By Munya Vomo
Maputo - We all talk occasionally about escaping our usual routine. Usually, all that ends in just that, talk. Lack of time and money are often a hindrance.
After a recent trip to Mozambique, I realised that you can get away from it all regardless. The country is just a border-post away, and has a rich history and culture, with a vibrant night life, sumptuous cuisine, some of the world’s best white beaches and pristine coral reefs.
The easiest way to get there is by air – an hour away from Joburg – but that is a little costly. There are no off-peak cheaper flights; they are all ridiculously expensive – at about R5 000 return trip – plus those horribly exorbitant airport taxes.
But you also have the road option which will take you just over six hours from Joburg. The journey takes you through the scenic greenery of Mpumalanga, cutting through Nelspruit.
If you don’t feel like driving yourself, you can opt for public transport from Park Station in Joburg’s CBD. Bear in mind that there is a huge Mozambican populace in South Africa, in Gauteng particularly, and so most of them travel home over weekends.
Public transport includes luxury overnight coaches such as Intercape, Translux, City to City and Greyhound. The return fare is pegged at R640 for a comfortable seat with decent legroom.
However, you can just hop onto a taxi, for half the price and perhaps half the legroom too. That said, it is doable and you have several stops along the way to stretch and arrive comfortably. We took a taxi on a busy Thursday afternoon. The ride was a breeze, except for a few sections with roadworks.
You may have to put up with the grumpy border officials on the South African side of the border, but don’t let them steal your joy because you will be only an hour away from Maputo.
Make sure you have your valid passport and yellow-fever certificate handy as they tend to ask for those. No visas are required for SADC (Southern African Development Community) passport-holders.
However, passport-holders from the UK and other countries do need visas and usually in advance. A yellow-fever certificate is only required if you arrive from YF-endemic countries.
If, as we did, you take a taxi, be wary of crowded places. We had to keep our eyes on our exposed luggage in the trailer to prevent thieves from snatching it as we left the border.
Upon arrival, taxis may leave you in town or at a bus rank outside Maputo, from where you can catch a local taxi to the city centre.
We asked a taxi driver if he would take us to the Southern Sun hotel for R200. Something must have been lost in translation from English to Portuguese, as he wanted more. It is advisable to agree on a price beforehand when you travel by taxi as, just like anywhere else, foreigners may fall prey to chancers.
We reached a compromise and arrived at the majestic Southern Sun Maputo which is part of the Tsogo Sun Group. It feels like a home away from home, because there is a significant South African presence.
The hotel, which received a whopping $30-million (R471m) facelift two years ago, is right next to the Indian Ocean and you can see spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the water while eating.
Known as the City of Acacias as a result of the acacia trees all over the city, Maputo still holds on to its ugly past thanks to the dilapidated buildings which need a few thousand gallons of paint at the very least. That said, you will find few other places on the planet with happier and friendlier people.
We caught up with Gonçalo Mabunda, a world-renowned metal artist who uses old artillery and military scrap from the country’s civil war to create mesmerising art.
This man has had his works shown all over the world, has met Bill Clinton and is billed for a few exhibitions in South Africa in a few weeks’ time.
For those who love the night life, Maputo delivers. The city is littered with little pubs and restaurants that can be most enjoyed from Thursday through to Sunday.
If exotic dancers are your thing, check out the city’s red-light district. Guys, it is the perfect place for a bachelor’s party.
They open much later in the night and understandably close when the sun rises.
To get all we could out of the visit we then moved our vacation to Macaneta Island, which is the closest resort to the city of Maputo.
Previously, it would have taken you a two-hour drive to get there, but a new, world-class road network has cut that to under half-an-hour.
There is still a slight delay at the Nkomati River where you (and your car) have to board a ferry. This is a memorable experience on its own, but may be just a memory soon – a new road bridge connecting the mainland with Macaneta Island is under construction and is due to open at the end of June.
At 575km away, Macaneta is the nearest blue-water beach to Joburg. We were hosted at the lovely Praia de Peixe Beach Lodge, which is owned by a South African and offers chalet and campsite accommodation.
On arrival you can’t help but notice the attention to detail paid to the landscaping around the lodge.
A huge gazebo used as a restaurant and bar is open almost all day and night. Right next to it is a pool where we enjoyed our Mozambican beers, 2M (locally known as Dosh M).
There is only one TV at the establishment, so take along some books to keep you entertained when you are not exploring Mozambique.
As we were settling in, we could hear the sound of the Indian Ocean – it is only 200 metres away from the resort. It doesn’t matter if you have seen all the top beaches of the world, if you haven’t been to the Macaneta Beach, you have not seen it at all.
This little paradise is secluded, untouched and has the whitest sands and clearest waters of the Indian Ocean that could never be recreated in Photoshop. Note to you romantics out there – it’s the perfect place to propose.
The stay at Praia de Peixe (which is literally “beach of fishes” in Portuguese) costs very little compared to South African resorts.
And you have the option for self-catering as the chalets come with kitchen facilities. We opted to buy our food because there was no way we were missing out on the world-famous chicken that inspired the Nando’s chain.
This has been just a snapshot of the paradise next door, but Mozambique has infinite possibilities if you give it a try.
If You Go...
Cash: Although your Visa or Mastercard will work almost anywhere in Maputo, it is advisable to carry cash for informal transactions. About R1 000 is enough – or you can get the local metical before you set out. You get MT3.54 for every rand, so prices will not be such a shocker there.
Passports: You must carry your passport at all times. The Mozambican police may stop you and ask for it, and an entire holiday could be spoilt if they found you did not have yours on you.
Malaria pills: Malaria prevails, especially in summer. Although locals will tell you otherwise and friends will talk of their bad reaction to the pills, you should take the precaution of asking your doctor to prescribe tablets that you need to take for a few days before departure, during your stay and afterwards.
Mosquito spray: The pills are one thing, but if you end up going to the islands you will need a spray and/ or lotion to stop the little bloodsuckers feasting on you.
Booze and other delights: If you are picky about drinks or snacks, then slip in a small consignment of your favourite bottle or brand of biltong as not everything is available on the other side. That said, keep an open mind as there is an alternative to everything.
Warm clothing: A light jacket is often necessary at night when temperatures drop. Otherwise it’s warm enough for shorts and sandals. Maputo is much warmer than Joburg at any time of the year, so taking a winter break from the highveld makes sense.
Saturday Star