Maningue Nice is a popular local expression that I heard many times mostly outside the capital city Maputo, “maningue” meaning very, and no doubt that Mozambique is a “very nice” place to travel to.
I travel through Mozambique for nearly a month, I flew to Maputo and then to Pemba (north of the country) where I started my trip.
?Pemba / Nacala / Moçambique Island / Nampula /Pebane / Quelimane / Beira / Vilankulos /Inhambane/ Tofo / Chidenguele/ Maputo
Travelling by chappas
I travelled from north to south always by local buses and small vans called chappas, what is part of the authentic Mozambique experience, and remember that here the journey is more important than the destination.
Even if you are doing a long journey, the bus will be chaotically packed with people, bags, animals, and other things that you can’t imagine.
There are never enough sits for everybody, If a chappa carries 15 people, they somehow manage to fill them with 25 and a few chickens 🙂
You can’t use a chappa to travel if you are in a rush, there are no timetables, and they leave when they are full.. and forget everything you’ve learned about road safety ….. and pray…. it is frequent to see drivers drinking and smoking while driving, there is no speed limit, the state of the vehicles is horrendous, and what does the word “seat belts” mean, right?!
When you are travelling by bus, at least will never get hungry, because the driver will stop countless times in the middle of nowhere, and dozens of people will appear with all sort of things to sell, including the best cashew nuts in the whole world.
They will stick the products through the bus windows. Basically, they do a 2 in 1, travel and shopping. So don’t push for me and ask about the smells 🙂
If you asked me for 3 words to describe my journeys, I would say: slow, smelly and chaotic. Patience and tolerance are much needed for this long and sweaty journeys.
well and luck.. because the old vehicles break down easily.
I stopped at the main cities, but travelled mostly through the rural areas, where people are not used to seeing tourists or speak much Portuguese, surprisedly communication was a problem, despite Portuguese being the official language in Mozambique.
Mozambique Island
Mozambique Island is a stunning place, that I highly recommend. It was a former Portuguese trading-post on the route to India and it’s the only place in the country part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
Maputo
Maputo it’s different from the rest of the country, it’s a developed city with all the basic infrastructures, some preserved colonial-style architecture, it’s culturally dynamic, and has a rich nightlife.
You can discover Maputo by walking around the Baixa, losing yourself in the streets. The city does have a lot of petty crime, I don’t recommend walking around the city after dark on your own.
It’s not uncommon to be harassed by workers, drivers or even the police. A foreigner is likely to be targeted by police trying to extort money, so always carry your passport, and don’t pay if you haven’t done anything wrong, otherwise, you are giving them the incentive to hassle the next traveller.
Stunning Mozambique
Mozambique has a rich culture and much to offer if you like to go out of the beaten path.
Explore deserted beaches, do snorkelling or diving, meet warm kind people, do outdoors activities or be in contact with nature and wildlife. I definitely recommend a visit. Just remember, be kind, patience and enjoy the small things in life!
Mozambique is all about feeling, experiencing, smelling and tasting.
photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha
? Information and testimony about being a vegan in Mozambique – Vegan in Mozambique