There’s more to Maputo than beaches and prawns

There’s more to Maputo than beaches and prawns

Mozambique is a favourite destination for scuba diving and snorkelling, not to mention eating stacks of prawns, which are more affordable in Mozambique than just about anywhere else in the world. Maputo is the country’s capital city. It’s on the coast, so it offers all the traditional Mozambican attractions, but it also has so much more to offer.

Mozambique's beaches

It’s a thriving port city, so its harbour is abuzz with activity. But moving away from ocean-related activities we have the Central Railway Station, which boasts one of the most beautiful old buildings in the city – which may or may not have been built by Gustave Eiffel – he of the famous Paris tower. The station often has live music and assorted entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings and is a good spot to mingle with locals out for a night of fun.

The Iron House, which, common consensus has it, was designed by Eiffel, is also not to be missed. It was supposed to be the Governor’s house but a critical oversight – steel is not a practical building material in a region blessed with a blazing sun and almost constantly hot weather – meant that the governor was unable to live in it.

The Jardim Tunduru Botanical Gardens are worth a visit for its cycad collection and assorted exotic plants. Failing that you can always boast of visiting a garden by one of the most famous landscapers of the 19^th century. The gardens were designed by Thomas Honney, who designed gardens for various royalty of the era, including the Sultan of Turkey and the King of Greece.

Not far out of Maputo, about 80km, is the Maputo Elephant Reserve, which is part of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, a joint project by conservation authorities in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. Obviously, there are plenty of elephants to be seen, but there are also crocodiles, hippos and an awful lot of flamingos.

Don’t let malaria spoil your African holiday

Malaria is a nasty disease prevalent in large parts of Southern Africa. It kills more than one million people per year and 300 million cases are reported annually. 25% of childhood deaths in Africa are caused by malaria. But that doesn’t mean you should rule sub-Saharan Africa out of your holiday plans. Malaria is preventable, provided you take the proper precautions.

When you first book your African holiday, be sure to ask your travel agent if you’ll be going into any malaria zones. If you are, you need to see your doctor to discuss prophylactics. There are a number of anti-malaria drugs available. The one you take will depend on where you’re going, the level of risk and your current level of health. Some areas are resistant to certain types of anti-malaria medicine, so you need to be very specific when you tell your doctor where you’re going. You’ll also need to discuss appropriate prophylactics for any children who will be accompanying you, as well as any pregnant women.

You need to start taking anti-malaria medication 4-6 weeks before you travel. And you need to continue taking it for up to four weeks after you come back. This is because some types of malaria lie dormant for weeks after infection, especially if it is in your liver.

African malaria zones

In South Africa, most cases of malaria occur in the north-east, especially in the Kruger Park. If you’re planning a holiday in the Kruger Park try to time it to coincide with the dry season, as mosquitoes thrive during the rain. The dry season is in winter, from around April to October.

The northernmost parts of Namibia and Botswana also pose a risk, as do all of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya.

Prevention is better than cure

In addition to prophylactics, the best way to prevent malaria is to use your common sense. Invest in a good insect repellent – 20% to 35% DEET is recommended, don’t leave skin exposed, sleep under a net, sleep with the windows and doors closed and spray some insecticide in your room before you go to sleep.

Not only is malaria preventable but it is also curable.

Take the proper precautions and there is no reason why your African holiday can’t be all you dreamt and more.