An exclusive and as yet unspoilt destination, with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches which extend for long distances, contrasting with the blue of the Indian Ocean. Ideal for diving and whale, shark and nature watching. The famous Ngrongosa Park is a must for Safari enthusiasts.
Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony which gained independence in 1975, is now a state of East Africa with a population of around 25.2 million residents. The capital is Maputo and the state borders to the north with Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia; to the east with the Mozambique Channel which divides it from Madagascar; to the south with South Africa; to the west with Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Mozambique is considered a developing country which is emerging as an exclusive and exceptional destination for its unspoilt landscapes.
From the second half of the nineties, Mozambique moved to establish protected areas, creating national parks and nature reserves. The most important national parks are: the Banhine national park, the Gorongosa national park, the Zinave national park and the Limpopo park. In 1991 the Island of Mozambique was declared a World Heritage Site.
The wildlife in this area is very diverse, notable examples being the Old World monkeys and certain lemurs, but also lions, leopards and jackals. There is no shortage of elephants, rhinoceros, zebras, buffalo and antelopes of various species such as wildebeest, antelopes and giraffes. For nature and animal lovers this is an exceedingly rich destination, yet you will also find friendly and welcoming locals and enchanting beaches, colonial towns and hut villages, baobab and mangrove forests and unspoilt archipelagos.
A passport with an expiry date in excess of six months is required.
It is very important that your passport has at least two empty white pages.
Entrance Visa: This must be applied for before departure. If you wish to visit nearby countries before returning back to Mozambique, we recommend applying directly to the Mozambique Embassy for a multiple entry visa. Please note that whilst the multiple entry visa allows you to enter Mozambique on more than one occasion, it only allows a maximum stay of 30 days, at the end of which you must leave the country with no possibility of extension or renewal.
Hotels
Point of interests
By plane
Pemba–Mozambique can be accessed from around the world with various airlines, including:
From Europe: Majority of airline companies fly to Pemba via Johannesburg or Dar es Salam
From South Africa: AIRLINK www.flyairlink.com , South African Airlines www.flysaa.com with direct flight to Pemba.
From Tanzania: LAM
From Kenya: LAM
Airport transfer
Diamonds Mequfi Beach is a 1-hour drive from Pemba Airport.
An A / R transfer service is available from the airport to the resort, organized by the hotel. The transfer service is included in the price of some packages and offers bookable online on our website.
If not included, you can book your transfer directly online on our website at the time of booking the room or by contacting the email address directly booking.web@planhotel.ch
Mozambique cuisine has been heavily influenced by Portuguese culinary traditions. Discover the local dishes of this new and exclusive destination.
FIRST COURSES
Açorda alentejana – Bread soup made with fish stock, olive oil, coriander, garlic and boiled eggs.
Açorda de Bacalhau – Bread soup made with fish stock, cod, olive oil, coriander and fried eggs.
Amêijoas à bulhão pato – Clams with garlic and coriander.
Arroz açafrão – Saffron rice with fish and chicken. Similar to Valencian paella.
Arroz de manteiga – Rice with butter and onions.
Caldo verde – Cabbage soup served with pão de broa bread and a slice of chorizo.
Creme pastor – Chicken stock with vegetables, pancetta, eggs and cream.
Gaspacho à alentejana – Cold vegetable south with cumin sausage and bread.
Sopa alentejana – Soup with fried cod, coriander, water, egg and bread.
SECOND COURSES
Almôndegas – Pork and veal meatballs.
Atum com arroz – Rice patty with tuna, lettuce, tomatoes and olives.
Bacalhau à moda do Porto – Cod prepared in a traditional Porto style.
Bachalhau à moda de Minho – Cod wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked. Served with fried onions and boiled potatoes but without the cabbage leaves.
Bachalhau com batatas – Cod with a white sauce and boiled potatoes.
Bachalhau frito – Battered and fried cod.
Bachalhoada – Cod stew with olives, tomatoes, cabbage, parsley, onion, garlic and poached eggs.
Bife de figado ao molho Madeira – Slices of fried liver with tomato sauce, flour and Maderia wine.
Bife Maputo (Mozambique) – Steak with mango.
Conchas de camarão – Prawns in a Béchamel sauce topped with breadcrumbs and cheese. These are cooked in scallop shells.
DESSERTS
Arroz doce – Rice and egg pudding sprinkled with cinnamon. Served cold.
Leite crem – Dessert made with milk, vanilla and sugar dusted with cinnamon.
BEER
The most famous brands are Sagres and Superbock, both of which are excellent.
The best months for spotting migrating whales are August and September.
They cut through the waters by the shore in the winter period (European summer).
Completing the image of Mozambique’s natural beauty is the possibility of seeing an extraordinary variety of fish and the fantastic and almost unspoilt range of hard and soft corals.
This natural park was considered one of the most important safari destinations and offers spectacular scenes of the diverse eco-systems represented in the park: huge plains interrupted by patches of acacia trees, expanses of savanna, forests and season water basins. Inside the park it is possible to observe a thriving wildlife composed of herbivores, carnivores and birds. Depending on the time of year it is possible to choose different activities through which to discover the park’s beauty based on the weather conditions: the months between July and September are the best for photographic safaris whilst in the wet season, when the plains are flooded and inaccessible, the park can be explored by canoe or mekoro log boats.
In the park it is common to spot herds of elephants and buffalo, wildebeest, kudu, hartebeest, zebras, impala, monkeys and baboons. If you wish to see hippopotamuses and crocodiles, simply head for the shores of Lake Urema. The park also offers excellent bird-watching possibilities. It is possible to plan a fully tailored journey with the park’s guides to make your experience of Mozambique even more rare and unique.
The Quirimbas National Park extends along the north-east coast of Mozambique and covers 750,639 hectares of coastal and mangrove forests, thriving coral reefs and a rich marine life including sea turtles, dugongs and hundreds of species of fish. The park was founded in 2002 to protect the region’s natural resources.
A WWF project ensures that local communities, park authorities and tourist operators share both the benefits and the responsibilities of managing the park both on land and at sea. The project focuses on fish monitoring programmes, the development of eco-tourism, conservation of marine life and maintaining natural habitats.
In the colonial period, the capital was called Lourenço Marques but its nickname soon became the “Cannes of South Africans”, as although under the Apartheid government rock music was outlawed in South Africa, Maputo was the “good life” capital with a radio station which was listened to from as far away as Johannesburg.
There are still some artefacts of the past visible today: buildings with baroque and nineteenth-century architecture and a castle wall, the first Portuguese outpost in the sixteenth century. This town represents a fusion between an ancient colonial era and more recent modernity.
Mozambique has a coastline extending for 2,500 km, composed of the coasts lapped by the warm currents of the Indian Ocean, well-preserved coral reefs, mangroves and a niche tourism industry which makes this destination one of the most exclusive in the Indian Ocean.
Mozambique is home to some of Africa’s most beautiful beaches.
Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata): This turtle is very common along the coral reefs of the tropical oceans and you can easily approach it. Approximately 70-80 cm long, this reptile feeds on sea sponges, sea anemones and jellyfish.
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas): This marine reptile can be up to a meter and a half, and weigh more than 160 kg. Its name comes from the color of its skin, while its shell is green olive. Primarily herbivorous, it can lay up to 200 eggs that hatch at the same time on average after 60 days.
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta): So named for the large shape of its head, this animal in the water can reach a speed of 24 km per hour. It feeds mainly on jellyfish, but does not disdain even crabs, fish and more rarely seaweed and marine plants. The shell of all the marine turtles, formed by carapace and plastron, is very sensitive and should never be touched in order to do not annoy or frighten them.
Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris): This dolphin is a marine mammal, and needs to breathe air through the blowhole. This small cetacean reaches a maximum of 2 meters in length, it is a very social animal and lives in large groups. Excellent hunter, uses echolocation through the emission of sound waves to find its prey. Very often it performs stunts by jumping out of the water.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae): This whale can reach 15 meters in length and exceed 30 tons. Omnivorous, filters plankton and small fish through the baleen and therefore has no teeth. It is the only whale to jump completely out of the water and perform annual migration of about 10,000 km. It is harmless for humans.
Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus): This little monkey feeds mainly on fruits, vegetables, leaves and flowers, but sometimes even bird eggs and insects. Good climber, it can be found mostly on the trees. Social, living in groups of up to 40 individuals. Emits different sounds that allow it to communicate with the other members of the group.
