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Maputo

Travel guide · Indian Ocean beaches, whale sharks and islands

Travelling to Mozambique

The Bazaruto islands, the whale sharks and manta rays of Tofo, Vilanculos and Portuguese-flavoured Maputo. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from April to December
  • Where to eat: a seafood shack (barraca) or a restaurant
Photo: AmigoDia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Mozambique in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mozambique are from April to December.
  • To eat like a local: a seafood shack (barraca) or a restaurant. Don’t leave without trying: Matapa, Grilled prawns, Frango piri-piri.

Mozambique in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Mozambique. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Mozambique

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mozambique are from April to December.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June · where to travel in July

  • from January to March

    Rain and cyclones

    From January to March it’s very hot and rainy, and cyclones can hit the coast.

    What to do: The best time is May to November; whale sharks mainly from October to March.

What to see in Mozambique

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Maputo

    Maputo

    The capital of acacia-lined avenues, colonial buildings and seafood at the market.

    • Railway station
    • Fish Market
    • Iron House
    • Cathedral of Our Lady
    Maputo guide
  • Tofo

    Tofo

    A beach village famous for diving and swimming with whale sharks and manta rays.

    • Whale sharks
    • Manta rays
    • Tofo Beach
    • Tofinho
    Tofo guide
  • Vilanculos

    Vilanculos

    The gateway to Bazaruto, with dhows, kitesurfing and turquoise water at low tide.

    • Dhow trips
    • Kitesurfing
    • Sandbanks
    • Market
    Vilanculos guide
  • Bazaruto Archipelago

    Bazaruto Archipelago

    Islands of giant dunes and crystal-clear water, a national park with dugongs.

    • Bazaruto dunes
    • Benguerra Island
    • Two Mile Reef
    • Dugongs
    Bazaruto Archipelago guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Maputo

From Tofo

From Vilanculos

From the Bazaruto Archipelago

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Mozambique

To eat like a local: a seafood shack (barraca) or a restaurant, and order matapa or grilled prawns. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Matapa

    Cassava leaves with peanut and coconut.

  • Grilled prawns

    With piri-piri sauce.

  • Frango piri-piri

    Chicken with chilli.

  • Xima

    Maize porridge.

  • Prego

    A steak sandwich, a Portuguese legacy.

  • Rissóis

    Prawn turnovers.

The typical dish of Mozambique, at home

Matapa
Photo: T.K. Naliaka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Matapa

Cassava leaves pounded and cooked with ground peanuts, garlic and coconut milk, often with prawns or crab. It’s one of Mozambique’s best-loved dishes.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 h 30 min

Ingredients

  • 500 g cassava leaves (frozen, from African grocers) or spinach and spring greens
  • 150 g raw peanuts, ground
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves
  • 300 g prawns (optional)
  • Salt
  • Rice or xima to serve

How to make it at home

  1. Pound the leaves in a mortar (or chop them very finely) with the garlic.
  2. Cook them with a little water and the chopped onion for 30 minutes.
  3. Add the ground peanuts and coconut milk and simmer for 30 minutes more, stirring.
  4. Add the prawns for the last 5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and serve with rice.

The trick: With spinach and spring greens it’s milder but very similar.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Mozambique

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • Portuguese is spoken: it was a Portuguese colony until 1975.
  • Tofo is one of the best places in the world to swim with whale sharks and manta rays.
  • The dunes of the Bazaruto Archipelago drop straight into the turquoise sea.
  • Its flag is the only one with an AK-47 rifle on it.
  • Mozambican prawns are famous throughout Africa.
  • The dugong, the “sea cow”, lives in Bazaruto.

Traditions of Mozambique

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • Timbila

    Chopi xylophone orchestras, part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

  • 25 June Independence Day

    A national holiday.

  • Marrabenta

    The music of Maputo.

  • Capulanas

    Printed fabrics.

What not to do in Mozambique

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t go to Cabo Delgado province: official travel advice warns against it.
  • Don’t forget malaria prevention.
  • Don’t drive at night.
  • Don’t take photos of police, soldiers or official buildings.
  • Don’t touch the whale sharks or the manta rays.
  • Don’t carry valuables around Maputo at night.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Mozambique

What people search for most before travelling to Mozambique.

What’s the best time to travel to Mozambique?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mozambique are from April to December.

What to see in Mozambique in a week?

The essentials of Mozambique: Maputo, Tofo, Vilanculos and Bazaruto Archipelago. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Mozambique?

Matapa, Grilled prawns, Frango piri-piri, Xima, Prego, Rissóis. To eat like a local: a seafood shack (barraca) or a restaurant.

What is the typical dish of Mozambique?

Matapa. Cassava leaves pounded and cooked with ground peanuts, garlic and coconut milk, often with prawns or crab. It’s one of Mozambique’s best-loved dishes.

What should you not do in Mozambique?

Don’t go to Cabo Delgado province: official travel advice warns against it. Don’t forget malaria prevention. Don’t drive at night.

Is it worth travelling to Mozambique in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Mozambique. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, AmigoDia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Maputo, AmigoDia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Tofo, Erik Cleves Kristensen (CC BY 2.0). Vilanculos, Brian Dell (Public domain). Bazaruto Archipelago, Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0).