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PLAN MY JOURNEYMaputaland Coast
Reminiscent in the feel of South Africa’s bordering iSimangaliso Wetland Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Maputaland has a devastatingly beautiful coastline hemmed in by a mosaic of wide sandy beaches, tall vegetated dunes, shallow lakes, dense coastal forests and grassy slopes. Until recently, the region was little visited and legendarily inaccessible from Maputo except to adventurous 4×4-drivers, but that looks set to change following the inauguration of the Maputo-Catembe Bridge in November 2018, and the upgrading of the road to Kosi Bay on South African border.
Maputaland incorporates one of southern Mozambique’s top wildlife highlights in the form of the 750km2 Maputo Special Reserve, which was established in 1932 to protect an ancient elephant migration and remains one of the few places in Africa where elephants might still be seen strolling along a beach. Other wildlife includes hippo, monkeys, common reedbuck, red duiker, nyala, greater kudu and various other antelope, as well as nesting marine turtles in season, and the wealth of marine and other aquatic birds that inhabit the Xingute Lagoon.
Further south, the small and isolated resort town of Ponto do Ouro (literally ‘Cape of Gold’) is flanked by a wonderfully unspoilt coastline and offers some of the country’s finest diving and snorkelling.
When to go
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Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.
Like the majority of Southern Africa Mozambique has distinct wet and dry seasons. With small regional variations aside, the wet season starts between October and November and lasts through to April or May. These rains are however not ‘Monsoon’ like, largely due to the significant rain shadow effect of Madagascar which essentially acts as a giant buffer. Rainfall amounts are therefore surprisingly small considering its location along the Indian Ocean. The dry season lasts from April or May all the way through to October or November, with clear skies dominating. The occasional shower is still possible during this time, just unlikely. The countries location so close to the equator as well as to the Indian Ocean makes temperatures relatively consistent throughout the year, with an average high of between 23°C/73°F and 82°C/82°F.