What South Africans should know about holidaying in Mozambique

As Lowvelders we don’t have to pay top-dollar for tropical holidays since Mozambique is right in our backyard. However, as tourism in this third world country increased, so did the rules, regulations and corruption. Here is how you can avoid being taken for a ride before you’ve reached your holiday destination.

Pack copies of your ID and drivers’ license

Do not hand your original ID or license to traffic or state officials – they will take it and make you pay to get it back. Remember to have the original with you as well. If you’re going with a rental car, remember the original registration papers as well as a letter of permission from the rental company and a letter from the bank saying you can take the car across the border. The same goes for if you are taking a trailer. Make sure you have all its registration papers as well as third party insurance.

You must take out third party insurance. You can do this at Hollard (located at the BP garage right before the Rossano Garcia border in Komatipoort). It costs R150.

You must have a “ZA” sticker on the back of your car if you’re travelling from South Africa. If you are taking a trailer you must have a blue and yellow triangle sticker on the front of your car.

When at the border, do not use one of the men (“runners”) to stand in a queue for you. Go in and get your passports stamped yourself. Runners rip you off and make you pay ten times the amount necessary.

Do not give your passport to anyone but the officials behind the desk or at the gates.

You might have to pay R20 per person for car fees at the border.

Very important once you’ve crossed the border: Stick to the speed limit!! They are very inconsistent – sometimes it goes from 120km/h to 40 km/h. Just stick to it.

The Rand/Metical exchange rate is usually R1 = 2.9mt. Take enough money to last you the whole holiday! If you want to exchange in Mozambique the exchange rate is significantly less.

Do not exchange money at the border. Most of the ‘exchangers’ will con you. Just leave everyone alone at the border. Only speak to the officials at the gates and at the passports counters.

You must have a reflective (bright yellow) safety jacket hanging on the driver’s seat at all times, and two emergency triangles and a small fire extinguisher in your car. If you don’t have any of these items in the car the police can fine you in the field of R1200. The jacket and the triangles you can also be bought at the BP before the border. You can buy a fire extinguisher at most retail shops.

No alcohol is allowed in the car, except in the boot. Please do not drink on the way – you could (and probably will) get arrested or fined heavily.

Take old clothes to exchange with the locals. If your money runs out, they will settle

for clothes from tourists.

Take a torch and lots of mosquito repellent. This is a high malaria area. If you choose to take anti-malaria medication, follow the strict instructions.

Take as much of your own alcohol as you can – it’s quite expensive over there. Just remember to take it in your boot while you’re driving. Take

your own cold drink to mix with your alcohol! Tipo Tinto is a very popular drink to have with Spar Letta Raspberry. It’s called a R&R and it’s a must for anyone travelling across the Mozambican border. Take enough of your own Raspberry because it’s very expensive there.

Take plenty of drinking water. Mozambique’s water isn’t always drinkable.

Take a lot of sunscreen and after-sun.

Take all your own cheese, meat and other types of food that you wouldn’t trust to buy in a third-world country. Actually, take as much of your own food as possible. There’s a lot of things you can’t buy over there.

If you have scripts (books to write in) please take them with. The children there are very keen to learn and go to school but they don’t have any money for books. You might just score some free bread! They will exchange with you.

If you have a small scale, please take one. You can’t always trust their scales. Try to negotiate the price of seafood. They may charge you R150 (about 440mt) for 1kg fish, but don’t be cheap. Remember, they also need to feed their families.

Take your own cigarettes, unless you would like to smoke the disgusting Pall Mall or GT, which is not recommended.

Learn the following phrases:

Bon dia (good morning) Boa tarde (good afternoon)

Bon Noit (good evening)

com esta? (how are you?)

Bem (good)

Por favor (please)

obrigada (thank you – female)

obrigado (thank you – male).

If you speak to the locals in Portuguese they will appreciate it and speak to you in English (if they can).

If you have portable speakers you can listen to music on the beach. Take a cooler box.

Drink plenty of 2M (“Deush M”) which is the local beer. It’s fantastic!

Remember your swimsuits!

Ciao!