By Roy Watts
When considering tropical escapes, our thoughts usually turn to traditional Indian Island havens like the Seychelles, Mauritius, and the Maldives. But in Mozambique is a spectacular resort boasting all the mandatory clichés. Golden beaches, aquamarine seas, coral fantasias and of course the ubiquitous palm.
Roy Watts hopped on board to test the waters (and to brush up on his diving!).
To be honest, things were none too sweet with my bank manager at the time. Furthermore, he lacked the generosity of spirit that could have seen me winging my way to one of the more traditional tropical island escapes. So I guess I have him, and a tight budget to thank for discovering one of the most pristine coastlines anywhere, Guinjata Bay. And the rest, as they say, is geography.
Tucked away on a broad sweep of golden beach, and protected from the prevailing wind by a towering sand sentinel, lies a mop topped ‘Robinson Crusoe’ village, badly in need of a haircut. Oozing charm from every door, it was built from reeds, grass, palm fronds, coconut husks and rough-hewn timber beams. Designed in synch with local building traditions, there’s not a brick or concrete lintel in sight, and the quaint cottage exteriors deceptively conceal a full range of mod-cons, from fridges, freezers and stoves, to steaming showers and flush loos.
But slaving over a hot stove seems crazy when there are two wonderful pubs and a restaurant, crackling with atmosphere and bonhomie, situated just off the beach. Also hidden from the rustic view is an impressive infrastructure of boats, diving gear, fishing tackle and a compressor for filling aqua lungs, all supervised by a competent skipper and associate instructors. This is after all, an angling and diving paradise. Completing the sketch is a wonderful tropical climate, mild in winter, wonderfully warm in spring and autumn, and tending towards hot and humid in summer.
All of this causes one to ponder over Guinjata Bay’s obscurity, but the reasons are not hard to fathom. Mozambique is a country desperately in need of a drastic PR makeover. Most divers regard it in the light of its war torn history, and there is no denying that this a country that has experienced major decline - despite a recent turnaround in Maputo, there are still symptoms of advanced decay in all the major cities. But it also harbors one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere, crammed full of all the mandatory tropical requirements that draw us to further flung, and consequently more expensive alternatives.
The terrorist threat has long since disappeared, and land mines are only found in really remote areas, far from emerging tourist destinations. Perhaps the major obstacle is accessibility. In the past you’ve needed a 4x4 and the spirit of a Voortrekker to negotiate the narrow, pitted, 70km per hour Mozambican highways, and a healthy off-road capacity to cover the final sandy tracks leading to the resorts.
So one of the Sub-Saharan’s best kept secrets has been in the hands of a beefy band of South African fishermen, who’ve been cashing in on this angling Eldorado for years. Among these folk, Guinjata already has an awesome reputation in a country acknowledged to be a front-runner in the piscatorial world, and articles published in a host of fishing magazines attest to this.
There is a breaking wave however, that could see its eminence broadened as land locked Gautengers seeking a sun and surf escape, tumble to the bargain fly-in packages now threatening to render the more traditional destinations obsolete. Taking off from Johannesburg International, pressure cooked businessmen can take a two hop air package to Inhambane from where they will be ferried some 25 odd kilometers in 4x4 transport to the tranquility of Guinjata Bay.
Having spent a four day long-weekend in a tropical paradise, they can be back in the office on a Tuesday morning, with glowing mid-winter tans and wallets lighter by a paltry ZAR4,660. There is also a 5-day midweek option available at ZAR5,200 with both packages including dinner bed and breakfast. So with soaring spirits, and without the patronage of my purse lipped bank manager, I took off on a warm September morning to celebrate the rites of spring…
The Guinjata Resort is the result of Paul Greyling’s lifelong passion for fishing and the sea. Armed with the determination born of obsession, and backed by his family, he battled beaurocracy and the forces of nature to create this uniquely rustic angling haven. During peak season, meaning any time during school holidays, the place is packed to the gunnels with fishermen of every shape and size, along with their families.
Paul also organizes and promotes competitions that are highly acclaimed and supported by the South African angling fraternity, and often contributes to the cache of prizes to be won. Trouble is, being the highly skilled and fiercely competitive man that he is; he remains the one to beat during these contests. Recently he won two weeks accommodation in his own resort. Frenetic activity on the sea during the day is followed by serious industrial strength revelry in the atmospheric pubs and restaurant at night. Extended arms lengthen by the round, along with decibel levels and festivities. This is a group that plays hard during the day, and even harder during celebrations at night.
Away from the peaks, Guinjata becomes a very different proposition, and a contrasting atmosphere prevails. It is during these serener times that the fly-in packages provide popular appeal to those seeking a sunny escape with warm waters and a romantic atmosphere. Scuba divers too, are fastening on to these excursions, lured by the well-developed infrastructure of equipment and professional instructors available at the resort.
There is also a unique topographical feature created by a huge reef that joins the shoreline forming a giant pool. This creates a safe haven for teaching the basics of scuba diving, and is also an ideal venue for snorkeling. But the real excitement for seasoned divers lies further out to sea on aptly named Manta Reef, where on good days you can get up close and personal with these large delta winged stealth bombers of the ocean. So with high hopes, I found myself on the maritime version of a mechanical bull as we bucked our way to a precise GPS position on choppy seas. This was not an ideal day for diving.
Back flipping into old briny, the turbulence above was replaced by tranquility below as we hung suspended in a surreal cobalt void just beneath the boat. Slowly we descended to 25 meters where we ran into an undersea Mardi Gras.
Creatures of every shape size and colour drifted by, against a psychedelic backdrop of coral and sponge formations.
Neon yellows and blues, stripes, and a kaleidoscope of every shade of the spectrum. A ghostly white albino moray eel stuck his head out of a crevice, decided we weren’t worth the price of admission, and retreated back into his hole. Frilly lionfish dressed like flappers from the roaring twenties, hovered around, confident that their deadly spines would ward off enemies, whilst a quartet of slim elongated flutefish finned past on their way to rehearsals.
In a small cavern I encountered a huge loggerhead and attempted a bit of turtle bonding. Giving me a bored look and what I swear was an undersea yawn, he slowly emerged and paddled off. Now I have seen more spectacular coral formations in other tropical diving sites, but I have never seen a better piscatorial display. Alas, however, the main event, a guest appearance by a giant manta ray, never materialized.
One of the bonuses of Guinjata, are the fresh crayfish that you buy from locals on the beach for less than R20 each. They are however, an even more unstable form of currency than the Rand, and prices rocket during peak periods. Yet another reason to seek the quieter off-season escapes. With a return to reality looming, I celebrated my last night tucking into the famed Guinjata seafood platter with friends.
It was a gastro-adventure of note, built around a crayfish centerpiece, with a supporting cast of calamari, crab, rock cod and a most delicious garlic and herb sauce. At the finale, instead of dainty finger bowls, the waitress provided us with galvanized buckets, and looking at the dripping hands and faces of my compatriots, we must have looked as if we needed them! This brought the curtain down on my great Mozambican caper.
Sipping an iced drink on the return flight, I pondered over the seasonal implications of this versatile resort. There’s no denying that this will always be a fishing destination during prime time, and if you are a holistic vegetarian Feng Shui practitioner looking to tap into your inner self, you might be more comfortable away from school holidays.
Divers live very easily next to their boat-based angling cousins, and would find Guinjata a great destination at any time. For the rest, I’m predicting that the fly-in packages will see a big increase in popularity as Gautengers get to realise that a tropical escape is just around the corner at bargain basement rates. I’m convinced it will become a romantic destination for honeymooners and others seeking an idyllic contrast to the rough and tumble of life in the big city.
Medical: Anti malarial prophylactics, Sun Screen, Insect Repellant.
Accommodation:
a) 2/3 and 4 bedroomed timber, reed and thatched chalets c/w bedding, fridges, stoves, deep freezers, and all the necessary cutlery and cooking utensils.
b) Bunkhouses accommodating groups up to 12
c) Camping Baracas, very basic shelter with water and electricity.
Payment: Rands or $US Dollars, Mozambican Metecals and Traveller’s Cheques
Web site Mozambique fishing and diving Resort Guinjata Bay,Barra Lodge,Flamingo Bay,Promene Lodge,Island Cruises, African Tours
When considering tropical escapes, our thoughts usually turn to traditional Indian Island havens like the Seychelles, Mauritius, and the Maldives. But in Mozambique is a spectacular resort boasting all the mandatory clichés. Golden beaches, aquamarine seas, coral fantasias and of course the ubiquitous palm.
Roy Watts hopped on board to test the waters (and to brush up on his diving!).
To be honest, things were none too sweet with my bank manager at the time. Furthermore, he lacked the generosity of spirit that could have seen me winging my way to one of the more traditional tropical island escapes. So I guess I have him, and a tight budget to thank for discovering one of the most pristine coastlines anywhere, Guinjata Bay. And the rest, as they say, is geography.
Tucked away on a broad sweep of golden beach, and protected from the prevailing wind by a towering sand sentinel, lies a mop topped ‘Robinson Crusoe’ village, badly in need of a haircut. Oozing charm from every door, it was built from reeds, grass, palm fronds, coconut husks and rough-hewn timber beams. Designed in synch with local building traditions, there’s not a brick or concrete lintel in sight, and the quaint cottage exteriors deceptively conceal a full range of mod-cons, from fridges, freezers and stoves, to steaming showers and flush loos.
But slaving over a hot stove seems crazy when there are two wonderful pubs and a restaurant, crackling with atmosphere and bonhomie, situated just off the beach. Also hidden from the rustic view is an impressive infrastructure of boats, diving gear, fishing tackle and a compressor for filling aqua lungs, all supervised by a competent skipper and associate instructors. This is after all, an angling and diving paradise. Completing the sketch is a wonderful tropical climate, mild in winter, wonderfully warm in spring and autumn, and tending towards hot and humid in summer.
All of this causes one to ponder over Guinjata Bay’s obscurity, but the reasons are not hard to fathom. Mozambique is a country desperately in need of a drastic PR makeover. Most divers regard it in the light of its war torn history, and there is no denying that this a country that has experienced major decline - despite a recent turnaround in Maputo, there are still symptoms of advanced decay in all the major cities. But it also harbors one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere, crammed full of all the mandatory tropical requirements that draw us to further flung, and consequently more expensive alternatives.
The terrorist threat has long since disappeared, and land mines are only found in really remote areas, far from emerging tourist destinations. Perhaps the major obstacle is accessibility. In the past you’ve needed a 4x4 and the spirit of a Voortrekker to negotiate the narrow, pitted, 70km per hour Mozambican highways, and a healthy off-road capacity to cover the final sandy tracks leading to the resorts.
So one of the Sub-Saharan’s best kept secrets has been in the hands of a beefy band of South African fishermen, who’ve been cashing in on this angling Eldorado for years. Among these folk, Guinjata already has an awesome reputation in a country acknowledged to be a front-runner in the piscatorial world, and articles published in a host of fishing magazines attest to this.
There is a breaking wave however, that could see its eminence broadened as land locked Gautengers seeking a sun and surf escape, tumble to the bargain fly-in packages now threatening to render the more traditional destinations obsolete. Taking off from Johannesburg International, pressure cooked businessmen can take a two hop air package to Inhambane from where they will be ferried some 25 odd kilometers in 4x4 transport to the tranquility of Guinjata Bay.
Having spent a four day long-weekend in a tropical paradise, they can be back in the office on a Tuesday morning, with glowing mid-winter tans and wallets lighter by a paltry ZAR4,660. There is also a 5-day midweek option available at ZAR5,200 with both packages including dinner bed and breakfast. So with soaring spirits, and without the patronage of my purse lipped bank manager, I took off on a warm September morning to celebrate the rites of spring…
The Guinjata Resort is the result of Paul Greyling’s lifelong passion for fishing and the sea. Armed with the determination born of obsession, and backed by his family, he battled beaurocracy and the forces of nature to create this uniquely rustic angling haven. During peak season, meaning any time during school holidays, the place is packed to the gunnels with fishermen of every shape and size, along with their families.
Paul also organizes and promotes competitions that are highly acclaimed and supported by the South African angling fraternity, and often contributes to the cache of prizes to be won. Trouble is, being the highly skilled and fiercely competitive man that he is; he remains the one to beat during these contests. Recently he won two weeks accommodation in his own resort. Frenetic activity on the sea during the day is followed by serious industrial strength revelry in the atmospheric pubs and restaurant at night. Extended arms lengthen by the round, along with decibel levels and festivities. This is a group that plays hard during the day, and even harder during celebrations at night.
Away from the peaks, Guinjata becomes a very different proposition, and a contrasting atmosphere prevails. It is during these serener times that the fly-in packages provide popular appeal to those seeking a sunny escape with warm waters and a romantic atmosphere. Scuba divers too, are fastening on to these excursions, lured by the well-developed infrastructure of equipment and professional instructors available at the resort.
There is also a unique topographical feature created by a huge reef that joins the shoreline forming a giant pool. This creates a safe haven for teaching the basics of scuba diving, and is also an ideal venue for snorkeling. But the real excitement for seasoned divers lies further out to sea on aptly named Manta Reef, where on good days you can get up close and personal with these large delta winged stealth bombers of the ocean. So with high hopes, I found myself on the maritime version of a mechanical bull as we bucked our way to a precise GPS position on choppy seas. This was not an ideal day for diving.
Back flipping into old briny, the turbulence above was replaced by tranquility below as we hung suspended in a surreal cobalt void just beneath the boat. Slowly we descended to 25 meters where we ran into an undersea Mardi Gras.
Creatures of every shape size and colour drifted by, against a psychedelic backdrop of coral and sponge formations.
Neon yellows and blues, stripes, and a kaleidoscope of every shade of the spectrum. A ghostly white albino moray eel stuck his head out of a crevice, decided we weren’t worth the price of admission, and retreated back into his hole. Frilly lionfish dressed like flappers from the roaring twenties, hovered around, confident that their deadly spines would ward off enemies, whilst a quartet of slim elongated flutefish finned past on their way to rehearsals.
In a small cavern I encountered a huge loggerhead and attempted a bit of turtle bonding. Giving me a bored look and what I swear was an undersea yawn, he slowly emerged and paddled off. Now I have seen more spectacular coral formations in other tropical diving sites, but I have never seen a better piscatorial display. Alas, however, the main event, a guest appearance by a giant manta ray, never materialized.
One of the bonuses of Guinjata, are the fresh crayfish that you buy from locals on the beach for less than R20 each. They are however, an even more unstable form of currency than the Rand, and prices rocket during peak periods. Yet another reason to seek the quieter off-season escapes. With a return to reality looming, I celebrated my last night tucking into the famed Guinjata seafood platter with friends.
It was a gastro-adventure of note, built around a crayfish centerpiece, with a supporting cast of calamari, crab, rock cod and a most delicious garlic and herb sauce. At the finale, instead of dainty finger bowls, the waitress provided us with galvanized buckets, and looking at the dripping hands and faces of my compatriots, we must have looked as if we needed them! This brought the curtain down on my great Mozambican caper.
Sipping an iced drink on the return flight, I pondered over the seasonal implications of this versatile resort. There’s no denying that this will always be a fishing destination during prime time, and if you are a holistic vegetarian Feng Shui practitioner looking to tap into your inner self, you might be more comfortable away from school holidays.
Divers live very easily next to their boat-based angling cousins, and would find Guinjata a great destination at any time. For the rest, I’m predicting that the fly-in packages will see a big increase in popularity as Gautengers get to realise that a tropical escape is just around the corner at bargain basement rates. I’m convinced it will become a romantic destination for honeymooners and others seeking an idyllic contrast to the rough and tumble of life in the big city.
Medical: Anti malarial prophylactics, Sun Screen, Insect Repellant.
Accommodation:
a) 2/3 and 4 bedroomed timber, reed and thatched chalets c/w bedding, fridges, stoves, deep freezers, and all the necessary cutlery and cooking utensils.
b) Bunkhouses accommodating groups up to 12
c) Camping Baracas, very basic shelter with water and electricity.
Payment: Rands or $US Dollars, Mozambican Metecals and Traveller’s Cheques
Web site Mozambique fishing and diving Resort Guinjata Bay,Barra Lodge,Flamingo Bay,Promene Lodge,Island Cruises, African Tours
