Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Barclays, Millennium BIM and BCI all have ATMs. Barclays changes US dollars cash.
Telecomunicações de Moçambique
(Avenida 7 de Março; per min Mtc1)
has internet ac-
cess.
Getting There & Away
Air
CFA Charters
( 82-575 2125;
www.cfa.co.za
)
flies three times weekly between
Moçimboa da Praia, Pemba and several of the Quirimbas islands, including Ibo, Matemo
and Medjumbe, in coordination with Coastal Aviation flights from Dar es Salaam (Tan-
zania).
Bus & Pick-Up
The transport stand is near the market at the entrance to town, close to the large tree.
Several pick-ups go daily to/from the Rovuma ('Namoto') via Palma (Mtc250, two
hours). The road to Palma is being paved, and is in good shape. To Pemba, the Mecula bus
departs daily at 5am (Mtc270, seven hours). Maning Nice departs daily by 3am. Several
pickups also do the journey, departing by 7am from the main road in front of the market.
Maning Nice goes daily between Moçimboa da Praia and Nampula (Mtc500, 13 hours),
and several vehicles go daily to/from Mueda (Mtc150, two hours).
Palma
The large fishing village of Palma lies nestled among the coconut groves about 45km
south of the Tanzania border. It's a centre for basketry and mat weaving (though most of
this is done in the outlying villages) and for boat making, and it is fascinating to watch
craftspeople using centuries-old techniques. The area is also a melting pot of languages,
with Makwe, Makonde, Mwani, Swahili and Portuguese all spoken.
Palma has an upper, administrative section of town with immigration, the post office, a
guesthouse and a small market, and a lower section, about 2km downhill along the water,
with the main market and many local houses. There's nowhere to change money, although
changing meticais and Tanzanian shillings at the markets is no problem.
