Mozambique Things To Do

Snorkel with tropical fish in the impossibly turquoise waters of this national marine park, which is also home to East Africa’s largest dugong population. It’s just offshore, about 400 miles north of Maputo, and an easy flight from the capital or from nearby South Africa.

Enjoy a superlative collection of remote island lodges, dive and snorkel amid shoals of colorful fish and brilliant coral formations, and visit haunting Ibo Island, with its silversmiths and crumbling mansions.

Stroll 500 years into the past in the Portuguese-built Stone Town, along cobbled streets edged by now-silent praças (plazas) and once-grand churches on this evocative island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fascinating melting pot of Portuguese, African, Indian (mainly Goan), and even Chinese influences.

Once one of southern Africa’s safari jewels, Gorongosa took a pounding during Mozambique’s three decades of conflict that ended in 1992. Thanks to heavy investment from the U.S.-based Carr Foundation, it’s again moving into the limelight.

Packed with elephants (12,000 at last count), buffaloes, zebras, and more, this once inaccessible reserve on the Mozambique-Tanzanian border is an off-beat safari destination for the adventurous (and affluent).

Crystal-clear waters, pristine coves, and Nkwichi, an award-winning eco-lodge, make the effort it takes to get here well worth it. Visit a wildlife reserve, paddle a kayak, and get an insider’s look at the bush.

Visit the art museums, craft markets, and sidewalk cafes by day before chartering a vintage habana car (book through Dana Tours) for an evening of pub- and club-hopping.