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The Beira Area
Beira is the hot and humid capital of the Sofala province -
a mountainous and high-lying region made famous in the 1960s
by the spectacular lion viewing at Gorongoza National Park.
These days the lions are fewer but it is still an excellent
destination for birds and scenery. Beira, one of Southern Africa's
oldest cities, is a major port and rail terminus and a bustling
place with old buildings, cosmopolitan cafes, restaurants and
excellent beaches.
Parque Nacional da Gorongoza
Gorongosa Mountain and National Park is situated north-west
of Beira near the border with Zimbabwe. During the 1960s it
was one of the finest game reserves in Southern Africa. The
famous camp at Casa des Leos, or the "House of Lions", was
so named because a pride of lions inhabited the old buildings
and could frequently be seen clambering over the framework
and broken walls. During the war much of the game was shot
for food and the rest camp at Chitengo was bombed. Recently
the Mozambique government has started restoring the park which
can now be explored in private vehicles or on organised game
drives. The vegetation and birdlife is still superb and there
are plans to introduce game in the near future from South
Africa and Zimbabwe.
Inhambane Tropics Area
Just north of the Maputo Province, this warm and pleasant
climate is humid but not stifling, and supports coconut plantations
and mangrove swamps. The area is known for its long and beautiful
beaches, and the Inhambane coastline, relative to the rest
of Mozambique's coastline, is quite economically developed.
The capital, Inhambane, is a scenic and interesting old port
town with many excellent beaches nearby.
Linga Linga
This small peninsula at the northern point of the Bay of Inhambane
guards a beautiful stretch of calm water which was once used
as the port for a whaling station. Now a sanctuary, sea grasses
grow thickly in these warm waters and attract strange mermaid-like
creatures called dugongs. Dugongs are seriously threatened
in Mozambique.
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