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Quelimane
To get to Quelimane, north of Vilanculos, you have to get
the car ferry across the mighty Zambezi River. Quelimane
is the capital of the Zambezia Province, the most densely
populated area in the country and Mozambique's agricultural
heartland. The name Quelimane is derived from an indigenous
word referring to the manual tasks that need to be performed
in preparing the fields for planting. The area around the
city is home to the largest coconut plantations in Africa.
As well as contending with 20 years of civil war, Mozambique
is battling another demon, A.I.D.S., and Zambezia is one of
the worst affected provinces in the country.
Gurúè
Gurúè Province, inland from Quelimane, is situated
at the foothills of Mount Namúli. Before the
war, Gurúè had the largest tea plantations in
the southern hemisphere. Visit the Gulamo Tea Station and
go on a tea tour. It still has much of its original equipment
including an old steam engine. After a cup of tea, take a
swim in one of the beautiful waterfalls found within the confines
of the plantation.
Gurúè is also home to Mount Namuli, the second
highest mountain in Mozambique. During the war the mountain
was used as a refuge by local communities like the Makua
tribe who consider the mountain to be sacred. If you want
to climb Mount Namúli then you must have permission
from the chief - sorghum flour and rice are your best bargaining
tools! You will probably be assigned a guide from the tribe.
En route the scenery is very lush and at the top the views
are spectacular.
Mozambique Island
Mozambique Island (Ilha de Moçambique) is two
miles off the North-Eastern coastline of mainland Mozambique.
It is connected to the mainland by a two mile bridge. The
Ilha is only one-and-a-half miles wide and one mile long -
a real microcosm that you can walk round very quickly. Expect
to see beautiful Portuguese colonial architecture, fortresses,
chapels, and palaces brought to life by the colorful inhabitants
of the island like the Makua women with their white painted
faces, people collecting water from the underground cisterns
in a 400-year-old tradition, and children collecting shipwrecked
beads from the beach.
Pemba
Pemba, located in Northern Mozambique, is a coastal town known
for its beaches, particularly Wimbe Beach which
is popular for diving, fishing, snorkeling, and boating. You
can swim to the reef from the beach. It hasn't got a huge
tourist industry but it's one of those towns on the traveler's
route that's fun and lively. Pemba is the third largest natural
bay in the world and is the capital of Cabo Delgado Province,
formerly Porto Amelia. It has a colonial history and
the Arab influences can be seen in its architecture and souk
that sells traditional Makonde crafts and silverware.
Mueda
If you want to get off the beaten track, Mueda is a remote
village close to the northern border with Tanzania in the
province of Cabo Delgado - the most unexplored region of Mozambique.
Public transport is very thin on the ground because it's so
remote so the only way of getting here is by hitching a lift.
Mueda is where the uprising began that started the civil
war. The area was so heavily bombed that you see injured victims
of landmines everywhere. Landmines are still a very real problem
here so you must never stray off well-worn tracks. In days
gone by, this area was rich in wildlife and game but rebels
slaughtered the animals to feed their troops.
There's only one guest house in Mueda, Pensao Takatuka,
which is clean and basic and offers rooms for $20 a night.
The Makonde who live in the village were once renowned as
being fierce warriors but are now some of the most famous
tribal sculptors in the world. This is the best place to buy
and learn about their arts and crafts traditions.
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