Shore Diving

There is no shore diving from Inhambane.

Boat Diving

Reefs off Inhambane cater to all levels of divers, and are accessible only by boat. These waters are home to some of the largest concentrations of giant manta rays worldwide, which are often a focal point of any dive.

Diving Inhambane, Credit

Manta Reef is the most famous diving site in the region, and is accessed by a 20-minute boat ride from town. Here, you will find three Manta Ray cleaning stations, large schools of fish, and impressive potato groupers. Sea turtles also frequent the area from time to time. Whale Sharks are another highlight off Inhambane. These waters are also home to one of the world’s largest concentration of the species, who reside year year round.

Aside from the megafauna life, other highlights include swim-throughs, Paperfish sightings, cleaner shrimps, a vibrant nudibranch population and plenty of moray eels. There are a handful of drift dives slightly further afield.

How to Get There

There is an airport just outside Inhambane, which is serviced frequently by the Mozambican airline, LAM. Their website can often be very hard to find online, so you can try http://booking.sita.aero/asp/asp/lam for bookings.

Most major bus companies travel directly from Johannesburg and Nelspruit to either Maputo, Inhambane or Maxixe.  From Maputo you can find a connecting bus to Inhambane, and from Maxixe you can make use of the ferry to reach Inhambane. Inhambane is located approximately 500km north of Maputo.

A street to the marketplace, Inhambane, Credit

Transport in and around Inhambane is relatively easy as local “chapas” and taxis can be found anywhere.

Where to Eat & Drink

There is a small variety of restaurants located in Inhambane, which serve reasonably priced Mozambican and International dishes.

Cozy! Credit

A few favourites include:

▪Jeff’s Restaurant offers a wide variety of local and westernised cuisine.  They also have a big screen to that you can enjoy major sporting events.  Weddings and functions can also be catered for on request.       

   ▪Casa do Capitão, serves seafoods and grilled meats.

   ▪Verdinho’s serves gourmet salads and burgers, pizzas and continental dishes.

  ▪Á Maçaroca a Swiss-Mozambican place has a selection of grilled fish, meat and more.

The nightlife in the town of Inhambane is fairly subdued. Pachica is one of the more popular locations, though most visitors travel to Tofo for a better party. Tofo also has a greater selection in restaurants, nearly all of which cater to international tastes.

If staying in a lodge outside Inhambane, you can expect to eat the majority of meals on the property itself, or perhaps at a neighboring lodge if you are not too isolated.

Other Activities

Within the town of Inhambane itself, the most popular activity for visitors is wandering the town in search of colonial architecture. A number of buildings provide insight into the history of European rule in Mozambique, and are fairly well preserved today. While there are no especially huge monuments or museums, the town itself is pleasant enough to walk through. Village tours can also be arranged from town.

Church building, Inhambane, Credit

Otherwise, most activiites revolve around the ocean. Ocean safaris and snorkeling trips are always popular with non-divers, and whale watching during humpback season (June – October) is always incredible. It is worth noting that snorkeling trips occasionally swim alongside giant manta rays and whale sharks.

 If you travel towards Tofinho, be sure to check out a vibrant surfing scene, which attracts surfers worldwide. Body boarding and kite boarding are also increasingly popular here.

There is no beach immediately off Inhambane, but again if you venture outside town to a surrounding resort there will be plenty of beautiful shores to laze on.

Tips

You need a 4 x 4 or 2 x 4 with difflock to negotiate the last few kilometres to most resorts in the area, so please enquire about safe parking options if your vehicle is not suitable. 

Beware of the traffic police when driving here in Mozambique as police tend to issue unfair fines or “bribes” to their favour.  Make sure that you obtain the Mozambican traffic rules, regulations and law when booking your accommodation and your trip should be hassle free.

Ladies collecting shells, Credit

Always bring with you a mosquito repellant and definitely consider taking anti-malarials. This region has among the highest incidences of malaria in the country.

 There are no hyperbaric chambers in all of Mozambique. The nearest chambers are located in South Africa, in either Johannesburg, Pretoria or Durban.