From Ponta Ponta - Mozambique

From the border at Kosi Bay to the tip of the SantaThe best view can be found at the Nascer do Sol
Marla Peninsula, about 100km to the north, Ponta doBar (meaning "sunrise bar"), above the dive centre.
Ouro is the first of six such points that stretch all theOne dive at a reef called Anchor or at another at
way up the coast of southern Mozambique. If youDrop Zone, where a big loggerhead turtle can be
roll down your windows you will let in theseen. After diving one can head for Ponta Mamoli,
unmistakable smell of Mozambique flood into the car;another 4km farther up the coast.
dust, salt and sunshine ..................Hand drawn anti-quad and scrambler signs are to be
Ponta do Ouroseen because quad bikes aren't welcome at the
Ponta do Ouro, mostly abandoned duringresorts. You can however go on a horse ride, a
Mozambique's civil war is now being renovated. Therescuba-dive or a go on a turtle-spotting trip in season.
are new buildings too, and many signboardsYou might be lucky enough to see a female
advertising South African-funded housingleatherback laying her eggs under the cover of
developments.darkness.
The Motel do Mar on the beachfront is a PontaIf you've had enough of camping, Mamoli is the
landmark but apart from a fresh coat of paint, theperfect place to spoil yourself for a night or two. The
old motel hasn't changed much:two-person timber chalets have en-suite bathrooms
Want to know why southern Mozambique is soand soft beds with billowing mosquito nets. What a
popular? Look no further than the beacheslife!
The double-story cabanas are comfortable, clean andDue to the condition of the roads, very few people
very close to the beach. The beach is protectedventure beyond Ponta Mamoli. There is an 11km
from the brunt of the Indian Ocean by asection of donga-riddled tar between Mamoli and the
horseshoe-shaped headland, where the water islittle settlement of Zitundu. After which you turn right
warm and the silvery bay shines romantically in theonto a rutted sand track. This track eventually leads
evening light.to Catembe, across the bay from Maputo. After
One can lie in bed and listen to the sea crashing30km drive you will arrive at the gate of the
outside. Fishing and scuba-diving is the greatestReserva Especial de Maputo, or Maputo Elephant
attraction which brings multitudes of visitors to Ponta.Reserve. It takes at least three hours to drive
The shallow reefs close to shore are perfect forthrough the Maputo Elephant Reserve. You need to
diving, but game fish lurk in the depths further outdrive through this reserve to get to the Santa Maria
where the ocean floor drops off steeply.Peninsula and Ponta Torres, 68km away. There are
At a reef called Steps, colourful creatures such as athousands of butterflies; most likely of the Neptis
rare frogfish and tiny paperfish can be seen. Hugefamily, at Ponta Torres. During the 1970's, a lot of
whale sharks can also be spotted behind thegame was relocated there from the Umfolozi Game
breakers and the local 300-strong pod of dolphins,Reserve in South Africa, but Mozambique's ensuing
which are keen to interact with humans, have acivil war obliterated everything except a very small
home radius which extends about 40km along thepopulation of elephants A 2006 aerial survey counted
coast. Ponta's local sea dog, Spot, is always on the330 elephants, but they are not easy to spot as
lookout for dolphins. If you dive down deeper andthey view humans as the enemy and in 2007
escape the choppy surface conditions, you can beelephants caused substantial damage to vehicles
surrounded by a galaxy of dolphin clicks and squeaks.within the reserve. An entry fee of R70 per person
But with just a flick of their tails, they can vanishand an additional R70 per the vehicle allows you into
again.the reserve and all you have to do is follow the only
Although there are freshwater lakes all along theroad through the reserve. There is a possibility of
coast, swimming isn't a good idea as there are signsspotting an elephant making its stately way through
alerting you to the presence of crocodiles.the reeds before he is swallowed up by the
There are all sorts of curios and carvings on offer atlandscape as if he was never there.
the local craft market in Ponta do Ouro.Ponta Torres is the end of the road and if you really
A 7km section of road to Ponta Malongane is quitewant to go there you have to endure endless,
rough with deep, sandy stretches and steep inclines.bone-jarring kilometres of unimaginably horrible roads.
About halfway to Malongane, to the left of the road,The kingfish there are rumoured to he some of the
is the Sand Pit, a big exposed dune scoured withliveliest in Mozambique. The Ponta Torres Camp, has
tyre tracks. This is where quad bikers and 4x4 nutsa surprisingly comfortable assortment of self-catering,
do damage to themselves and the environment inair-conditioned chalets and en-suite safari tents. It's
season. The Sand Pit is a place to avoid unless you'reonly a five-minute walk from the infamous Hell's Gate
an adrenalin junkie. Ponta Malongane has just one- the narrow, angry stretch of volatile water
resort, Parque de Malongane and has neat, airybetween Inhaca Island and the Santa Maria Peninsula.
chalets, rondavels, a large, shady campsite and aOn one side is the deceptively placid Bay of Maputo
well-equipped dive centre. The beach is not asand on the other the roaring Indian Ocean.
protected as the one a Ponta do Ouro, but is lessThere's nowhere else to go now except back the
crowded.way you came.