A Guide to Pomene, Mozambique
A great location to go with family or friends! It is more secluded than southern Mozambique destinations like Ponta de Oura and Ponta Malangane, as it is not as close to the South African border. However, it is still a hassle-free easy journey and is WELL worth it for a week's holiday to getaway.
Tips:
From South Africa, Pomene is a long drive and I would recommend staying a night somewhere on the way. We stayed at Zona Braza and it was beautiful.
What to bring:
Food for any meals you'd like to make yourself.
A few staples can be bought fresh in the local village to support the locals: Fruit and veg, coconut and nuts, fresh rolls, alcohol
A few prepared meals are offered at the location, at an additional cost and are DELICIOUS: prawns, calamari, crayfish, pizza.
Fresh drinking water for the duration of your stay.
Take whatever gear you have: Tackies for runs, a canoe, surf boards, snorkeling gear, camera
Follow our route on Google Maps
First Stop:
Zona Braza
Second Stop:
Pomene Beach Camp
A Guide to Pomene, Mozambique
Zona Braza Beach Lodge
Zona Braza was our one night stop over on our way to and from Pomene, just past Shai Shai. This spot has beautiful views, very friendly and hospitable staff, and a long stretch of beach with a wide variety of rock pools and tidal pools. The villas are comfortable, with beautiful views and can be booked for a variety of guest party sizes.
This beautiful spot has a restaurant, a few swimming pools and a beach bar, all with a similar 180 degree view of the beach.
You can find Zona Braza Beach Lodge here.
Pomene Beach Camp
Accommodation and the dunes
We stayed at Pomene Beach Camp where we slept in cabins in the dunes. This beach camp is in an ideal location. You can escape the boiling mid-day heat with a refreshing plunge pool and a bar, access the beach by foot and the estuary with a quick drive, and watch the sunset over the beach from the dunes in the camp.
There is a chef in the camp who prepares delicious, quality meals which were very well priced. We ordered their freshly made, thin and crispy pizzas, calamari and prawns, and freshly caught crayfish.
You can find the Pomene Beach Camp here.
Beach
Below the dunes and a local village is a long and wide stretch of beach. The beach changes with the tides, providing pools to take a dip in when feeling hot after tanning. The waves at the point create a great swell for surfing. Depending on the tide there are waves for professionals and learners, like me. We took long sunset strolls on the beach and found shell after shell at low tide.
Old Hotel Ruins
The Old hotel ruins are still standing as a remnant of the civil war that destroyed so many areas in Mozambique. The hotel was used as a base by the Frelimo military group during the war and blowholes were used to torture the slaves that were held captive. The remains of the hotel still stand on one of the best sites on the coast line with graffiti from previous visitors and broken tile remains. It was built on a point and has a view of the ocean and beaches from every angle. It accesses the main Pomene beach and on the other side, has access to blow holes and rock pools. They make for an amazing photo spot, stunning views, and are lots of fun to explore.
You can find the old hotel ruins here.
Blow Holes
From the Old hotel, down a path, past a natural tidal pool, are some rock blow holes. These are holes in a shelf of rock which juts out above the ocean surface. At high tide the water is pushed under the shelf with force, knocking the rocks and spraying up through the holes. These blow holes are right on the water's edge making a great place for fisherman to have their early fish, and is a magnificent place to watch the sunrise.
You can find the blowholes here.
The Estuary
The Estuary is about a 10 minute drive from our accommodation in the dunes. It is a great area to go canoeing, pansy shell collecting and fishing on a boat. There are flocks of flamingos in the estuary and a stunning lodge, called Paradise beach Lodge, which is open in certain seasons of the year for cruise ships. The fish life in the estuary is great. You can catch King fish, Kuta, Snoek, Green Spots and friends of ours have seen Dougon in the area.
To find the estuary, drive towards MSC beach and you will find a
parking on your left before entering the premises..
