink 210, Other practicalities 211, What to see and do 212Chapter 12 Chimoio and the Manica Highlands 217Chimoio 217, Lake Chicamba 223, Manica 224,Penhalonga 228, Chimanimani National Reserve 229Chapter 13 Gorongosa and the Caia Road 233Gorongosa National Park 233, Mount Gorongosa 238,The N1 from Inchope to Caia 238Chapter 14 Tete 244Tete 245, Around Tete 251PART FOUR NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE 257Chapter 15 Zambézia 261Quelimane 261, The Quelimane-Nampula Road 268, TheWestern Highlands 273Chapter 16 Nampula 282Getting there and away 282, Where to stay 283, Where toeat and drink 286, Other practicalities 286, What to seeand do 287, Around Nampula 287Chapter 17 Ilha de Moçambique and Surrounds 293History 294, Getting there and away 298, Whereto stay 298, Where to eat and drink 301, Shopping302, Other practicalities 303, Exploring Ilha deMocambique 304, Mossuril Bay 309, Nacala 313Appendix 1 Language 318Appendix 2 Further Information 322Index 326Index of Advertisers 332