Xai Xai and the wonders of the Gaza Province

The City of Xai-Xai, 250km north of Maputo, is the capital of Gaza Province and is situated on the banks of the Limpopo River. It is a central hub, offering all modern amenities in terms of wholesalers, shops and markets. The availability of restaurants, bars, petrol stations, banks and post office goes without saying.

Praia do Xai-Xai (Xai-Xai Beach), approximately 12km from the main town, is where you actually want to be. With its long sweeping beach offering safe swimming behind its famous coral reef, this a well-developed destination.

Xai-Xai offers accommodation from the basic to luxurious. The coastline still boasts two spooky and abandoned hotels from colonial times for those interested in exploring the past.

The Gaza Province of Mozambique offers a variety of accommodation and activities with its beautiful beach and lagoon-fringed resorts and towns. These are central Praia de Xai-Xai, Bilene in the south and Chizavane and Chidenguele further north.

Travel inland find lovely national parks, including the district of Massingir, home to Mozambique’s second largest dam with the same name. This borders the Kruger National Park, offering an access gate through the park and into South Africa or Mozambique depending on which way the road is taking the adventurist visitor.

Chizavane is a small village between Xai-Xai City and Chidenguele (approximately 40km north of Xai-Xai). The road to the beach and resorts is a hard sand road. Access to most of the resorts is possible with a 2×4 vehicle.

Praia de Chizavane offers a wide open swimming beach that is peaceful and seldom filled with a lot of people, providing privacy to all holidaymakers. Safe jogging or walking along the shore can be enjoyed for kilometres alongside the undisturbed nature and tranquility of the ocean. Enjoy fishing from the mussel-invaded reef, exposed during low tides and accessible by foot. An opening in the reef allows boats to be taken out into the deep sea.

The sleepy village of Chidenguele (meaning “The Highest Point” in the local Chope language) only has one short street, but its name is emblazoned proudly in white stone on the hill behind the sandy soccer field.

The cathedral, crisp and white on the opposite hill, seems quite out of place with its stained-glass windows.

The rustic, African market supplies whatever fruit and vegetables are available, but always beer and pao (Mozambican bread). From the village of Chidenguele, a scenic sand track meanders to the spectacular coastline only 5km away.

5km from the main road and Chidenguele Village is Lake Nhambavale, with a depth of 35 metres. Resorts situated around the lake offer numerous water sports. Given its importance, the river hosted the canoeing competitions of the 10th African Games that took place in 2011. It is navigable up to Quissico, Inhambane Province.

For more information on Xai-Xai and surrounding areas, please visit www.xai-xai-mozambique.com.