Maputo

Understand

Maputo has been the capital of Mozambique since 1898. The city was called Lourenço Marques until the country's independence in 1975. It is the largest city in Mozambique and the country's most important harbour. It sits at the mouth of the Santo River in the extreme south, 90 km from the border with South Africa. In comparison with other sub-Saharan African cities, the urban area feels small and concentrated, with wide avenues and old trees. People are generally out and about in the streets, walking, driving and getting on with life. The vibe is healthy and active, with little begging and lots of street vendors and markets. There is no heavy presence of police during the day. There are few tourists to be seen and at times the atmosphere is as much South American as African. The city provides a range of accommodation, from many-star hotels (e.g. Polana, Cardoso, Southern Sun) to comfortable backpackers' hostels (Base and Fatima's) and reasonable options in between (Mozaic Guest House).

Getting there

By plane 1 Maputo airport (MPM IATA). Most international flights to Mozambique use Maputo's airport. See the Mozambique page for more information. LAM operate a lot of domestic flights within Mozambique. TAP flies non-stop from Lisbon. SAA operates two flights a day from Johannesburg to Maputo and SA Airlink has five flights a week from Durban and from Cape Town. There is WiFi in the airport. Sometimes airport security will hold your passport, or purport issues with your scanned luggage, and ask for money to return it. Stand firm and point at the "no corruption" signs all over the airport. Taxis from the airport to town should be around MT 500. Hotels generally send their buses to meet flights, but only if they have passengers on the flight with bookings at their hotel. Local SIM cards can be bought at the shop near the exit from the terminal where there is also a bank.

By train

Rail services to Maputo are slowly improving, although the lines that are operating are of limited use to tourists. An exception is the daily service from Ressano Garcia at the border with South Africa, it is a convenient way of traveling here from Johannesburg and Pretoria as daily trains connects with the city of Komatipoort across the border.

2 Maputo railway station (Estação Central dos Caminhos de Ferro). One of the grandest stations southern Africa, this Neoclassical terminus was completed in 1916. (updated Aug 2020)

By car The highway from Johannesburg to Maputo is very good. From Johannesburg, take the N4 towards Mbombela (about 400 km). From Mbombela, continue following the N4 to Komatipoort, the last town on the South African side (about 100 km). Just past Komatipoort is the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia border post. Current car registration papers (or good facsimile thereof) and third party insurance are required to get a car past the border. Insurance can (only?) be purchased at the border. On the Mozambican side, just follow the N4 (now called EN4) for a further 80 km or so to reach Maputo. Also easy access from Manzini in Eswatini (Swaziland), around 186 km. There is a minivan/taxi from Manzini to Maputo. The drive time, including getting visa at the Namaacha border post, is 4 hr. From Durban, on the KwaZulu Natal coast (South Africa), Maputo is 600 km away and best approached via the Golele border post into Eswatini. The shortest route from Golele into Mozambique is at the Goba border post. Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Control: The border control can be very intimidating to new (and even returning) visitors to Mozambique. As you drive into the Mozambican si

Getting around

You can walk the center of the city by day but steer clear of the central business district at night.

By taxi / tuk-tuk Yango is a popular app to order taxis / moto-taxis or tuk-tuks and probably the best choice in town. Pick & Drop is another option. Metered (yellow-roofed) taxi longer distances or at night but agree to a fare beforehand as many don't have meters. Ask hotel desks or locals for guidance on reasonable fares (e.g., Hotel Cardoso to Feira Popular or Mercado Central is around MT 150 - 200). "Tuk-Tuks" are also a great way to see the city. The drivers are typically more fluent in English as they offer their services as tour guides to the passengers of visiting cruise liners.

By minibus / Chapa A very inexpensive way to get around is by mini-bus or "Chapa" (pronounced SHA-PAA). They work like small busses and have routes that criss-cross the city. All major routes begin and end in either the downtown core/market area, called "Baixa" (pronounced BAA-SHAA), or in the middle of the city, on Av. 24 de Julho, called Museu. If you can speak Portuguese, then this is an excellent way to travel, or if you have a local friend to take you. Prices are low, MT 5 for most trips and MT 7.5 for longer ones (all one way). Even if you don't know which Chapa to take, it's a great way to explore the city. If you get lost, just find a Chapa that is going to one of the two major chapa terminals within the city: "Museu" or "Baixa." Generally the navigators (usually hanging out of the passenger side door) will be yelling the destination. Note that the destination which is written on the windshield may read "A. Voador" - but don't fear, this is just an archaic name for the terminal in the Baixa. Drivers cannot get away with overcharging you because you can easily see what the locals are paying, or the locals themselves will object. To get off, say "paragem" to the assistant. Chapa routes can be identified by a colored bar on the windshield. Among the routes that tourists are most likely to want to use are:

blue chapas, which go west to Xipamanine yellow chapas, which run north and south on Av. Lenine, or on one of the parallel avenues to its east red chapas, which go north and south on Av. Guerra Popular green chapas, which run east and west along Av. Eduardo Mondlane black chapas, which run east and west Av. 24 de Julho pink chapas, which use Av. Eduardo Mondlane, Av. Julius Nyerere, and the Marginal to connect downtown to Costa do Sol. All of these routes continue far out into Maputo's suburbs, where they split off from one another, but this part of their jou

See

A recommended walk is along Avenida Julius Nyerere. Start from the Hotel Cardoso or Natural History Museum along R Mutemba to Nyerere then left (north) to the Polana Hotel. Boutiques, restaurants, curio vendors, video stores, etc. to be seen in the relatively-upscale Polana neighborhood.

1 Maputo Fortress (Fortaleza de Maputo). Remains of a Portuguese fortress, built in 1785. (updated Dec 2020) 2 Tunduru Botanical Gardens (Jardim Bôtanico Tunduru). A very pretty (albeit small) botanical garden. (updated Dec 2020) 3 Maputo City Hall (Edifício do Conselho Municipal de Maputo), Independence Square. Seat of local government, housed in a neoclassical building from 1947. (updated Nov 2020) The Railway Station on Praca dos Trabalhadores is sometimes mistaken to be the work by Gustave Eiffel. However, the building is an imposing structure and well-worth a visit, especially at Friday or Saturday nights where live music often is played. 4 Mercado Central, Av. 25 de Setembro. M–Sa 07:00–20:00, Sa 07:00–14:00. The Mercado Central in the Baixa district has fresh fish, crabs, calamari, fruits and vegetables, and many household staples. Safe, lively and recommended, especially if cooking for yourself. (updated Jan 2021) 5 Praça dos Trabalhadores (Workers' Square). Built by Gustave Eiffel. (updated Dec 2020)

Churches 6 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição). Largest Roman Catholic cathedral in Maputo, completed in 1944. (updated Dec 2020) 7 Saint Anthony Catholic Church (Igreja de Santo António da Polana). An emblematic building of Modernist architecture in the region, built in 1962. (updated Dec 2020)

Museums 8 National Art Museum, Av Ho Chi Min. Small but good collection of Mozambican art, including several large canvases by the world-renowned Malangatana. (updated Dec 2020) 9 Museum of Natural History (Museu de História Natural), Praca Travessia de Zambezi, ☏ +258 21 485 401. Enjoyable little museum. Lots of stuffed animals, birds and reptiles with full-size models of elephants. Interesting collection of wooden carvings, including a selection of traditional and very uncomfortable looking wooden pillows. Entrance MT 50. (updated Dec 2020) 10 National Currency Museum, 300 Praça 25 de Junho. Housed in the Casa Amarela, probably the oldest building in Maputo dating back to 1787. This small museum showcases regional currency and trade (updated Dec 2020) 11 Museum of Geology (Museu de Geologia), Av. dos Mártires da Machava, ☏ +258 21 313 508. (updated Dec 2020)

Do

Visit some beautiful beaches, such as Catembe and Ponta d'Ouro. It is very jovial in these atmospheres and are generally safe, but beware of pickpocketing and avoid bringing valuables with you on a beach stroll. Ponta D'Ouro and Ponta Malongane have some beautiful scuba-diving spots, with either campsites or chalets right on the beach. Take in a wedding. Beautiful tribal singing and women ululating. Civil ceremonies next door to Avenida Hotel. Several weddings on Saturday morning.

Buy

African fabrics both waxprint and woven in the fabric shops along the Avenida de Guerra Popular Cashews all over the place, roasted, salted, plain, any which way and nearly anywhere. The number two export of the country, selling for about MT 200 per kg. Wood carvings, boxes, picture frames from curio vendors. Batik cloth ranging from the tacky animal stuff to glorious works of art. Most of what is on offer is on the lower quality end, but persistent searching will yield some gems among the dross. The easiest place to buy touristy things is in the Parque dos Continuadores (also known as FEIMA) at the corner of Av. Julius Nyerere and Av. Mao Tse-Tung. The selection is large, with many vendors. Be prepared to bargain. There are also vendors lined up along the Marginal and some in the Baixa, particularly on the weekends. For counterfeit DVDs, cell-phone parts, used clothing, etc., go to one of the many city markets; the two most convenient are probably Mercado Janeta, at the corner of Av. Mao Tse-Tung and Av. Lenine and Mercado do Povo, on Av. Karl Marx. Or you can just browse the many sidewalk vendors - there is a particularly heavy concentration in the baixa, near the chapa terminus at Av. 25 de Setembro and Av. Guerra Popular. From here you can also catch a chapa to the massive market at Xipamanine, which sells just about everything imaginable.

Ecobank, Ave Vladimir Lenine. no withdraw fee Mastercard/Visa card ATMs. (updated Jan 2023)

Eat

The local cuisine is a mixture of African, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and Indian/Pakistani cuisine. All these different cuisines are served at various areas in the city.

Budget Any number of small cafes serve simple dishes and juices that are affordable. Unless you are adventurous, stay away from most roadside stalls especially if they are serving meat. Safe roadside fare includes cashews (usually fire roasted without salt served in small paper cones), fried bean cakes called Bhajia, uncut and unwashed fruits (cut and wash yourself with bottled water), and soft-serve ice cream. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 50. The fruit from roadside stands is usually fine, especially if it has a hard peel, which most do (banana, mango, pineapple, tangerine, papaya, etc.). They expect to sell the fruit by the kilogram, so be prepared for strange looks if you want just a couple of individual fruits. Prices change with what's in season, except for bananas, which are always available - a couple of bananas should set you back MT 5 or 10. The smaller cafes will have egg sandwiches, fries, grilled chicken, small pastries, and simple hamburgers. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 75. Do not lose sight of your credit or debit cards or they may be cloned. Rather always pay cash at any restaurant.

1 Cantinho do Brasil, Av. Vladimir Lenine 1057. Good Brazilian snacks and feijoada. A good place to enjoy a snack, good coffee and good internet. 2 Mercado Janeta (Corner of Av. Vlademir Lenine and Av. Mao Tse Tung). Many food stalls inside the market with a standard roster of dishes, consisting of a lot of starch, a piece of meat, and a lot of sauce. For starch you can choose rice or, occasionally, xima; for meat, chicken or beef; popular sauce options include peanut curry and guisado, a kind of tomato stew. MT 40-60. Food is generally only served at lunch; at dinner a few places will be open but you'll be eating leftovers. If you want drinks, however, there are plenty of options at all hours.

Mid-range 3 Mamma Mia, Avenida dos Mártires da Machava (Parque dos Continuadores), toll-free: +258 84 410 5524. Mozambican and Italian dishes, all very tasty. Slightly more expensive than Gracianna. (updated Jan 2021) 4 Mimmos, Av. Salvador Allende (at Av. 24 de Julho), ☏ +258 82 948 7420. Su–Th 11:00–23:00, F Sa 11:00–00:00. Mostly Italian menu. Tuesday features half-price pizza (takeout only) and commensurately long waits. Second location on Av. Vlademir Lenine near Av. Agostinho Neto. MT 376–1,204. (updated Jan 2021) 5 Piri Piri, Av. 24 de Julho (at Av. Julius Nyerere). Serves grilled

Drink & nightlife

Fruit juice is usually sweetened nectar and not fresh 100% juice. The usual selections of fizzy sugar water in a bottle (soft drinks) can be found too. Pressed sugar cane juice is available in some markets. Pepsi and Coca-Cola are widely available, including Sprite, Mirinda, and Fanta fruit-flavored pop (Orange and Pineapple are most common, Grape is also sometimes available). Coca-Cola is more common than Pepsi. "Sparletta" brand fruit-flavoured pop is also widely available. Expect to pay between MT 15 and 50. Shop owners are usually very strict when it comes to the empty bottles as they are expensive and reused, do not try to keep one without trying to pay the full price for the bottle first. The wine selection is reasonably good, and depending on your budget you can get a range of South African, Portuguese and Chilean wines. Most common are cheap South African and Portuguese wines, but you can find nice wines (for a price) in upper-end restaurants and certain bottle stores or delis. Wine by the glass generally comes from a box. Beer is widely available, with 2M ('dois-em'), Laurentina, Manica, and Raiz being the common selection. Laurentina comes in two varieties, 'Clara' a lager, and 'Preta' a very dark Lager with hints of coffee and chocolate. Locals tend to order the Laurentina varieties simply by saying Clara or Preta, and leaving out Laurentina. Preta is the most expensive beer, followed by Manica and then 2M. Raiz is a newer beer intended for the budget market and is considered a 'cheap' beer. The larger beer bottles are also expensive and should always be returned or purchased. The beer is very inexpensive and reasonably good ranging from MT 30 to 50. Drink water from a bottle (MT 25-40/1.5 L), not the tap.

Nightlife Coconut Club, Maputo, Costa de Sol. 22:00 till late/early. A hip dance club. Expect to be blown away by the architecture, the dancing, the buzz, if not the prices. MT 301. Xima's bar, on Av. Eduardo Mondlane, is popular with the locals and has live music on the weekends. Africa Bar nightclub is on Av. 24 de Julho near Av. Karl Marx. Gil Vicente is a bar attached to the Gil Vicente theatre, across from the 'Jardim Tunduru. Centro Cultural Franco-Mozambicain has live music and cultural events. Central Train Station houses a jazz lounge on weekends. Feira Popular is in the Baixa, and houses many bars and restaurants. 1 La Dolce Vita, Av. Julius Nyerere 800. Upmarket bar with blue lighting. 2 Havana Bar. A bar during daytime and a disco at night. Coconuts a discotheque in front of the beach. An amazing vibe.

Sleep

Budget Fatima's Place, 1317 Mao Tse Tung Avenida, Maputo, ☏ +258 82 4145730, +258 82 3070870, fax: +258 1300305, [email protected]. Dorms from US$15 (as of Jan 2023). Many people really enjoy this place, but it has more of a party atmosphere and is quite a bit larger than Base Backpackers. Some have found the staff and the other guests to be quite standoffish. Others have had more serious issues such as being forced to pay for bookings they did not agree to. It's a bit out of the main part of downtown, but still a very easy and generally safe walk to the business district. Fatima's also offers shuttle service to Fatima's nest in Tofo beach, around 7-8 hr north of Maputo. While this bus is very convenient, it can also be extremely dangerous and the motorist has stolen from expat passengers in the past. Take at your own risk. One free internet computer available. Daily shuttle to Tofo US$25. The Base Backpackers, 545 Avenida Patrice Lumumba, ☏ +258 21 302723. Air-conditioned rooms, balcony with a view over the sea, free Wi-Fi, a small room with a TV and news, a self-service fridge and kitchen facilities. Great central location. Base is small, so you should call ahead for a reservation. If you are travelling by yourself, you could walk up and get lucky, but there are no guarantees. Can be booked on Hostelworld and other platforms. (updated Jan 2023) Maputo B&B, Backpackers, ☏ +258 82 4672230. At Triunfo, 4 Avenida, House 98, (look for saure blue sign with yellow letters). Clean, small bar, free pool table, restaurant with home cooked seafood, garden space to sit, secure parking in and out. Info on trips to Tofo, diving, culture. It is close to the beach but very far from the city. Takes long term resident. City tours, Inhaca-Portuguese Island boat trips, live music bar.

Mid-range Pestana Rovuma, Rua da Sé, 114 Caixa Postal 4376, ☏ +55 21 254 86 332, +258 21 305000, fax: +258 21 305305, [email protected]. Massala Beach Resort, Bilene, approximately 175 km from Maputo, ☏ +258 28 244047. All rooms equipped with air-conditioning, Private toilet and shower, DSTV and refrigerator. Some of its facilities and services are restaurant, room service, conference room and garden. From 920 South African rand. Pestana Inhaca Lodge, Pestana Inhaca Lodge, Ilha de Inhaca (40 km out of Maputo), ☏ +258 21 305305, +258 21 760003, fax: +258 21 305305, [email protected]. VIP Grand Hotel Maputo is a conference-hotel near the commercial centre of town, the Feira Popular, the ferry to Catembe. The rooms are pleasantly clean and modern with go

Go next

Take the short ferry ride across the bay to visit Catembe. Its relaxed atmosphere is a pleasant retreat from Maputo. It's not recommended on a weekends, however, as it can be overrun with people 'enjoying' the weekend. Day trips out to Inhaca are easy to do on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Just catch the local ferry at 07:30 and after a couple of hours you will arrive close to Inhaca. You may need to pay another small boat to get you closer to the beach, or wade in waist-high water. Order your lunch early as it can take hours out on this relaxed island. The ferry leaves from the same ferry at about 15:00. On the island you can walk up to the Lighthouse, or catch a boat to the southern tip to do some worthwhile snorkelling. A few tour operators also lead other day tours to such places as the Maputo Special Reserve (formally the Maputo Elephant Reserve), Macaneta Beach, and Bilene Beach. These trips can be costly if you do not have a few people to go with.