Grand Escapades
Travel Photography & Travel Experiences of Africa, South America, the Middle-East & Asia
Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus), Praia de Tofo, Tofo, Mozambique
In August 2014, we spent 1 week in Mozambique before heading towards Malawi – The main target was Snorkeling with Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus), at Praia de Tofo, enjoying Tofo, and discovering the capital city, Maputo – Here you find a selection of 16 pictures of Mozambique
Posing for the picture, Baixa District, Maputo
Back in 2012 Heidi thought this was the toughest country she had ever traveled. Transport is excruciatingly painful, busses and chapas are packed to the rim, with music blasting all through the night. And, Mozambique is an expensive country to travel! This shows with entering the country, when tourists have to dish out 80 Euros for a visa. Simple rooms go for minimum 40 Euro and food is not cheap either. Continue Reading →
The name Tete has a certain ring to it, a place you want to visit. Besides that, who is not interested in visiting a booming mining town all around, with all this coal around it? The other unique attraction is the Cassasso Dam about two hours upriver, the world’s fifths largest dam (hard to believe that Mozambique suffers from regular power breakdowns) and Mozambique’s hottest city. Continue Reading →
Praia de Tofo, Mozambique
Every house and every shack is part of the tourist industry. Tofo offers all kinds of accommodation, although the backpackers all seem to huddle together at Fatima’s. You can get cheaper rooms with more comfort, but it is the social center of Tofo, not only for the backpackers. Continue Reading →
Statue of Samora Machel, Mozambique’s First President, Baixa District, Maputo
Mozambique is another example how vulnerable the tourist industry is. Even minor incidents can quickly lead to an exodus of tourists. In Mozambique’s case it was skirmishes near Beira between political parties competing in the upcoming election. This led to traffic restrictions on the stretch between Vilanculo and Beira. Cars and busses had to travel in convoys. All this was dragged through in the South African media and immediately a rush of cancelations set in. With South Africans being the main customers, it is definitely hurting Tofo and Vilanculos. Continue Reading →
Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus), Praia de Tofo, Tofo, Mozambique
It was the Whale Sharks that made us do the horrid eight hours trip from Maputo, squashed in a small bus. At least in the shuttle of the Fatima Hostel, we were not tortured by blasting 100 decibel music usually played on public busses in Mozambique. Continue Reading →
Baixa District, Maputo, Mozambique
After a very, very long trip from Europe, we breathed the salty air of Maputo, a city Heidi had such fond memories of. Its crazy mix of faded colonial Portuguese architecture and post-colonial precast concrete with slabs (vulgo “Plattenbauten”), left a lasting imprint on her. Continue Reading →
At Inhambane Airport, Inhambane, Mozambique
The trip Vienna – Frankfurt – Addis Ababa – Maputo worked out like a Swiss clock, maybe except the fact that the once sleepy airport of Addis Ababa has turned into a mess with Ethiopian Airlines doubling its fleet within the last 2 years. The infrastructure of the airport certainly cannot cope with the masses, there is simply not enough of everything: busses, X-ray machines, toilets, food stalls, competent staff, whatsoever… Continue Reading →