As an old Portuguese colony, Mozambique allies the Latin and the African cultures. After it’s independence in 1975, a civil war broke out and ravished the county for many years.
Since 1992, Mozambique has been building itself up slowly. Its idyllic coast follows the Indian Ocean which makes it mainly a beach destination. Come discover the magnificent beaches, but also the cultural and historical heritage as well as the rich variety of both its aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna.
Mozambique abounds in semi-deserted islands and has 2 big archipelagos, The Bazaruto archipelago and the Quirimbas archipelago.
The Bazaruto archipelago consists of 5 islands of which the biggest was declared a national marine reserve in 1971. Thus it is a wildlife and scuba hotspot. Birders will be well satisfied by the 180 bird species listed on the island – the flight of the pink flamingos is a site to see.
Nevertheless, Mozambique is not only famous for its beaches and scuba diving, but also for its cultural treasures. Let’s take the Ilha de Mozambique for example. It is classified a world heritage site by Unesco. There is also the Sofala province and its historic harbour and the town of Inhambane which accommodated the first Arab merchants in the 11th century. |
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You will be enchanted by the mysterious Ibo Island which is also an incredible world heritage site. It was a strategic base for the Arab merchants who were trading in slaves, ivory and gold destined for the Arab world. The fascinating Fort São João Batista, of which you can still visit the ruins, was constructed by the Portuguese in 1791 and is an historic symbol of the island.
Maputo, the capitol of the country, remains a must see. Visit its railway station designed by Gustave Eiffel, take part in the vibrant nightlife of the city, its coffee shops, its bars and clubs. Like music, dancing is ever-present in Mozambique and is part of everyday life. Pick your lobsters carefully on the fish market on the beach of Costa del Sol. The Costa del Sol Fish Market gives you a very good idea of the local cuisine. Succulent prawns, lobster, grilled fish of all sorts, local rice or cassava based dishes.
Mozambique is currently developing its national parks and is offering more and more safari activities. The Maputo Elephant Park and the Niassa Nature Reserve merit a detour. In its 42000km2 more than 12000 elephants and 9000 antelopes have been counted. Here you can see buffalo, wild dog, lion, leopard, hyena, hippo and also an incredibly diverse birdlife. The extraordinary Great Limpopo Trans frontier Park project is currently creating a huge trans frontier park extending over the borders of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It will include the famous Kruger National Park. This is in order to promote better migration by the big herds of elephant and other species.
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