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Provinces and Capitals of Mozambique
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Mozambique's provinces and towns boast wonderful white sandy beaches, famous holiday resorts like Tofu, beautiful Archipelagos, exotic restaurants, various water sports activities, great architecture and a World Heritage site.
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Maputo ProvinceThis most southern province of Mozambique with the capital Maputo
borders South Africa and Swaziland. It is easily accessible and has an important port which was once known as Lourenzo Marques. The city became firmly established when the central authority was transferred here in 1898, it was also a major outlet for the gold fields of South Africa especially once a railway line was constructed.
Other attractions of this Mozambican province are Inhaca Island - popular for diving and snorkelling, further south is the Maputo Elephant Reserve, and about a 2 hour drive in 4x4 only from Maputo is Ponta do Ouro a very popular diving and snorkelling spot with beautiful beaches - marine life is rich with tropical fish, dolphins, Manta ray and even shark
Maputo Province
Prior to the 1970s and 1980s, Maputo was on of the most glamorous places to be in Africa where a mix of Portuguese and African culture attracted socialites and many visitors it was a beautiful and exotic destination with an impressive skyline. Neglect set in during the war years and the city fell into disrepair.
The Mozambican city is currently undergoing rejuvenation and the Polana Hotel which has stood the test of time is once again a playground of the rich and famous with excellent views of the harbour, tea gardens, a gym and Victorian features.
Maputo has pretty tree lined avenues and many interesting historical and scenic spots, local restaurants serve wonderful fresh seafood and cold beer or visitors can wander through the fish market and purchase the catch of the day for a barbeque later. Maputo's legendary nightlife with lots of bars and discos in the Fere de Populare area.
From the harbour visitors can take the ferry out to Inhaca Island to see the fascinating maritime museum, historic lighthouse, have lunch or stay over. There are many historic landmarks to see in Maputo and a good place to start is the Praca de Independencia, also worth visiting is the Central Railway Station, Tundaro Gardens, the Art Museum and the Museum of the Revolution |
Gaza ProvinceThis Mozambican province lies just north of Maputo, the Limpopo Valley located here is very fertile and used extensively for growing rice and cereal crops. The main attractions in this area is the Praia do Xai Xai beach close to the capital Xai Xai; and about 2 hours from Maputo - the village and beach of Bilene on the edge of a stunning 27km (17 miles) lagoon that has powdery white sand and clear brackish water, this area is reached via Macia; and the Banhine National Park which is a protected area for its wealth of wildlife - the park is situated between the Limpopo and Changane rivers.
Xai Xai
The capital of the Gaza Province, Xai Xai is reached by tar roads and
located about 200km (124 miles) north of Maputo. The town is situated
on the Limpopo River and is a good place to stock up on supplies. It has markets, restaurants, shops, a campsite, bars, petrol stations, banks and
a post office. Mozambique visitors generally stop here on there way to a beautiful beach in the east about 10km (6 miles) away.
Praia do Xai Xai has been popular with visitors for years; there is a coral reef that runs along the coast providing a sheltered bathing and snorkelling area at high tide and interesting small pools at low tide. Nearby is the Wenela Tidal Pool, Chongoene beach and half an hour away freshwater lakes for water sports like kayaking. |
Sofala ProvinceSituated in the lower-middle section of the country, Sofala Province is one of the wealthiest in Mozambique and produces mainly sugar and shrimps. The capital city here is Beira; the city provides Zimbabwe with direct coastal connections by road and rail via the Beira Corridor.
The Sofala Province in Mozambique offers game viewing and fabulous scenery at the famous Gorongosa National Park, which is 150km (93 miles) from Beira - Elephant, Lion, Buffalo and other animals, can be seen here, birdlife is spectacular. There is also the Marromeu Buffalo Reserve in the north of the province. An active programme for the re-stocking of animals is underway in both of these areas.
Beira
Beira stands at the mouth of the Pungwe River, the ground is swampy and the weather is very hot and humid stringent malaria precautions must be taken before visiting. Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. The busy port city has interesting architecture and old buildings, banks, hotels, shops, cosmopolitan cafes and restaurants large juicy prawns and cheap crayfish available here is still some of the best.
Excellent beaches are found between the Clube Nutico and the lighthouse. Macuti beach is the most fashionable suburb. About 10 minutes inland there is a resort and artificial lagoon with islands, visitors can swim and hire pedal boats, dhow trips and great camping can be found on the Save River. |
Niassa ProvinceLocated in the north of the country bordering Tanzania at the Rovuma River and Malawi in the west at Lake Niassa (Lake Malawi), it is the largest and the most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Mozambique. This area is one of the wildest and least developed. The capital is Lichinga, located on the plateau also called Lichinga.
A visit to the stunning Lake Niassa is a must, the road down to the lake is only possible with 4x4 vehicles and so this area has remained unspoilt. The lakes waters are host to an abundance of tropical fish species, the likes of which is not found any where else on earth. In the north of the province is the massive Niassa Reserve, the biggest in southern Africa, it is game rich and famous for the large number of Elephant found there.
Lichinga
Located at high altitude on the plateau of the same name, Lichinga experiences a temperate-cold climate. There is an airport here and the surrounding area is characterised by extensive pine forests. |
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Page: 1 Inhambane Province
In the southern section of Mozambique, the Inhambane province has most notably the beautiful Bazaruto Archipelago, many famous beaches, coconut and cashew trees. Beach going visitors can find Praia de Zavala close to Quissico, Praia de Zavoraabout ...
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Page: 3 Zambezia Province
Located in the upper-middle section of Mozambique, this province has wonderful tea plantations and is famous for the abundance of coconut trees numbering in the millions. The port capital is Quelimane. In under an hour north-east from the town on t ...
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Inhaca Island Mozambique
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Visit Inhaca Island just off Mozambique. Large areas of unspoiled evergreen forest, bush land and beaches are protected as a natural reserve since 1976, providing a unique and pristine environment to enjoy.
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Vilanculos in Mozambique
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Vilanculos in Mozambique is a picturesque town. Guests staying at Dugong Beach Lodge can visit this town on a day trip.
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