Tofo has proved to be one of Mozambiques most popular destinations where tourism is ever increasing through-out the years, which in return, has lead to more development and interest in the area & country!
Tofo offers scuba divers many beautiful coral reefs to explore and if you are a deepsea fishing enthusiasts – expect excellent big game fishing! Catches include: Giant Trevally, Kingfish, Bonito, King & Queen Mackeral, Springer and Kawakawa. Sailfish is popular between the months of April and August where as Marlin are popular between September and January.
Millions of coconut trees thrive In this part of the Inhambane province, so expect plenty of coconuts scattered around. If you ask kindly, staff of the lodges will crack open the coconuts for you!
The locals are very friendly here and every so often, they will walk around with items to sell including, fresh produce, pão (Portuguese rolls), prawns, fish to sell (if you use your bargaining skills correctly, you can get them for quite cheap), paintings, arts and crafts and a few other things to take home as a souvenior!
TIP: Mozambicans love clothes and if you have spare clothes (especially board shorts), then remember to take some with you, to trade with!
Tofo offers some great nitelife and a few lodges usually have a pub/club effort going on for the tourist who wants to enjoy some good music and local beers with friends.
The charming village of Tofino has a laid-back atmosphere and a reputation as a meeting place for relaxed travelers. A short distance away, Inhambane is a world heritage site, on the ocean side of the peninsula, distinguished by its colonial Portuguese architecture and splendid natural setting.
Tofo is an original fishing village, with locals still living the traditional way. Leggy chickens, pots balancing on hot coals, women with jars on their heads and hoards of excitable children; Tofo’s central craft market is worth a visit, and, if you haven’t mastered Portuguese, gestures and a smile works well for bartering.
Tofo has many smaller settlements dotted around with lots to explore. Ingenious indigenous buildings are constructed mostly out of palm. If offered, take the opportunity to try heady palm wine. Mozambiquans are welcoming people who delight in sharing their way of life, from mat weaving to chopping open a coconut with a machete and sipping the sweet milk.
Inhambane is an historical town surrounded by lush veggie patches that’s bigger than
its characterful little airport (with its bright pink loo) would have you believe. As you wander through the flourishing market – which has plenty of fish and fresh produce – shortly after landing, it is clear that this organised little town has been trading for centuries.
Everything from rip-off Havaianas to a large plastic bag of roasted cashew nuts for an impossibly low asking price are sold on market day, but the naartjies are sweet and the pawpaws are perfection with squeezed lime and chilli. Established in 1495, it’s the oldest European settlement on the east coast of Africa and has an air of faded grandeur, with some beautifully aged buildings still standing the test of time.
If your schedule permits, lunch on the best blue crab dishes at Mazaroca, with claws done in a batter of ground cashews, chilli and ginger – delicious with an ice-cold beer. It’s a 20-minute drive from Tofo to Inhambane, so is the perfect day destination.