Catembe

Catembe is a small settlement on the far side of Maputo Bay, 15 minutes by ferry from the Baixa. Passenger boats leave every 10 minutes and the return ticket costs 10,000 meticais; car ferries depart every half hour. Otherwise, Catembe can be reached by driving around the bay, but the journey takes an hour. There are a few restaurants, bars and disco clubs and the Mirasol Hotel with an outstanding terrace overlooking the sea; fishermen sell their catch directly on the beach, which offers incredible views of the Maputo skyline. Many of the colonial villas that were abandoned after independence are now being restored, and Catembe is a growing tourist attraction and as a place where expats and high-middle income Mozambicans spend their weekends and holidays. The availability of cheap land will probably attract new development before long. The local inhabitants live along the dirt road leading to the Reserva dos Elefantes (elephant reserve); they are mainly subsistence farmers and fishers who sell any surplus in Maputo.