Mozambique

Get in

As it is impossible to exchange meticais outside of Mozambique it is advisable to change a small amount of currency if arriving at a land border in mid to late afternoon to cover taxis and meals for the first night, currency exchanges generally close at 18:00 and due to sporadic ATM failures access to currency is by no means guaranteed out of hours. When accepted by merchants foreign currency has an extremely poor exchange rate.

See

thumb|Maputo Ilha de Mozambique, i.e. Mozambique Island is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mozambique. The island boasts colonial architecture including probably the oldest European building in the Southern Hemisphere and beaches. The historic town of Inhambane. Sites from the civil war all over the country and the Museum of Revolution in Maputo to learn more about recent events in the country's history Wildlife and nature in Gorongosa National Park.

Do

Dive, see Diving in Mozambique for details. Tours and Safaris, a number of tour operators can help you reach Mozambique's highlights. The most reputable as per guide books Lonely Planet and Bradt are Mozaic Travel and Dana Tours in the south, and Kaskazini in the north.

Eat

thumb|Lobsters! As a country the Portuguese occupation has a profound impact on local foods that has produced some of the most unique and interesting cuisine within Southern Africa. Towards the coast a great deal of seafood is used within even the most basic of dishes, however, in land the maize based partridges common throughout Africa becomes staple but with some Portuguese flair.

Piri-Piri, also known as the African bird's-eye chili this extremely strong chili is common in sauce form throughout the country. Pãozinho , also known as Portuguese rolls or Prego (beef) no pão and bifana (fried pork) . A floury and often semi-sweet bread roll, typically served with meat in the center. Matapa, a seafood (clam, crab or prawn) stew made with cassava leaves and generally served over rice. This is one of the Mozambique staples. Camarão National, are Mozambican prawns marinaded in a Piri-Piri, garlic, onion, lemon and vinegar. Cray fish and other seafood. These are caught off the beach throughout the country and will generally be prepared with a piri-piri marinade, served with rice and matapa. Kakana This is a bitter tasting local vegetable.

Drink

All tap water in Mozambique should be assumed to be unsafe to drink, even if it is not harmful it usually has some sediment that your stomach will not be used to. Most western oriented lodgings either provide a fresh water source or sell bottled water.

Sleep

Accommodation ranges from inexpensive guesthouses and backpacker-oriented accommodation through to some of the most expensive resort accommodation in the region. thumb|Bungalow

Stay safe

thumb|Lighthouse in Beira Risks are much the same as many other countries in Africa (and significantly less than some, including parts of South Africa). Nevertheless muggings, robberies, rape and murder do occur, so the normal precautions should be taken. Women absolutely should never walk alone on beaches. Attacks on women have grown in tourist areas. In particular it's worth checking with local hostels and other tourists as to where dangerous areas are.

But in general the Mozambican people are extremely warm and friendly and you will encounter far less hassle than in almost all of the countries surrounding it.

Stay healthy

Malarial prophylaxis is essential in all parts of Mozambique. Chloroquine/Paludrine are now as ineffective as in other parts of east Africa, and it's worth going to see your doctor to get decent protection. If you are in country and suspect you have malaria there are clinics in every town that will administer a test for approximately 50 MT, the treatment also costs 50 MT if you have malaria. Get all your vaccinations before arriving Medical facilities in Mozambique are now generally reasonably stocked, but it is always worth getting a range of vaccinations before you leave. Prevention is better than cure. It is worth considering carrying some clean needles/sterile set if you are visiting out of the way areas, purely as remote medical facilities may have problems getting hold of them. thumb|Mice, anyone? Mind what you eat. As common in most countries in the world, if you are concerned about the standards of hygiene in a place, don't eat there. Do not have unprotected sex. As in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a very high HIV incidence, at 12.5% (National HIV Survey, 2021) Do not drink tap water or use any ice. South of the Zambezi river that divides the country, Mozambique is much more developed, especially around Maputo, tourist areas such as Inhambane and the industrial city of Beira. Here, especially in built-up areas, it is safe to drink the tap water, hence water in this area is marketed as "mineral water" and not "drinking water" and is sold at an inflated pri…