Tofo

This place is pronounced as tofu, as in the vegetarian protein replacement. It’s one of Mozambique’s best known beach spots and I used to come here between 2004-08 with various groups for their diving courses. As the leader I was able to dive for free, but I have barely pursued diving since. Partly this is because the reefs on this stretch of coastline are unbeatable and the encounters with whale sharks here have probably given me my lifetime wildlife highlight. If only I had succumbed to bananablip’s haranguing in the early years of blip and I could have been providing riveting updates all the way back then...

We started on our journey from Maputo before 6am and it was as uncomfortable as I remember being crammed over a wheel rim on a Chinese-made bus with narrow seats and goods stacked in the walkway. There are some gorgeous lagoon and coastal vistas as the road winds through Inhambane Province, and I remember towards Tofo the homes made of reeds on very sandy soil, wondering how people could eke out a living from agriculture.

I’d never seen Tofo so busy with beachgoers and drinking in the centre of the village. Since my last visit the level of hassle has worsened, which is perhaps inevitable as tourism has steadily grown. But overall it remains a very laid back place, and beers on the sand were a welcome end to a long day.