Popular: South Africa · Cape Town · OR Tambo · Dolphin Bay · Lesotho
Mozambique's Vibrant Capital
Maputo: History & Culture
Portuguese traders built a fort here in 1781, and the settlement grew from Lourenço Marques into the colonial capital by 1898. It became a city in 1887 and was renamed Maputo the year after independence, in 1976. Jacaranda-lined avenues, art deco buildings and the railway station, long credited to Gustave Eiffel’s workshop, still mark the centre. To the south, Maputo Province was a civil-war battleground; its elephant reserve, proclaimed in 1932, lost most of its animals before a long recovery began in 2010 with help across the reopened South African border.
Photo by Maurits & Marjol, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Maputo city centre (Fortaleza, railway station, Tunduru Gardens), Inhaca Island, Maputo National Park, Ponta do Ouro
Heritage & Landmarks
Fortaleza de Maputo, a 19th-century fort in the capital, now a small military museum
52 km² island 12 km offshore; a popular day trip with coral reefs
Merged from the 1932 elephant reserve in 2021; elephant numbers rebuilding via Tembe Park
Southernmost beach town, dolphins and diving, 15 km from the South African border
Explore Maputo
Reefs, a lighthouse and island life at the mouth of Maputo Bay
An elephant reserve rebuilt into a World Heritage Site
Dolphins, dive reefs and the road from South Africa
Where to Stay
Anvil Bay, Maputo National Park Exceptional 4.7/5 lodge in Ponta Chemucane, Maputo National Park (Maputo Special Reserve): Travel Guide. 10 rooms. From ZAR 5,991/night. Property Details Type: Lodge Guest Rating: 4.7/5 (TripAdvisor, 41 reviews) Price Range: ZAR 5,991 per night Rooms: 10 Amenities Beach bar, lounge and restaurant, Wi-Fi, Mini bar, Indoor and outdoor showers,...
Ponta Gamboozini Lodge, Ponta do Ouro Excellent 4.5/5 lodge in Ponta do Ouro, a 6-minute walk from the main beach. 10 guestrooms plus camping. From USD 29/night. Property Details Type: Lodge Guest Rating: 4.5/5 (TripAdvisor, 119 reviews) Price Range: From USD 29 per night Rooms: 10 Amenities Restaurant and bar, 24-hour front desk, Garden, Outdoor...
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