By the Beach in Mozambique

I can’t quite put my finger on Mozambique. I tried to write about it after my first trip back in September but came up blank. Maybe that’s what made Mozambique the first country I've ever returned to. 

I don’t know whether it’s lying on quiet and pristine turquoise beaches, watching bright red sun sets through palm trees or driving through small roadside towns painted with pastel colours. Mozambique has this captivating charm I can’t effectively describe with words or photos. I could never sum up my time there in a single post, but here's my best effort.

The colours of a Mozambican sunset

I'd never known Africa for its beaches. Turns out tourism in Africa is so much more than just safaris and national parks. Beach life is largely what Mozambique is regarded for, and I can see why. Clean beaches. Good waves. Happening parties. Adventurous activities. What more could you want for a beach haven?
I think what makes Mozambique so special compared to other beautiful beach destinations is that you don't have to share the coast with mountains of others. For a tourist hotspot, it's so chilled you forget you're just a visitor.

Surf life in Mozambique

Mozambique certainly has a lure beyond the coast. I spent a few days in the capital city Maputo and as far as cities go, it's a pretty cool place to visit. I'll always remember travelling solo in Maputo, finding my way to an outdoor bar and dancing to a local rock band with a mix of happy people from all walks of life.
From the reds, pinks and greens of shop fronts, to the rainbow coloured sarongs worn almost everywhere; Mozambique is full of colour. It has the laid back pace of easy-going Africa coupled with the charm of the beach and the energy of a chilled night in your favourite bar. Palm trees are the most defining feature of the landscape and small cosy houses and shops scattered through sand paths and roads create the relaxed nature of the towns.

Housing in an island village outside Tofo

The bulk of time my in Mozambique was spent beachside in the tiny town Praia de Tofo (Tofo) just outside the small city Inhambane. Big on diving, parties and hanging by the beach, it’s a perfect place to relax. Despite it's small size, there’s a lot to do in Tofo like ocean safaris, market shopping and island tours. Quad biking around the town and up to nearby Barra was the best way to explore.
Mozambique is far from the friendliest country I’ve visited in Africa, but Tofo is much more open and accommodating to foreigners. Befriending the locals was without a doubt the easiest and cheapest way to get around and much more fun than the typical site seeing tour. I thought of venturing further north, but I couldn't simply just stay a few days here and move on.

Tofo by quadbike

Not only the first country I choose to return to, but the first place where English isn't the first language. Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony, leaving Portuguese as the offical language. There were definitely times my lack of ability to adapt to different languages was very evident. Most notably when my second visa was rejected at the border leaving me clueless and unable to negotiate entry. And how could I forget the time my flight home was grounded in Maputo and the airport staff were about as helpful as the other confused passengers.

Mozambique is far from easily accessible to non-African tourists. The visa process is the most difficult in Southern Africa. It's the only place which requires pre-arranged visas. It took me 4 visits to the embassy in Joburg to sort out a visa for my first trip. Some ill-informed advice from broader staff led me to have no visa for my second trip. I ended up borrowing money off a lovely portugese-speaking Canadian couple who managed to negotiated a new visa at a chaotic boarder. At this point I was just greatful I was let in and didn’t have to hitchhike my way back to Joburg.

I don’t know if I can blame this simply on the language barrier. It’s just Africa for you. Expect anything. The only thing you can guarantee is that official processes will move at a slow pace and no matter how well you plan you have to get ready to adapt.
It can be frustrating, but it’s also half the fun.

Travel complications are well worth it for sunsets like this

Mozambique is also the only place I have had a run-in with local police. Being a lone white female tourist in Africa is at times like walking around with a ‘free cash’ sign. Police are notorious for corruption and using tourists for easy money. This is definitely not specific to Mozambique, this was just where I got unlucky. I had been warned to always carry my passport, spare officially verified documents and carefully hidden cash. So when I was pulled over by a policeman cradeling his AK47, I naturally had no proof of identification and a large pile of non-concealed cash. If I hadn’t have been with a local I would be significantly out of pocket or worse. All just for quadbiking a few metres past a barely viable restricted area sign- something I would only expect a a brief warning for back home.
This wasn't the only time I felt targeted as a tourist. I travelled from Maputo to Tofo by road twice. The first time on a tour bus which was pulled over at every point to try and catch speeding or to check documents. The second time I caught a local bus which was largely ignored even though the vechical was in worse shape and completely over-filled.

You’re probably wondering why I loved travelling in Mozambique so much with all this going on.
I don’t mean to emphasis the negatives. I could just write about all the awesome things I did like sunbaking by crystal blue beaches, dancing all night at beachside bars and snorkelling with humpback whales. But there’s always more than meets the eye.
There’s so much Mozambique has to offer and I had the absolute time of my life there, but I find the country frustratingly out of reach. If the visa process was eased up and police corruption toned down, Mozambique would be far less intimidating.

Despite the visa dramas and intimidating environment for foreigners, I'd go back in a heartbeat. Whether it’s the beaches, sunsets, quirky towns or crazy adventures, Mozambique is an addictive country to visit. Sometimes though, travel is more about experience rather than location. My time in Mozambique wasn't about the brightest sunset or cleanest beach. It was the times I had with the amazing people by my side. I'll hold this place close to my heart.

Vast clear and calm water to explore in the islands surrounding Tofo and Barra

I travelled in Southern Mozambique twice in October and November, visiting Maputo, Bilene, Inhambane, Tofo and Barra. My first trip was through Rush Adventures. Second time around I travelled solo with Intercape and Faitma's bus staying at Fatima's Maputo. In Tofo I stayed at Surf Tree House Cottage as a couple.



 
I've written 4 other posts during my travels in Southern Africa about Cape Town, Lesotho, Drakensburg and load Shedding. 
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Back home in Australia I post uni assignments and write sporadically @ ditchedinmelbourne.

There's Something About Cape Town

I’m rarely taken aback with cities. I find nothing overly beautiful about a sea of high rise unnatural buildings trapped within a layer of smog. 
Cape Town is different. Caught between the mountains and the sea, Cape Town couldn’t be a better located city. It takes advantage of its stunning natural beauty, making it certainly the most picturesque city I have ever seen. It’s also a city accustom to providing for tourists and is so easy to navigate for newcomers. 
After living in Joburg it was a refreshing change to safely walk down pristine streets with breathtaking views every day. It’s another world compared to other parts of Africa. I instantly could feel right at home.

The view from Lions Head shows Cape Town glow at night

There’s so much to do in Cape Town. I could have spent weeks longer there and still had more things to do. Shark cage diving, Nelson Mandela's former prison at Robben Island and of course the iconic Table Mountain are some of the major attractions. 
Paragliding off Signal Hill shows the best of the city, sea and mountains through a clean blue sky and skydiving is also popular for thrill seekers. For those with less time constraints, Cape Town is a gateway to the Garden Route- the cluster of charming beachside towns like Kynsna and Mossel Bay, posing remarkable similarities to Australia’s Great Ocean Road. 
Not far from Cape Town lies many wine regions home to some of the best wine in the world. I spent a day in Stellenbosch and stayed overnight at a winery in the Klawer region. South Africa's premium wine can be easily enjoyed by dropping into one of the many open wineries without emptying your entire wallet. 
Cape Town is more expensive than other areas in Africa but it certainly doesn’t have to be explored on a high budget. Public beaches are plentiful, the mountains are free to hike and there’s endless entertainment around the CBD from museums, to a relaxing afternoon walk through the Botanical gardens or Waterfront markets.

Paragliding above where the city meets the sea

Cape Town is undeniably gorgeous. Unfortunately, everyone knows it. Huge crowds of tourists are something I hadn’t seen much of in Africa and it wasn’t exactly a refreshing change. I had to learn quickly how to navigate around tourists racing in circles to find the prime selfie spot at every site. This is something I find painfully frustrating, but accessibility for tourists is something that others may find more comforting when in Africa. 

Strolling through the clean and decorated streets of Cape Town, I forgot for a moment all the troubles pressing South Africa that I had studied and seen in Joburg. South Africa has a staggering 25% unemployment rate, compared to Australia’s 6%, leaving a lot of people on the streets. While the country has come a long way since apartheid collapsed in 1994, the high levels of violent crime and uncomfortable history of racism still plagues the country.
It didn’t take too long until I was remained of these things again. Like when yet another struggling homeless person followed me for blocks relentlessly begging for change. Or when I drove out of the city past kilometres of people living in the densely clustered shacks of informal settlements.

It is easy to pass through Cape Town completely oblivious to the complexities of South Africa, especially without seeing other areas of the country.  
The adventure activites and beautiful sites are fantastic, but it's worth trying to learn a little more the area. Museums like District Six, township tours and Robben Island show a clearer picture of the whole of South Africa’s social political landscape. Even just renting a car and exploring the greater Cape Town area gives a broader perspective beyond the barriers of tourism.

The high presence of barbed wire fencing shows the tight security against crime right across South Africa

When it comes to staying in Cape Town, the more time the better. Cape Town’s weather at certain times of the year can mean missing out on some of the highlights. More like Melbourne’s ‘four seasons in one day’ weather, Cape Town can go from sunny and clear one minute, to grey skies and pouring rain the next. Good timing and plenty of flexibility are important when travelling Cape Town. Windy conditions cancelled my skydiving, and paragliding was postponed twice due to poor weather. 
If I could offer one piece of advice to potential Cape Town travellers- it would be to make sure your trip up Table Mountain or Lions Head is on a clear day. It’s really not worth getting all the way to the top to see nothing but clouds. 
Weather’s too rainy? No worries. Head down to the markets, V&A Waterfront Mall or the famous Long Street. Find a quirky café, put your feet up and watch the world go by. 

There’s just something special about Cape Town. This is a place I could visit time and time again.

The Cape Wheel is one of the big attractions at the vibrant V&A Waterfront

I travelled to Cape Town twice in October/November and December via plane and an overland tour.
In Cape Town I stayed at Cape Town Backpackers, Never@Home and Ashanti Backpackers Greenpoint.
On the Garden Route I stated at Fairy Knowe Backpackers Lodge in Wilderness and I camped at Highlanders campsite in Klawer wine region.

This is my fourth post during my 5-month stay in Southern Africa. I have also written about hiking Drakensburg, power outages and a weekend in Lesotho.

Follow me as I try to convince you to pack your bags and get on a plane to Africa, before I make my way to South East Asia (for a third time) in 2016.

When I'm not writing, photographing, exploring and studying overseas, I keep myself busy posting about Melbourne life @ ditchedinmelbourne