Xai-Xai & The Lagoon Coast (1)

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Xai-Xai is the capital of Gaza Province, a long town that stretches along the highway.
In summer, the scarlet flamboyant trees flower along the streets and the markets are lively, but there's not that much in the way of cultural and historical attractions.


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The area is very popular with fishermen, and during South African school holidays becomes annoyingly crowded.
Xai-Xai, like Maputo, grew in the early 1900s.
A sister port to the port of Maputo was built here, and construction began on the legendary Gaza Railway Line, which was intended to link to the great South African Railways one day but never did, only making it to Languene.


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Linking southern Mozambique to the northern bank of the Rio Incomati, the bridge that arches over the river was built in 1964, increasing the town's strategic location as a supply centre.
The bridge was washed away completely in the 2000 floods.
Xai-Xai was flooded with 3 m water, leaving many people homeless and without basic services and supplies.


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Limpopo Mouth & Zongoene, Out & About

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Spot the pink-throated twinspot
With over 340 species in a diverse habitat consisting of sandy coastline, estuaries and palm plantations, Foz do Limpopo is great birding country. 
Look out for interesting species like the mangrove kingfisher, palm-nut vulture, black-and-white flycatcher, pale batis and pink-throated twinspot.


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Dip a toe in the Pools of Eden
The snorkelling is great at the Pools of Eden, a series of pools some 10 km north of Zongoene Lodge.

Walh to the farol
Some charming lighthouses are still scattered along the southern Mozambican coast.
Monte Belo farol is one such charmer.
Built on a sand dune in 1914, this 14-metre-high lighthouse bears testament to the days when coasters steamed their way up the river to Xai-Xai.


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Go fight a wahoo
There's good fishing here: both game fishing (dorado, sailfish, queenfish, wahoo) and rock and surf angling.

Enjoy a sundowner cruise around the River Mouth
Zongoene offers memorable cruises along the River Mouth with beautiful birdlife, the sea, the river, the smells and sounds ....


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Limpopo Mouth & Zongoene (2)

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It's amazing to imagine that in the 1940s this river was navigable all the way to Xai-Xai, and used frequently by small coasters.
Then a coaster ironically named the Limpopo, ran aground and blocked the passage.


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Foz do Limpopo gradually filled up and the mouth narrowed until it was a mere 100 m wide.
Fruitless efforts were made to stabilise the dunes with casuarina trees, often planted as windbreaks.

Where to stay: ZONGOENE LODGE, south of the Limpopo Mouth, was devastated in the 2000 floods, but has been restored, and is the best bet for accomodation at Limpopo Mouth.

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Limpopo Mouth & Zongoene (1)

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The "great, grey-green, greasy Limpopo" immortalised by Rudyard Kipling, spills out into the sea at Foz do Limpopo, Limpopo Mouth, some 230 km from Maputo and 7 km north of Bilene.

The Limpopo is Mozambique's second-biggest river, with a massive 40.000 kmq catchment area that drains parts of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana as it carves its way to the Indian Ocean.


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The Limpopo is a moody river, influenced by sub-continental rains and prone to seasonal fluctuation.
In winter the levels drop and the river is sometimes little more than a few streams and channels; in summer it becomes fat and grey-green again.

Limpopo Mouth was completely rearranged by the floods of 2000, as walls of water flattened sand dunes, tore out forests and washed away sandbars and embarkments.

The town of Xai-Xai was devastated.


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With typical Mozambican tenacity, however, the area has been restored , and the Limpopo Mouth is great for an overnighter, especially if you are a birder.
The wetlands around the mouth are renowned birding areas.


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Bilene (4)

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Bilene has a couple of garages, a local mercado selling fresh fruit and nuts, seasonal veggies, fresh fish and pao, beer and dop and pretty much what you need.

The town overlooks the waters of the Uembje Lagoon, which is around 20 km long.
It's very deep in parts, but shallow near the shores, which also makes it family friendly, suitable for kids and oldies.
The mouth of the Lagoon is blocked by a sandbar for most of the year, formed by the longshore drift of the Mozambique current.
In summer the level of the lagoon is higher than that of the sea, but by April the rains have flushed out the sandbars and boats can head in and out of the mouth.

Information and bookings for accomodation in Bilene can be accessed at:

www.mozambiqueccomodation.co.za

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Bilene (3)

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There are growing numbers of Seffrican holiday homes here, and Maputans, too, are returning to this spot as a break from the capital city.

Former president Chissano has a house out there, and there are signs of development and increasing numbers of luxury homes.

Sadly no one has done anything with the old complexo along the main beach road: its beachfront restaurant is abandoned and the grand old balcony in disrepair.
What a pity.

There's a main strip with bars and restaurants, spots selling prawns, chicken and local fare.


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Bilene (2)

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While there's a distinct party spirit to the place, it's sadly shabby around the edges, especially after the New Year's Eve festival when the town reaches its summer frenzy.

The place gets packed on New Year's Eve: everyone and their auntic pulls into town and the Seffricans go crazy on their quad bikes; the locals have drag races down the main street and all the girls of Bilene come out in white dresses.

The major of the town should clean up quicker and more thoroughly after New Year because there's massive after-party rubbish.


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Bilene (1)

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Two hour's drive or 160 km, north of Maputo, Bilene is a popular little seaside town that overlooks the Uembje Lagoon.

The town was the capital settlement of Soshangane, the chief of Gaza, in the 1840s.


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In the days of the Portuguese, Bilene was known as Sao Martinho, and was a popular weekender spot, named after San Martinho do Porto in the Portuguese motherland, which is also set on a lake.
Many LM people had comes here, and the town's main road was a broad, elegant mix of cafés and bars, hotels and promenades.

Under Portuguese rule, an annual festival in honour of St. Martin was established on 4 November, with processions and singing and dancing.
It is still celebrate today.


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Macia

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From Manicha you continue along the EN1 past the Xinavane turn-off and once you cross the Incomati again you are in Gaza province.


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As always, keep an eye out for roadworks potholes and slow-moving vehicles.
After 19 km of driving through Cashew Nut Plantation you'll reach Macia, 144 km from Maputo.


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Macia is a pleasant town, which a good mercado and pao shops.

From Macia, it's 32 km to Bilene on a pretty good tar road.


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There is a welcomed bar lounge on the outskirts of Macia.
From here you can also head for Chowke which will take you to the Giriyondo border post with South Africa and onto the Bush-to-Beach Route in reverse.


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Macia is an excellent place to buy cheap bags of cashews.
There are roadside sellers who string their bags up in the trees alongside the road, and sometimes leap out in a rather alarming fashion to offer you their nutty wares.


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Manicha

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From Marracuene, the EN1 heads inland so as not to sink into the floodplains of the mighty Rio Incomati.

After 48 km you will reach the lovely town of Manicha.


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My favourite place in Manicha is the Restaurante Laurentino which is charming and always makes me feel that I'm properly starting my southern Mozambican adventure once more.

Restaurante Laurentino has a picture of Madiba on the wall, along with a customary one of President Guebuza.


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Here, they serve traditional Portuguese food with an Indian twist.
There is also basic overnight accomodation here if you need to rest your weary head.


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The town is well kept and clean; the buildings in the high street are painted in bright colours, and an Indian influence is evident in the architecture and shops.

Before you enter Manicha there's an interesting, colourful and charming roadside Art Gallery on your left, selling wooden sculptures, signs and functional art and craft.


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Macaneta

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From Marracuene you can batelao (ferry) across the Incomati River to Macaneta Bay.
The dock is down a small road and there is always a cold cerveja at the ready at Julio's Kiosk while you wait for the batelao.

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The ferry departs every half hour or so.
There is also a small fish market at the dock which sells fresh crabs, prawns and clams at good price.

Drive your car aboard the ferry and then it's a further 8 km to Macaneta Bay on a marshy track - 4x4 recommended - to a glorious stretch of Postcard Beach, with friendly island-style restaurants that sell prawns and cold beer.
Lunch at the Complexo Turistico Macaneta, a busy but friendly seafood restaurant near the beach.
You can also head for a bush lunch at Incomati River Camp, a secluded. peaceful hideaway that offers a very pleasant lunch at a reasonable price.
The meals are good: fresh, local ingredients cooked in Mozambican or Portuguese style.

If you can also visit the Karibu Bar at Jay's Beach Lodge, which is a peaceful spot along a woodland setting overlooking a river.

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Marracuene

It's not far before the delights of being out of the city become apparent.

Only 30 km from Maputo, you'll reach Marracuene, a pleasant little town overlooking the floodplains of the Rio Incomati and featuring an enchanting cemetery, if a cemetery can be described as such.

The town was called Vila Luisa in colonial times, Luisa being the charming and beautiful daughter of the Mozambican 1895 governor general, Antonio Enes.


If you are after a good overnight spot, head for Marracuene Lodge, a rustic spot down a sand track - 4x4 advisable - on the outskirts of town, which has chalets and a small bar lounge.

There's also the well-known Casa Lisa which has been offering weary travellers a swimming pool and comfortable chalets for years.

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Maputo, The EN 1 North

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Just in case you were contemplating departing for southern Mozambique via Maputo do not attempt to leave the city at the northern end of the Avenida Marginal as someone did.


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The road rapidly turns into a pit of wild potholes and alarming dongas before disappearing completely into urban sprawl.


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You will need to leave on the EN1 (Estrada Nacional 1), in order to make a more dignified departure.

If you are in Maputo, take Avenida 24 de Julho, go across Prace 16 de Junho, turn right onto Avenida Mozambique which is the EN1.

If you are coming from the Ressano Garcia border post, you will take the well-signposted turning to EN1 before you enter the city of Maputo.


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Maputaland, Out & About (2)

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Swim with the dolphins 

It's a profound experience to swim in waves alongside a pod of dolphins. 
Dolphin Encountours, based at Tandje, offers simple accomodation, so round up the gang and go on a dolphin excursion.

www.dolphin-encountours.co.za

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Land a marlin

In season, the Pontas are all set about with lines and tackle, rods and cheery-faced fishermen. 
Surf, rock, saltwater and deep-sea fishing are pretty famous at Ponta and you may come across some incredible tales. 
Out of sea, dorado, wahoo and marlin await the game fishers, while surf fishers can take a shot at bream, barracuda and kingfish.



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Enjoy a gentle gallop

Ocean breezes, crashing surf, pounding hooves.
Enjoy a gentle gallop across the beach on horseback, available from Porta Malongane and Porta Mamoli.


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Party your socks off

Ponta do Ouro can be a total jol during the Seffrican school holidays.
Many impossible holiday romances, unlikely friendship, crazy conversation and surreal encounters have taken place on this part of the Mozambican coastline.

Long may the party continue !

www.pontadoouro.co.za

www.mozambiqueaccomodation.co.za

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