"Ponta Mamoli - perfect family r ..." a Mozambique Travel Page by Eish

We spent some perfect days in December 2004 in Ponta Mamoli in the South of Mozambique. We drove from Johannesburg in the "Enterprise" - our trusty Toyota Condor 4x4, and it was interesting and relatively easy driving on sand. It took about 7 hours to get to the border at Ponta de Oura, was painless but a little chaotic to get through the border post, and then another hour to do the 25km to Ponta Mamoli. I have heard that Ponta de Oura can be quite hectic in December: a lot of people, many inconsiderate holiday makers riding their quad bikes all over the dunes. Ponta Mamoli is nothing like that. It is a private resort that sleeps maybe 100 people, in chalets close to the beach. They provide breakfast, and dinner in the rate. Lunch is available if you want it. Our days were lazy, and full of sand and sun. We slept most afternoons because it was hot hot hot, and if we did not sleep, we just lay in the shade on our cabin balcony and did whatever - just to get out of the sun.

Scuba diving is popular, and although we have not done it there, I do know people who have and have loved it. We snorkelled at low tide from the beach - reasonable visibility and great fish. We also had a wonderful trip out in a motor boat to find a school of dolphins and swim with them. There is an outfit at Ponta Molongane that specialises in this.

But the best part of being there in December is watching the Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles nest on the beach. They come up towards dusk, and through the night. We saw them while snorkelling in the late afternoon, while horseriding on the beach at sunset, and when we walked on the beach at 9pm/10pm we would see them too. Once they start laying their eggs, they seem to be oblivious to us humans. It is a privilege to see these magnificent creatures carry out their instinctive lifestyle, with us as spectators.