Quelimane
Quelimane is a seaport in Mozambique.
It is the administrative capital of the Zambezia Province and the province's largest city, and stands 25 km (16 mi) from the mouth of the Rio dos Bons Sinais. The river was named when Vasco da Gama, on his way to India, reached it and saw "good signs" that he was on the right path. The town was the end point of David Livingstone's west-to-east crossing of south-central Africa in 1856. Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, and many residents of the areas surrounding Quelimane speak Portuguese. The most common local language is Chuabo. Quelimane, along with much of Zambezia Province, is extremely prone to floods during Mozambique's rainy season.
Getting to Quelimane
Flights from Maputo and Beira are operated by LAM. The airport is in good condition and quite easy to get through. Car hire is available (Imperial Rentals). Roads are in poor condition in the centre of the city. The main road to Quelimane is in good condition.
- 01Quelimane Airport
Worth seeing
The excellent and long beach is a 35km/one hour drive from the city. Bars and restaurants are there, serving very good seafood.
- 01Old Cathedral of Quelimane
Built in 1776, this beautiful cathedral is today quite dilapidated.
Where to eat
Coquinha, Av Francisco de Mantenga. Try their delicious shrimps in sauce (caril de camarão) or grilled crabs. Refeba. Bar/restaurant at the waterfront. Rei dos frangos. Fast food style chicken. Open late. Qwehli Ristorante Pizzaria. Pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, beef, chicken options. Has free internet, isn't as nice a place as it once was, sometimes they don't have half the ingredients on the pizza menu.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Mayimbú (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.