VILANCULOS ROAD TRANSFERS FROM AIRPORT 

Bem Vindo – Welcome!

We hope you had a good flight. Your holiday to Massinga Beach starts now with your journey from Vilanculos to Massinga.

There is a cooler box available with water and soft drinks which are complementary.

Your driver speaks English and is happy to answer any questions you may have. Please advise if you would like to adjust the temperature of the aircon or the music which is played. The journey is approximately 2.5 hours and if you need to stop along the way, please inform the driver.

Enjoy your journey …………………..

A bit of History …………………..

One rainy night in 1498, the Portuguese adventurer, Vasco Da Gama sailed up the estuary to the old harbour at nearby Inhambane. The crew were very wary of the local people, the Bitongas, who were waiting on the shore. The local people took the crew in from the driving rain and provided shelter and an impromptu feast for the weary strangers. Vasco Da Gama gave the beautiful peninsula it’s first glowing review, not for the beauty of the beaches or the spectacular reefs which are world class, but as a tribute to the locals themselves. He famously called the people Boa Gente (“Good People”). This provided the tagline it has carried for 500 years Terra de Boa Gente (“Land of the Good People”). The Bitongas are renowned across Africa and Worldwide for their intuitive kindness, warmth, a generosity of spirit and for a love of live – often qualities in short supply in the 21st Century, but alive and plentiful in Inhambane.

A few Facts ………………………… 

🇲🇿 Mozambique has a coastline of over 2,400 kilometres There are 10 Provinces in Mozambique

🇲🇿 Portuguese is spoken by 50.3% of the population. Ronga is the dialect mainly spoken around Maputo and Changana is spoken in southern provinces of Gaza and Inhambane. Shitswe is the local dialect of Massinga

🇲🇿 Inhambane Province is the 2nd largest grower of cashew nuts. Also produces coconut and citrus

🇲🇿 One of the last remaining populations of dugong are found in the Inhambane Bay area

🇲🇿 The population in Inhambane Province is approximately 1.5 million people with Maxixe having the largest number

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” – Nelson Mandela 

Good Morning                           Bom Dia

Good Evening                            Boa Noite

It is hot                                       Está quente

Beer please                               Cerveja por favour

What time                                 Que horas

Your journey will take you along the EN1 National Highway. This is the main thoroughfare from Maputo in the South to the North of the country. 

There are plenty of children walking to and from school. School is not obligatory in Mozambique. With local children facing the problem of distance and costs of getting to school, many rather work in the family fields or look after younger siblings than go to secondary school.

There are 3 sessions of school in the town and two rurally. Morning, afternoon and evening class for students who want to further their education but work during the day.

The Boabab Trees – The Tree of Life ………

These wonderful trees are the highlight of the trip from Vilanculos. The most common species in the baobab genus is the African Boabab (Adansonia diitata) which is characterized by the tree’s short stature, thick trunks and impressive longevity.

All parts of the baobab trees are used – the bark fibres, leaves and fruits. In Mozambique, baobab trees are also places where the spirits of ancestors are called. The trees are therefore considered sacred and offered protection to anyone fleeing persecution or violence during the war. The bark and flesh are soft, fibrous and fire-resistant and can be used to weave rope and cloth. Other products include soap, rubber and glue. The bark, leaves and seeds are used in traditional medicine to treat malaria, tuberculosis, fever, infections and dysentery amongst other ailments. The seeds are highly nutritious and have a slightly tart taste. They are rich in oils, fats, vitamins (A,E), high quality proteins, calcium, magnesium and other properties, The seeds can be roasted and eaten like peanuts or ground and brewed with hot water as coffee. Oil extracted from the seeds may be applied directly to the skin and has a positive effect for the treatment of acne, psoriasis and eczema.

The last town you get to before the Massinga Beach turnoff is the town of Massinga. Massinga Town is the busy district capital of Massinga and is a very convenient stocking up point with a number of shops, markets and petrol stations. There are ATM’s and banks. Just outside the town of Massinga, there is the turnoff to Massinga Beach. A 10kms sand road, through coconut plantations and over a small river will bring you to the end of our journey and the splendour of Massinga Beach.

See you soon …….........