The palm-fringed coast with its pristine white beaches is the country’s biggest drawcard, offering excellent snorkelling and fishing. However, Mozambique also has worthwhile game parks like Limpopo, Gorongosa and Niassa National Parks.

Maputo, the capital, has many historical sites to explore and Ilha de Mozambique, the country’s original capital, is a world heritage site and living, bustling museum worth visiting.

Travellers with a basic understanding of Portuguese will manage better, especially in the north, which is more rural and less developed in terms of tourism than the south.

Due to militant Islamic activity in the north of Mozambique during 2020 it was unsafe to travel north of Pemba along the coast. The inland route, central and southern Mozambique, however, was safe but it’s best to check on the safety situation in the country before you leave for Mozambique.

During and after the rainy season the roads can become atrocious and the traffic around Maputo is a nightmare at all times, although a new ring road system does alleviate the problem to some degree.

Unfortunately, the traffic police in Mozambique are notoriously corrupt and can hassle tourists; so, make sure that your vehicle fully complies with local requirements. The situation has become so bad that a support group was established on Facebook and a smartphone app developed to assist travellers. Sadly, tourism to Mozambique has declined in recent years because of this, which is a pity because it is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer.

CURRENCY:
Metical (pronounced Meticaysh). US dollars, British pounds and SA rands are accepted at tourist hubs.

DRIVING IN MOZAMBIQUE:
Drive on the left-hand side of the road. Driving in Mozambique is not easy because of road conditions and the number of pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes on the road. Be very observant of speed signs and keep your speed down. Many villages along the way will slow down your average travelling speed significantly.

You would be wise to travel to Mozambique in a 4WD rather than a sedan vehicle as you are liable to encounter a lot of thick sand as well as some badly-potholed tar roads, even on the main routes. Also, roads are often flooded after heavy rains therefore you should be alert at all times.

As previously mentioned, Mozambique is notorious for its corrupt traffic police, and its regular roadblocks. Traffic police wear white shirts and blue trousers and they are the only ones permitted to fine you for a traffic violation. They have to carry identification and their names must be visible on their uniforms. If you are issued with a speeding fine, check that the speed camera shows the speed that you travelled as well as the correct date and time of the offence. Insist on a written fine and an official receipt if you pay on the spot. You also have the option to pay within 15 days at a provincial police station.

If you want to report corrupt officers, you can phone the anti-corruption hotlines on +258 82 965 7804 or +258 21 31 0693. There is also a Tourism Green Line that you can phone for help or advice: +258 800 460 460.

Although it is illegal for the traffic police to keep any of your documents, they sometimes do. For that reason it is advisable to make certified copies of your driver’s licence, passport and vehicle registration papers and to hand that over to the officer when requested.

Mozambican drivers use a few signals which visitors should be aware of. If you see branches (especially freshly-cut branches) in the road it signals that a vehicle has broken down, so immediately slow down. Sometimes the branches are not removed when the obstruction is cleared. A red cone or oil drum in the road signals a checkpoint, most of the time a police checkpoint. Switch on your hazards and slow down and be ready to stop and answer any questions or produce your driver’s licence and vehicle documents.

Legal requirements:
You must carry two safety triangles and one reflective jacket in your vehicle.
A vehicle towing must display a blue and yellow triangular sticker on the right of the vehicle’s front bumper as well as one on the right back of the object in tow.
Vehicles are not allowed to drive on beaches, unless in possession of a permit for specifically designated areas.
It’s prohibited to use equipment/devices to detect instruments for recording offences (e.g. radar detectors).

Traffic rules:
The general speed limit on major roads is 120 km/h for vehicles without a trailer and 60 km/h in towns or villages. If you tow a trailer the speed limit is 100 km/h outside of towns.
Overtaking on a bridge is not allowed even if the road section on the bridge has a dotted line.
Overtaking at road intersections is not allowed, regardless of the lines on the road.
Children under the age of 12 have to be transported on the back seat and secured with a system suitable for their height and weight.
Children under three may only travel on the front seat if a back facing retention system is used.
Drivers are prohibited from using cell phones without headsets or microphones.
All occupants of a vehicle must wear seat belts at all times.

Apart from not adhering to the general legal requirements and traffic rules, there is a long list of traffic violations for which you can be fined according to Road Decree 1/2011:
If the driver drives with any part of his/her body outside the vehicle.
If you don’t reduce speed at hills, bends, intersections, circles, bridges, tunnels, villages, buildings, schools and at places where there is reduced visibility or are signposted as danger (Perigo). You also have to slow down for people and animals.
If you exceed the seated passenger number limit.
If cargo impedes the driver’s visibility or protrudes the length or width of the vehicle.
If you fail to use emergency lights when your vehicle is broken down or towed.
If you throw any object out of your vehicle.
If you have alcohol inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Travellers have reportedly been unfairly fined for the following offences which are not in the road decree:
Not having a fire extinguisher (only compulsory for commercial vehicles).
Driving with objects on the back seat of the vehicle.
The driver did not wear a shirt. It was reported on a forum that you actually have to wear shoes when driving in Mozambique.
The driver wore sunglasses.
The vehicle weight was not displayed on the side of the vehicle (only compulsory for commercial vehicles).
Being accused of having the wrong vehicle papers because the vehicle registration number does not appear on the registration papers. (Only your VIN number is printed on the document).

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Portuguese. English is mostly confined to tourist areas in the south.

POPULATION:
31.6 million

TIME ZONE:
GMT+2 Central Africa Time.

VISAS:
Citizens of Angola can visit Mozambique for up to 30 days without a visa. Nationals from the following countries are exempted of visas for stays of up to 90 days: Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

All other nationals must obtain visas from their nearest consulate or upon arrival in Mozambique. Single entry visas are valid for one month and multiple entry visas for three months.

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