Best diving in Mozambique?

[Liberty01]

I thought about going to Mozambique in Nov. 2006 in order to see mantas and whalesharks.
Which place offers the best diving? Is it very difficult diving (strong currents)? I heard about other big sharks in the area (bull sharks etc.). Is it dangerous to dive there?
Is the coast reasonably safe to stay (I am a solo female traveller)? Is there a good beach to relax (without being hassled by locals) and some offshore snorkelling??
The last thing: How do you get there from Johannesburg? Can you book a flight after arrival and leave the same day?
All recommendations are appreciated

 

[AndyT]

For Whalesharks & Mantas go to either Tofo or Guinjata Bay .Both have safe bathing beaches , the locals will leave you alone . If you want AC in your room then you will probably have to go to Barra Lodge , which is also quite good and they dive the same reefs as the first two I mentioned . The locals in all of these places value tourism - for most of them it is their only source of income , so you shouldn't be hassled .

I had no problems with sharks , in fact we were quite dissapointed not to see any .

You will have to pre book your flights - to get there you need to go from Johannesburg to Maputo and then to Inhambane , unless someone has started charters directly there .You will also need to make sure that the lodge you are staying with knows when you are arriving so that they can collect you . Do not risk using the public transport .

 

[Liberty01]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.
Can you prebook the flights from Europe safely? How about minibuses from Maputo to Tofo?

Yours, Heike

 

[AndyT]

I drove from Cape Town via Johannesburg and then to Maputo . After Maputo the road deteriorated badly (Nov 2004 ) - there are plenty of roadworks , don't know how much better it is now . The trip from Maputo to Tofo is about an 8 hr journey - and that's in a 4x4 on a tar road . The problem with a bus or any type of public transport is that it will probably stop at every village on the route - and they are around 40km apart .

Perhaps some of the resorts in Tofo offer a shuttle service to Maputo but I have no info at present . I will ask around .

Prebooking flights shouldn't be a problem , even from Europe .

Please ask if you need any more info , I'm only too happy to help .

 

[spankey]

There are a number of ways to get to Mozambique. You can fly from Johannesburg or drive. If you fly you will more than likely land up in Maputo which is were you can drive to as well with out needing a 4x4 as north and south of Maputo the roads are all sand.

I would suggest, especially that you are a single female that you use a South African company that will fetch you from somewhere in Johannesburg and take you on a tour to Mozambique. There are a number around.

Where to go in Mozambique, well all the diving spots are nice and the possibility to see lots of life and the currents aren’t that bad at all, if they get bad or even if the weather is bad the DM or skipper will call the dives off. So there is no need to worry about that.

I can suggest a company called Planet Scuba who are based in Ponta du Ora, I dive with them and they have always been great. They also have a B&B on site so this makes things easy.

hope this helps

 

[AndyT]

The roads south of Maputo are sand , the roads to the North are tar - while I was at Tofo some people arrived there in a Toyota Corolla !!!

Mozdivers operate out of Nelspruit and take clients to Tofo / Guinjata - maybe try them as well ?

 

[Liberty01]

By the way, where can you book the flight from Johannesburg to Inhambane online?
I will check out Mozdivers als well.

 

[AndyT]

Dunno about booking online , never done it myself , but I will find contact details of the travel agent who booked for friends of mine .

 

[tzeyap]

By the way, where can you book the flight from Johannesburg to Inhambane online?
I will check out Mozdivers als well.

You can book online for a package which includes flight to/from Jo'burg, transfers, accomodation and dives. I did this online last year and found it easy. Everything was done and confirmed in a week. Check the link below :

www.sharkalley.co.za / www.sharkbookings.com

They can arrange meet and greet at Jo'burg and arrange Jo'burg hotels as well.