Maputo
This town was previously called the Lourenco Marques and now stands as the the capital city of Mozambique.The city has wide streets lined side by side with lilac jacaranda blossoming trees and red acacia tress which present tourists with countless cultural, panorama and historical places.
Worth visiting in Maputo
Travel Guide To Maputo
* The museum that holds natural history uniquely displays the whole gestation of the elephants, numerous insects and wildlife, spiced with the occasion roar of thelion.
* this revolutionary museum narrate the story of struggle for power that happened in this once Portuguese .
* The art museum on the other hand exhibits some of the best sculptures and many paintings. In addition Mozambique ha a money museum which displays a variety of bank notes and many coins that were once used in the previous years. It also has a Geology museum
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The center of attraction in this city is Praca de Independencia. In this area is a grotto of the first president –Samora Machel, the luminious white Roman-Catholic cathedral, the French Mozambican cultural center,the neo classical City Hall together with the great old colonial building which has be rehabilitated and currently holds art exhibitions.
* The tunduro Gardens located away from the Av. Samora Machel is a place where you can marvel at the excellent cycad collection and many more local plants.
* The railway station was constructed in 1910. This white and green building bears a metal dome on its top which was designed by Mr. Eiffel.
The Fortaleza a Portuguese fort that bears cannons pointed to the sea is located near the main city. In this fort are the remnants of Ngungunyana –the ruler of the ancient Gaza Empire, who attempted but failed to over power the Portuguese towards the finish of the 19th century.
* Micheal, Mondlane and many other known national heroes of Mozambique have their remains laid in a star shaped monument in Praca dos Herois which prides in its large wall painting that unfolds the struggles the country underwent during the past centuries.
* Grave stones of some of the liberation personalities of South Africa are found in the Maputo’s Lhanguene burial ground. These were killed by the apartheid troops, letter- bomb senders and poisoners.
Beaches Surrounding Maputo
* The beach with the largest and strongest water waves is the Praia da Macaneta. To access Macaneta you can travel by road or use a boat sailing from Maputo.
* Ponta do Ouro is located 117 kilometers from Maputo and the access road requires 4WD vehicles.if traveling from South Africa, you can reach the border of Ponta do Ouro on road up to Kosi Bay, and then turning left at the fork preceding Manguzi spar.
* Ponta Molangane – this is a good looking beach characterized by blue-green sea water and white sand and it is located just 5km north of the Ponta do Ouro.
* Inhaca Island is situated 34 kilometers from the bay at Maputo. The island can be reached using planes and on road. Tours can be organized to the different areas on this island such as to Portuguese island or to Ponta de Santa Maria.
* The Marracuene village is approximately 30 kilometers in the northern direction of Maputo and over looks river Incomati. you can travel by ferry to the opposite side and then 8 kilometers along the muddy and sandy road until you reach the beach.
*Maputo Elephant Reserve- This is located 79 kilometers south of Maputo on the road leading to Ponta do Ouro using a ferry up to Catembe, alternatively 112 kilometers from Maputo using the Boane road. This reserve is popular for its large elephant herds, and in addition flamingos can be sighted on the shores on the inland lakes close to the sea.
MAPUTO MOZAMBIQUE
Maputo is an Old Portuguese town, the
capital city of Mozambique
located south of the country where trees queue along the streets, tall modern buildings lies in harmony with old Portuguese architectural work
Although no fighting occurred in Maputo, Mozambique’s long civil war hit the economic, political and cultural capital very hard. Before the war, Maputo had graceful, tree-lined streets, cafes, a good variety of restaurants, some nightlife and the colorful Central Market. Today, the city remains decayed and filled with refugees although there has been some progress in rebuilding and there is a growing restaurant scene and a wealth of tourist options. The local’s passion for life can be seen on every corner of this bustling city, in the colorful markets and in the pulsating nightlife.
Maputo city tours
Maputo has a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere not found anywhere else in Southern Africa and one of its more distinctive characteristics is a remarkable wealth of architecture ranging from the classical to colonial style.
The Maputo Express
is and open tourist train car that is used for sightseeing tours in Maputo and is the best bay to experience the city as the guide give you details and the history of each place you visit.
Maputo day tours start at the Maputo railways station built in front of the Worker’s Square built in 1908. The worker’s square and Snake Lady Monument are part of Mozambique’s interesting history. Visit the Independence war memorial that remains standing from the colonial times.
Sights include the cathedral, the Alvaro Castro Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Revolution, the National Arts Museum and several interesting markets. The cathedral erects the sky with spectacular white color built in form of a crucifix.
Maputo Municipal Market
building is one of the oldest buildings in Maputo city down town near Baixa. The market building is shaped in an anglo-saxon architecture with iron roofing. The market sells everything you can think of; foods, curios and souvenirs, fish, meat, herbs and spices among other things. The down town Saturday Bazaar is held in Workers square every Saturday, buy several Mozambique tour souvenirs at cheap prices-you have to trust your bargaining power with the sellers!
The Polana, the city’s old colonial hotel, has been returned to its former glory and — if you can’t afford to stay there – it is worth a visit just to take in the atmosphere. The
Nossa Senhora da Conceição
fort located near Maputo fishing port is another interesting place to visit with history stemming from 1730 Dutch settlers to the Portuguese colonial era. Today, the Cultural heritage Fort houses several items like distinctive painting of Ngungunhane and his coffin, statues of colonialists Mouzinho de Albuquerque and António Enes.
The better beaches are north of the city. Excursions can be made to
Inhaca Island
, visible from the mainland, to see its beaches, marine biology museum and nature reserve. The island is proud of its big game fish catches, exclusive dive sites and beautiful coral reefs. There is only one hotel on the island, but camping is permitted in some places. The island is home to traditional Portuguese cooking and dinning with emphasis on sea foods like crayfish and prawns.
