Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Marracuene was a getaway for wealthy Maputo residents during colonial days and saw
some heavy fighting in the 1980s during the war. Today, it's a small riverside town with a
sleepy, faded charm, its main street lined with bougainvilleas and old Portuguese villas in
various states of repair.
Sleeping & Eating
Jay's Beach Lodge $
( 84-863 0714;
www.jaysbeachlodge.co.za
;
per vehicle for day visitors Mtc200, camp-
site per person Mtc275, 2-/4-/6-/8-person chalet Mtc1400/ 2800/4200/5600)
This good
place is just behind the dunes on a long, beautiful beach, with a restaurant, shade and
braai
(barbecue) facilities available for day visitors, and camping and chalets for
overnight. Pick-ups from Marracuene can be arranged for those without 4WD. The day
visitor fee is waived if you eat at the restaurant.
LODGE
Getting There & Away
Take any northbound
chapa
from Benfica (Mtc60, one hour) to Marracuene, from where
it's a 10-minute walk through town to the
Nkomati River ferry
(return per person/
vehicle Mtc4/180, five minutes; 6am to 6pm)
. On the other side, follow the rutted road
for about 5km to a junction of sorts, from where you'll find most of the Macaneta places
about 5km to 8km further, and signposted. There's no public transport; hitching is slow
except at weekends. For drivers, a 4WD is essential, except to get to Macaneta Lodge.
GWAZA MUTHINI
Each year in February, Marracuene fills up with visitors commemorating those who died resisting colonial rule in
the 1895 Battle of Marracuene, known locally as Gwaza Muthini. At the heart of the festivities is the killing of a
hippo from the Nkomati River and the
kuphalha
ceremony (invocation of the ancestors), although the hippo hasn't
been very forthcoming in recent times and a goat is usually roasted instead. Gwaza Muthini also marks the begin-
ning of the season for
ukanhi
- a traditional brew made from
canhu,
the fruit of the
canhoeiro
tree found
throughout Maputo and Gaza provinces, and considered sacred in much of the region.
