Katja Lachmann
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MOZAMBIQUE
11/08/2004

Vilanculo is...

 

...a very nice place to be. I stayed there for 4 days, camping at Casa Josef e Tina. We were 4 people camping in the garden behind the guest houses. We had the kitchen outside with just a roof on top and an oven that was outside, too. We heated with fire and charcol. It was quite a funny thing as you could see the local people, living their to run the guesthouse, laughing at us being to stupid to make fire and to cook there. We more than once ask for help and I - trying to heat myself "successfully" - burned my thumb! Yes, it was much laughing after that ;P

Casa Josef e Tina is directly on the beach, but I myself have not ever felt to jump into the sea. The reason is that the weather there is quite windy, thus it was enough just to walk around whenever you need a breeze of fresh air. The beach - even if not going for a swim - is very nice. You can watch the islands and when walking along the beach you will find a local group of artists selling handicrafts. I really liked them a lot but I did not buy as it is just the beginning of my trip.

The market in Vilanculo is quite "big" and you can find all you everywhere can find in Mocambique: Tomatoes, Onions, Nuts (that you still have to roast), Flower, Sardines, Fish (that I did not trust), Rice, Pasta, Toilet paper. There are a few more things, but that is more or less the basic you can buy and the cheapest. Pasta and Toilet paper is expensive. Toilet paper you can buy for 8.000 MT in the little supermarket. There is just one in the main road, thus you will not have problems to figure it out. On the market toilet paper is about 15.000 MT.

Directly on the opposite side of the market is an Internet place, not cafe. It is a private place where you have to know the door and two ladies living their will leave you inside. Using internet cost 2.000 MT a minute what means 120.000 MT an hour. There is just one computer available. Another computer for using internet is at the (I think it is called:) Telcom office. It is where the post office is and you can make international phone calls from there. It cost just 1.000 MT a minute but is very, very slow.

I would like to warn you concerning Baobab Beach Resort. It is not very nice place, more expensive than others to stay and in case you intent to camp, has not really got good places to put it. Moreover, there are a lot of overlanders camping thus it is quite loud. I even heard that it is dirty there. All people that I have met at Casa Josef e Tina have stayed before at Baobab Beach and just escaped.

You can walk everything by foot in the city as Vilanculo is not that big. There is also a very nice bakery around the corner after the supermarket. Just pass the supermarket and go up to the left. After about 50-100 m you will find the bakery. It has got a cafe, too, very you can buy nice little cakes that you can buy for 8.000 MT each. The coffee I was told to be delicious, too. The only thing that could bother you there is the little group of street kids begging for money. If you will buy them a bit bread they will be happy. I did not do, but I have seen a woman do it.

Once I explored the other side of the town direction Sail Away, that is a company for going to Bazaruto Island, providing Snorkeling and Scuba Dive trips. I got lost as the map available in the Tourist Office (on the beach road direction Baobab Beach when you come from Casa Josef e Tina or Zombie Cucumber; open from 2 pm) was not to precise. I found my way later, having had a nice experience walking through the middle of Vilanculo how it really is.