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XO Director Sebastien talks about Maputo, Mozambique

Thinking of visiting Mozambique and not sure if you should add the city of Maputo to your stay? Our founder and director of XO Africa, Sebastien, shares what he loves about this vibrant city with its blend of influences and welcome pairing of old and new. Having lived in Africa for almost 20 years now, he’s a great person to ask.

Where did you stay in Maputo?
Polana Serena Hotel

Who is the city most suited to? Families, couples or solo travellers?
Couples, solo travellers and those who are born travellers and enjoy being out of their comfort zones.

What do you love most about Maputo, Mozambique and what makes it different from other Southern African cities?

I love the blend of influences where the Latino-Portuguese footprint, African roots and the Indian Ocean, create a sensation I’ve never experienced before in Africa. This cocktail makes you feel like you could be in Rio, Cuba or Jamaica as well as on the real African Continent. From the coffee shop selling traditional Portuguese bread and the night life, starting late and finishing early morning. Appropriately and charmingly dressed locals, the music and underground art scene revealing its quality and diversity and the seafood restaurants proudly exhibiting the FC Porto jersey and some of most distinctive culinary Portuguese specialties.

The eclectic architecture, where African shacks are neighboring colorful art deco constructions. Where massive and austere apartments blocks, built under the command of the communist regime, are facing masterpieces of the early 20th century building work by architect and designers like Pancho Guedes amongst many others. Where lush parks and centenary trees grow freely under the warm & humid tropical climate, thankfully regulated the powerful supremacy of the Indian Ocean.

How many times have you visited Maputo?
I’ve been seven 7 times if I’m not mistaken. My very close friends lived here for 10 years, and were my underground guides. I’ve also had the great opportunity to discover the best of the city during our business trips.

Any restaurants/bars visitors can’t miss while there?

In Maputo, don’t go in between. Enjoy cocktails and appetizers around the pool or the scenic terrace of the Polana Hotel, but then go local-like the seafood restaurants Marisquera Sagres or Miramar, right down the beach, offering simple but tasty local cuisine.

What are the highlights of your accommodation/stay in Maputo and what would make you return?

Maputo is also a fruitful business hub with malls and hotels popping out from the grounds at a fast pace offering a new international and modern standard to the city. But personally I like the old ‘palace style’ the elegance and the stunning views of the Bay of the Polana Serena Hotel.

Sebastien’s daughter around the pool area at the hotel.

In the city, what are some suggestions of activities for families to try?
Markets, parks, Casa de Ferro from Gustave Eiffel. Don’t do much… just relax.

Any travel tips for those visiting Maputo?
The traffic and original driving behaviors of the residents can be destabilizing… take a taxi, to avoid unnecessary stress.

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What to pack for a Southern Africa Bush Safari

Whether you’re heading to the northern bush of South Africa, Damaraland of Namibia or Chobe, Botswana, the landscapes, climate and temperates will vary greatly also depending on the season you visit in.

One thing most of these safari territory places will have in common is that peak season will generally fall within their dry, winter season between May and October. Without the rains, animal sightings are usually quite abundant as the animals gather in certain spots around waterholes to drink and find food in the areas which are more lush.

More often than not temperatures will drop rather drastically and produce cold or icy nights with warm or sometimes hot days so it’s always a good idea to come prepared for two very different climates everyday.

Here’s an idea of what to pack when coming on a Southern Africa safari:

Clothing

Sun

The African sun is harsh and even on hot cloudy days it is advised that you wear sunblock. If you have sensitive skin, do not wear less than factor 50. Ensure you have a wide-brim hat, sunglasses, light, cotton clothing to cover up with on long game drives or bush walks.

Cold/Rain

The temperature is known to drop rather drastically in most bush veld regions as soon as the sun sets or even on cold winter days. So come prepared with a wind breaker, a rain mac, a fleece-lined jacket/sweater and thick warm trousers, thick socks and trail shoes to keep out the cold on early morning game drives and sitting around the fire at night. Many safari lodges will keep thick blankets in the game vehicle for extra warmth, but I have found that beanies, scarves and even gloves will go a long way to keep the very cold cosy on an open-air game vehicle.

Mosquitoes

Even if it’s not a malaria-area, there may still be mosquitoes. Decrease your chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes and any bugs by covering your arms and legs ( especially at dawn and dusk) with light, cotton clothing that allows you to keep cool and cover up.

Colour

For game drives, you want to avoid stark white, bright colours and stick to a neutral palette when out in the bush. You want to remain as inconspicuous as possible to the animals. This is their natural habitat which are you visiting, to blend in as much as possible try stick to more neutral, earthy colours.

Shoes

Make sure you bring walking shoes and sturdy pair of trail shoes for any bush walks, hikes and also to keep warm on game drives. For the hot days , ensure you have sandals to keep cool in and to wear around your lodge.

Medication

Be mindful that many game reserves through Southern Africa especially in Namibia, Bostwana, Zimbabwe and Zambia will be quite far off the grid, far away from towns, shops, pharmacies and doctors. So make sure you bring enough of your own prescription medication to last the entire trip including the main necessities of headache tablets, medication for diarrhea, topical antibiotic ( for cuts, bites, sores) and colds/flu. If you forgot make sure you stock up in the big towns and cities before heading to the bush.

Malaria and other vaccines.

Consult your travel clinic doctor as well as the lodge you’ll be staying at for the malaria requirements. These may also vary depending on the time of year you visit a country. For the most part, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe will always require you to take malaria prophylaxis before visiting. Medical professionals often discourage children younger than five to visit malaria areas so be sure to seek advice from your child’s paediatrician on the best course of medication if you do decide to visit one of these countries with your child.

Bite presentation is always a good way to go along with suggested Malaria Prophylaxis as the medication doesn’t guarantee 100% that you can’t contract it. So along with long-sleeved light clothing, wear mosquito repellent with deet in it. Add extra protection by spraying your mosquito nets with repellent and use spray specifically for clothing.

Your local travel clinic in your country will also best advise you on the necessary vaccines to take for each country, depending on the time of year, your location within a country and/or proximity to water rich areas.

Bush Accessories

You don’t want to find yourself on a game drive without a decent camera, binoculars and even a camera/device that you can video short clips with. Not everyone is a professional photographer, but find a camera that is both easy for you to use and allows sufficient zooming for the animals in the distance.

Most smartphones have great quality cameras but in the bush, their zoom capability will not cut it so make sure you bring a basic camera that can assist you with you and allow you to capture the incredible sightings and memories.

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