Covid-19 : current situation Mozambique

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, entry and travel restrictions may apply Mozambique. Remember to visit the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you leave for the latest information

Money Mozambique

Mozambique'sofficial currency is the metical in the singular, meticais in the plural (pronounced "méticaïs"). 10 euros are worth around 70 meticais. Coins in circulation in Mozambique: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 centavos, and 1, 2, 5 and 10 meticais. You'll rarely be given any, given the prices charged to tourists. Banknotes in circulation in Mozambique are 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 meticais.

Withdrawal and exchange. Remember to take euros with you (lots of euros), which you'll exchange mainly in Maputo (at the airport, it's very easy) to avoid withdrawing too often or running out of money. In ATMs that accept Visa and Mastercard, the maximum amount is 5,000 meticais - a huge amount given the standard of living of the locals - but it's only around €70. Money goes fast, given the level of tourist prices. What's more, withdrawal fees are high at local banks, and are added to those charged by your bank; ATMs are rare and sometimes empty or out of order. In small towns such as Vilankulo or Tofo, banks are extremely rare, despite their tourist density. What's more, at the beginning of the month, there are endless queues for withdrawals, so you need to plan ahead.

CB payments. Credit card payments can be made in hotels and guesthouses, but sometimes the connection is temperamental, it can take a long time, and a tax rate is applied. Always bring cash just in case. Restaurants do not generally accept Visa or Mastercard, except in Maputo.

Budget & Tips Mozambique

Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, Mozambique is an expensive destination. Count at least 20-25 € per day if you sleep in a dormitory, travel by bus and eat at the market. Otherwise, the budget can quickly climb to 200 € per day (4 x 4 rental, hotel, restaurant, plane).

Passport and visas Mozambique

Since May¹, 2023, visa exemption. Tourists from 29 countries, including France, no longer need to apply for an e-visa to visit Mozambique. Until 2022, entry visas cost around €90 (in the region of 6,500 Mtn) for thirty days, but Mozambique is hoping to accelerate its tourism development by lifting the visa hurdle for Western nationals, particularly Europeans. This is excellent news, as the procedure used to be rather laborious and the visa expensive for the region, bearing in mind that Zambia has abolished its visa, Zimbabwe should follow suit, and South Africa has never asked for one.
From now on, you'll only have to pay an application fee for the free visa of around €10 (650 Mtn), valid for thirty days.
Initially, the Mozambican authorities required a free e-visa beforehand, but now, following decree 10/2023, this procedure has been abolished to facilitate the entry of tourists: these 650 Mtn or €10 will be paid directly on the spot when the free visa is obtained. However, check the official government platform for any changes to the procedure at www.evisa.gov.mz.

To fly to Mozambique, you need a passport valid for at least six months after your return to France, with at least two blank pages, a return ticket and proof of accommodation (hotel reservation) for at least the day of arrival.

Driver's license Mozambique

In Mozambique, an international driving license is required in addition to your European license. You'll also need to be insured by your rental company, or by a Visa Premier-type card. Please note, however, that this card does not cover 4 x 4 rentals. If you're driving from Maputo to Ponto do Ouro or from Maputo to Vilankulos, a standard sedan will suffice. Beyond that point, a 4 x 4 is more than recommended.
Please note that driving in Mozambique is on the left-hand side of the road.

Health Mozambique

Malaria. Malaria is very prevalent in Mozambique, particularly in cities, but also in villages near densely populated settlements, and especially in and just after the rainy season, when mosquitoes are plentiful. Don't take this disease lightly; prophylactic treatment is recommended for this trip, especially if you're staying in the cities for a long time. On the beach, with the air conditioning and sea breeze, mosquitoes are rarer but still present. Use appropriate tropical repellents. Malaria is carried by the Anopheles mosquito, which bites at dawn, late afternoon, evening and night.

Dengue, chikungunya and zika. These three diseases are transmitted by the tiger mosquito, which is present in Mozambique and bites during the day. We recommend using tropical mosquito sprays regularly, especially during the rainy season and immediately afterwards.

Cholera. Mozambique regularly experiences episodes of cholera in the country's major cities, especially after cyclones and floods during the rainy season. This contagious infection causes sudden and very abundant diarrhoea, leading to severe dehydration. If left untreated, a major infection is fatal in half of all cases. The effectiveness of the vaccine is not absolute: it protects only half of those vaccinated. In 2023, the worst cholera epidemic in more than a decade spread after Cyclone Freddy, infecting almost 30,000 people and killing around 130, affecting ten of the country's eleven provinces. An emergency vaccination campaign is underway to contain the disease. Stay alert for bulletins of this disease, which is present in large cities and refugee camps in the north, and don't drink potentially contaminated water.

If you have a health problem in Mozambique, Maputo has some good private clinics. For minor problems, contact a doctor or hospital. If the problem is more serious, call your personal insurance company for repatriation to Maputo, South Africa or France. Please note that you are usually automatically covered if you have purchased your plane tickets with your Visa or Mastercard credit card.

Mandatory vaccination Mozambique

Yellow fever. Vaccination is not mandatory if you are coming from Europe, North America, Oceania or Asia.

Recommended vaccines. Before leaving, it is important to make sure you are up to date with your vaccinations. It is recommended to get vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid. Contact your doctor for more information.

Security Mozambique

A very safe country outside Cabo Delgado and Niassa. You'll feel safe in Mozambique, it's a very safe destination. Most guest houses and hotels are guarded. The beaches are not dangerous. During the day, you can walk safely in Maputo's center, upper town and lower town with your handbag or backpack - there's virtually no risk of it being stolen. The streets are well-travelled and always full of pedestrians. Not at all like neighboring South Africa, with its high crime rate, where the opposite is true. Beware, however, of the Marginal Avenue along the seafront in the center of town, as the less-frequented areas of this seafront alley can be ideal for robberies, so stick to areas with restaurants and bars if you're strolling along this avenue. In the fish market, beware of pickpockets, and in the surrounding area, take a cab back to the city center.

At night, it's always safer to take a cab home, especially if you don't know your way around, especially in Maputo. The Viva Taxi smartphone application (available with a local chip) enables you to order a cab with driver traceability. Otherwise, there are always plenty of chopelas on street corners, so it's always safer than walking home. In Vilankulos or Tofo, muggings are virtually non-existent, although it's fair to say that the alcoholic men near the market are very insistent in the evening - often too insistent - so steer clear or avoid the bar area in the evening.

The greatest danger comes from the road : choose a good long-distance bus company rather than a shabby chapa. Mozambicans tend to drive slowly, and police checkpoints are everywhere (to try and extract a little money, unfortunately), but beware nonetheless, as the roads are often chaotic.

Cabo Delgado is off-limits, as there is a high risk of kidnapping Westerners, especially French ones, since Total is involved in the gas exploitation consortium project. Nearly 6,500 people have been killed by Daesh terrorists in the region, and there are almost 800,000 refugees. By extension, the province of Niassa is considered unsafe, as the jihadists are reportedly diluting along the Tanzanian border in a wild national park forest that is impossible to control. The area as far as Lake Niassa is therefore highly inadvisable at present. What's more, there are numerous refugee camps, and it would be indecent to visit them.

The province of Nampula is very safe. Security is largely assured, especially on the island of Mozambique, access to which is very limited by road in this province. There is absolutely no risk of attack or kidnapping, as the red zone was very remote given the distances in Mozambique, a huge country.

Projections for the near future are fairly optimistic. It is hoped that, following the weakening of the Daesh jihadists after the Rwandan army's victory in 2021 in recapturing Mocimba da Praia, the situation will eventually be resolved by the complete eradication of these small groups.

Time difference Mozambique

There is not much of a time difference between France and Mozambique, if any at all half the year. At winter time, when it is 6pm in France, it is 7pm in Mozambique.

Spoken languages Mozambique

The official language in Mozambique is Portuguese. Most inhabitants speak it. Those working in tourism speak English well. However, the further north you go, the more difficult it becomes to communicate in English. There are also many dialects spoken in the country.

Communication Mozambique

When you arrive, don't hesitate to buy a local Sim card with Internet data, you will find a store directly at the airport. You will then have a local number and it will be easier to communicate on the spot, to make reservations, to use the cab app Viva Taxi and especially to use the GPS to orient yourself in Maputo and to drive on the roads of the country.

Electricity and measurements Mozambique

You will find most of the time European plugs, except maybe in the south of Mozambique where many constructions are made to South African standards.

Luggage Mozambique

In all seasons, take plenty of anti-mosquito sprays for tropical countries: against the Anopheles mosquito that carries malaria and the Tiger mosquito that carries dengue fever, chikungunya and zika. It cannot be repeated often enough: malaria prophylactics do not provide 100% protection against the risk of disease, but they do reduce the risk of transmission by bites. The only way to protect yourself effectively is to wear pants and long sleeves in the morning, evening and at night, and to use suitable anti-mosquito sprays.
Of course, don't forget sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a flashlight in case of power cuts, binoculars for birdwatchers, a Swiss Army knife for picnics, an insulated water bottle for hikes... And don't forget the fabric belt you can wear under your clothes for your money: it's the best way to protect yourself from theft.
Loose-fitting, wispy cotton garments are much more comfortable, given the heat and humidity. For women, it's best to avoid clothes that are too short (above the knee) in the villages. Mozambican women take great care to hide their legs. In the cities, on the other hand, freedom of dress has taken over, especially in the evening! If you don't want to look like an old-fashioned nerd, make sure you have something to wear out. Don't forget to pack a little wool in the evening during the austral winter, when a light breeze blows across the beach. If you're heading inland and to higher altitudes (around Lichinga, Tete, Gurue...), bring a jacket and a thick sweater, especially in winter when temperatures plummet and it gets really cold. If you can't do without reading, be sure to bring plenty of books, as it's very difficult to buy books or magazines locally if you don't speak Portuguese.