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The People You Meet in Vilanculos, Mozambique

02/04/2016 by Kristin Addis 14 Comments

On an oppressively hot November afternoon, a few of my Tofo friends and I rode in the back of a flatbed truck on our way to Vilanculos, Mozambique, just 200-ish kilometers up the coast from Tofo. Hitching a ride in Mozambique is common – it’s called a getting a boleia.

The flatbed truck could only take us so far, so we got in a chapa – a local bus/van with bald tires and far too many people inside – to the next town. From there, I held my hand up and got us another ride in the back of a pickup truck, the hot African sun beaming down on us with the mango trees, heavy with the weight of fresh orange fruit, lining the road. It was beautiful, until we got to the next dusty town where our driver was ending his journey. From there, after unsuccessfully trying to get a boleia for an hour, we finally took a chapa, and then another chapa, which had a drunk driver swigging a beer as he drove.

We stumbled into the backpackers well after dark, sweaty, dusty, and exhausted. The ride had taken seven hours to go a rather short distance. Such is Mozambique.

vilanculos mozambique
This is how I spent most of my time

The long and frustrating day was the perfect example of what it’s like to travel in Moz. You have days spent diving in clear blue waters and lounging in a hammock for hours with amazing people and delicious food, but then you have days that are so frustrating you want to tear your hair out. It’s one of the most extreme places I’ve been to in this regard, yet I can’t help but love it.

vilanculos mozambique
At least I didn’t have to get into this death trap

The next day the sun rose over Vilanculos, and I forgot all about the previous day’s unwelcome adventure. When the tide went out, there were miles upon miles of sandbars as far as the eye could see.

vilanculos mozambique
Whoaaaaa
vilanculos mozambique
Sitting atop Bazaruto Island just off of Vil

I could spend the rest of this post talking about how peaceful the beach was, with fishermen tending to a day’s work:

vilanculos mozambique
There’s lots of good stuff in there, trust me
vilanculos mozambique
There are worse places to fish

Or how the kids played gleefully:

vilanculos mozambique
Playing with dogs on the sand
vilanculos mozambique
Kids in Vil

I could talk about how amazing (however expensive at $140 for just two tanks) the SCUBA diving was:

vilanculos mozambique
Dive selfie (sorry for the resting bitch face but really, how do you smile with a regulator in your mouth?)
vilanculos mozambique
Devil rays

Or how the locals made the best of their beautiful surroundings, and even swam out to the sandbars with a ball in tow for a game of soccer:

vilanculos mozambique
I couldn’t believe how lucky I got that they did this when I had my camera

We could talk about how I spent more time in the water than out of it, how dazzling the stars were, and how bright the moon was in the sky:

vilanculos mozambique
Wow that moon

Or we could even talk about how I had this rondavel, a round hut with a double bed, two chairs, a mosquito net (with no holes!), and a functioning fan that only cost me $19 per night:

vilanculos mozambique
At Baobab Beach Backpackers – I definitely suggest staying here when you come to Vil

And while all of those things made Vilanculos special, it was the people I met there who made it memorable for me. I had fun nights with new friends and with locals, but my favorite encounter of all was with Nate and Orlando.

Nate is a 21-year-old guy who has been living and working in the wilderness of Alaska. He’s well-traveled and came to Mozambique by word of mouth like I did. He had also spent some time in Tofo where he met Orlando, the local quad bike rental guy. Orlando invited Nate to his village just behind the beach in the palm trees – a little place where the kids playfully grab onto your quad as you pass by and try to run behind you – and the ladies sell coconut wine. It’s just a few grass and bamboo huts, but it’s all that Orlando had ever known.

vilanculos mozambique
My buddy Evan, Orlando, Nate, and me

Nate got to know Orlando during his time in Tofo, and decided that it was a shame that Orlando had never even seen his own country. He’d never seen mountains, never felt the cold, and never knew anything other than the area immediately around him. Then Nate did something extraordinary – he invited Orlando to join him on his trip through Mozambique, and offered to pay his way.

The relationship made sense in so many ways. Orlando got to see his country, and Nate got to have a true local experience.

The day I met them, we decided to go down to the beach and buy a fish from a local fisherman. We got a big one, the size and taste of a tuna, for around $6, thanks to Orlando’s negotiating. Nate filleted the fish, and Orlando got to cooking. First, he cooked a fish soup with potatoes and carrots, then a fish fillet which we ate with coconut rice and matapa – a local green leafy vegetable smashed and cooked with coconut milk. We bought Orlando beers, and I did the dishes after, splitting the work.

That night we went down to the ocean and pointed out the constellations to Orlando. He was smiling from ear to ear, seeing a beach he’d never seen before in his life. Nate’s was such a beautiful gesture, and it made wonder why more people don’t do this. It’s a small way of giving back but in such a generous and kind way.

Their story inspired me so much, so I asked them if I could share it with you, and thankfully they said yes.

I hope that they made it to the mountains, and I hope that Orlando saw more amazing things that he’d never had the opportunity to see before.

vilanculos mozambique
The view when I flew out of Vilanculos. Excuse the grainy phone pic

As for me, Vilanculos was my last stop in Moz, and as I flew out over the sandbars back to South Africa, I silently promised to find a way back one day – just not on a chapa.

Beautiful photos and a touching story of giving and kindness from Vilanculos, Mozambique
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About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Comments

  1. Lori Eller says

    02/04/2016 at 9:04 am

    Wow. What beautiful subject matter in your photos! I can’t imagine someone reading your post and not wanting to go there, not now, but right now! You had an incredible journey and shared it well. I take it this was a two or three day side trip. I wish I’d been as adventurous when I was young. I enjoyed your post very much.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      02/05/2016 at 6:30 am

      I stayed in Vilanculos for six days I think. I was really good at just lounging all day when I was there. Plus, when you have to budget two hours for every meal, there’s not a lot you can get done in a day. Life moves very slowly there

      Reply
  2. Ylvalie says

    02/05/2016 at 12:48 am

    Beautiful! Thank you for that!

    Reply
  3. Brianna says

    02/05/2016 at 7:28 am

    Oh my word, that picture as you were flying out… friggin magical.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      02/05/2016 at 8:47 am

      I know! I was looking into booking a scenic flight but they were over $400 so that was disappointing, then when the plane flew out over the water I was SO GLAD that I got to see it anyways!

      Reply
  4. Jub says

    02/06/2016 at 2:38 am

    Wow, that is a sensational idea by Nate. So fun. Sitting atop Bazaruto island just off of Vil…the photo with this caption, self timer? If so I need to get to taking them more often.

    Also, um coconut wine?
    YES PLEASE

    Reply
  5. Alex says

    07/19/2016 at 5:50 am

    Funny how things changed. Exactly in the same backpackers 5 years ago we have been robbed (Backpacker Staff and guards were cooperating with local thieves and surprise surprise with corrupted so called ‘police’!) Except of that we heard horror stories of staff stealing money/valuable things from people staying there…Happy it has changed though. Still, having the worst experience happen there it still has been the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Will definetely try to go back there one day.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/19/2016 at 7:12 am

      This was at Baobab specifically?? I’m surprised!

      Reply
  6. Juander Woman says

    05/12/2017 at 12:19 am

    This is very interesting and informative especially from someone who is at the other side of the globe. Thanks for sharing! Sparks the wanderlust in me!

    Reply
  7. Nat says

    02/23/2018 at 2:05 am

    We’re going to Vilanculos for 8 nights, then Barra for 7, for our honeymoon (with two nights in Maputo on either end of the trip). Diving, horse riding, chilling, seafood…can’t wait. Glad to see you stayed there for 6 days…it’s the same length of full days we’ll have there in June.

    Any places to go/things to do (aside from diving, dhaow boats etc) would be highly appreciated, don’t know anyone who’s been to Moz – and there’s really so little info out there!

    Thanks in advance!!
    Nat

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      02/27/2018 at 12:18 am

      Go diving!

      Reply
  8. Heather says

    11/23/2018 at 2:43 pm

    Love it! I’m headed nearby for my cousin’s wedding on the beach and about 10 days of lounging. Wondering if I should head south afterwards to see more of Moz or if I should fly to Madagascar from there. Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/23/2018 at 10:01 pm

      I haven’t been to Madagascar but I think if all you want to do is lounge I’d head to Tofo in Moz.

      Reply

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