Maputo Off the Beaten Path Tips by MikeAtSea

Just opposite of Maputo lays the old prison island of Xefina. The buildings have not been used since the Portuguese have left in the 1970's and the island is only home to a few people. Unspoiled beaches and some nice pathways crossing the island can be explored.
During the last World War the Portuguese also build some artillery bunkers along the coastline to protect Maputo from a possible attack.
The few times I visited the island I went to the Club Navale and negotiated with a skipper there to charter a yacht and sail across the bay. If you have a group and some more time ask them to prepare a seafood barbeque on the beach for you. A real treat!
The island offers panoramic views across the Bay and the skyline of Maputo and you can enjoy a day out in almost isolation away from the bustle and hustle of the capital of Mozambique!

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About 36 km offshore of Maputo crossing the Maputo Bay lays the Island of Inhaca. The island is reached by either air or boat and on the island no cars operate.
One hotel the Inhaca Lodge offer accommodation here and in recent years several local establishments opened that offer backpackers a place to stay.
Since 1976 the island has been declared a nature reserve that offers magnificent subtropical dunes and several coral reefs in the vicinity.
Most of the local inhabitants residing on the island live from either fishing or tourism. Some of them have opened small restaurants that serve some of the most magnificent sea food.
To relax, wander around or for some spectacular diving this is close to civilization but yet so far away a rather unknown subtropical paradise!

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Crossing the river from Maputo one would use the local ferry, price per person around 0.20 USD. From here one has a view over the entire city in a complete different world. Catembe is a sleepy little town that is pleasant to visit. One of the attractions here is the Restaurante Diogo close to the ferry jetty that offers spectacular seafood including the famous LM prawns.

The ferry jetty is in the port of Maputo along the Avenida 10 de Novembro

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The Kruger Park has also become for the inhabitants of Maputo a main attraction and on recent visits to the park I was astonished as to how many Mozambican cars drove around the park. Just 70 km from Maputo one reaches the border to South Africa and the park is a stone throw away. Over 2 Million hectares of Lowveld offer the Big Five; Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino & Buffalo as well as hundreds of other species in the flora and fauna world.

Leave Maputo on the Western Highway towards Ressano Garcia. Here you cross the Mozambican / South African Border to Komatipoort. In Komatipoort the Kruger Park is sign posted to the Crocodile River Gate where one enters the park.

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