Expatriates Forums in Mozambique

NIGHTLIFE IN MOZAMBIQUE / MOZAMBIQUE NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

Mozambique Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:22 am

Author: Mozambique Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:22 am

NIGHTLIFE IN MOZAMBIQUE

Maputo has a lively nightlife, particularly on weekends. Feira Popular is the main forum of evening activity with various bars and discos, some with live music. The style of music in clubs varies from typical Mozambican rhythms to Western pop music. The National Company of Song & Dance has rehearsals which are open to the public. Most major towns have cinemas.

LIST OF ENTERTAINMENT OUTLETS IN MAPUTO

XENON CINEMA
Av. Julius Nyerere
Mainstream cinema - 55.000,00MT Programme changes every Friday

GIL VICENTE CINEMA
Av. Samora Machel
Mainstream cinema - 15.000,00MT Programme changes every Friday

SCALA CINEMA
Av. 25 de Setembro
Hindi and Karate films See billboards outside cinema

CENTRO CULTURAL FRANCO-MOÇAMBICANO
Praça da Independência
Exhibition centre Foreign language cinema Programme is produced bi-monthly

TEATRO AVENIDA
Av. 25 de Setembro
Concerts and local theatre groups Check newspapers for programme

CASA VELHA
R. da Demanda
Theatre in Portuguese language Check newspapers for programme

CLUBE 7
Av. V. Lenine, 2236 PH 8
Rave and techno music Appeals to the younger crowd

SHEIK
Av. Mao Tse Tung
Smart, sophisticated nightclub Free entrance for ladies - Thursdays

SANZALA
Av. 25 de Setembro, 151 (near FACIM)
Complex with restaurant and bar Outdoor and indoor dancefloors Jam-packed on weekend nights

DJAMBA HOUSE
Off Av. do Trabalho
Popular, local nightclub Hard to find but worth it

ESPLANADA TARA
Bairro Triunfo
Good selection of music Disco and live music at weekends

MINI GOLFE FUNKY BAR
Av. Marginal
Rave/techno and 60's nights Funky bar and separate nightclub Weekends attract a younger crowd

VOVÓ NHACA
Bairro Mavalane
Popular nightclub and restaurant Occasional live music

KHWANA
Nr. Xipamanine Market
Nightclub, restaurant and bar Disco only - no live music

FEIRA POPULAR
Av. 25 de Setembro
Numerous late night bars and nightclubs - see previous page for details.

FOOD & DINING IN MOZAMBIQUE / MOZAMBIQUE DINING GUIDE

Mozambique Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:04 am

Author: Mozambique Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:04 am

FOOD & DINING IN MOZAMBIQUE

GENERAL

Mozambique's great asset is its seafood, especially prawns. There are plenty of good restaurants, serving anything from snacks to full meals at reasonable prices, where you can enjoy great fish and seafood. Many restaurants close at about 11pm during the week. Those travelling on a budget may find that lunchtime specials offer the best value followed by a snack meal later in the day.

Mozambique's cuisine is mainly Portuguese with Far Eastern influences. Specialties are piri-piri chicken, Zambesi chicken, shellfish, including Delagoa Bay prawns (which are grilled and served with piri-piri sauce), matapa (sauce of ground peanuts and cassava leaves) with rice or wusa (stiff maize porridge). Restaurants are to be found in main towns, as well as hotel dining rooms.

Vegetarians should be aware that their range will often be limited to pizza and salad but that restaurants serving traditional food may suit as there are a number of meat-free dishes which are typical of Mozambican cooking (matapa, mucapata and vegetable curry).

Another option is Ethiopian food which tends to be quite spicy and usually requires advance notice. One restaurant which always has an interesting vegetarian dish on the menu is Bistro on Av. Julius Nyerere. In this issue, the restaurants, bars and cafés are listed by street and are in geographical order from lowest to highest numbers of the street.

The traditional food crop in Mozambique is maize. It is eaten by the people for most of their meals. It is often ground into a flour which is then made
into different dishes. Mealie is a common one which is really like, porridge cereal.

Chickens are cooked over the open fire and then dissected for eating or the flesh made into a chicken dish that is often eaten with rice. Rice is not grown in northern Mozambique and this means the villagers there have to buy it if they wish to eat it. Of course this costs money which the majority of them can't afford. Bananas and cashew nuts grow well so these are part of the local diet.

Tipping: Not generally expected outside Maputo. In Maputo and other tourist-exposed areas, around 5 per cent of the bill is normal (depending on standards of service and the place itself).

PLACES TO DINE

A Canoa
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 939,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 497 316

Calamatas
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 657,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 494 080

El Greco
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 326,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 491 898

Inter Thai
Rua Mateus Sansão Muthemba n.º 287,
Maputo
Phone: +258 82 760 9080

Manjar dos Deus
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 162,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 496 834

Pekai Thai Pub & Restaurant
Avenida Francisci O Magumbwe 502/8,
off Avenida 24 July & Avenida Julius Nyerere,
Polana,
Maputo
Phone: +258 82 745 5220

Restaurante A Grelha
Avenida Julius Nyerere 967,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 494 095

Restaurante Marina
Avenida Albert Luthuli 2799,
Luthuli,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 424 083

Restaurante Piri Piri
14 Avenida 24 Julho,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 492 379

Restaurante Taj Mahal
350 Avenida Filipe S Magaia,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 424 715

Restraunte Sheik
Avenida Mao Tse Tung,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 490 197
Fax: +258 21 491 738 / 57

Rodizio Real
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 794,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 497 275

Ti'Palino
Avenida 25 De Setembro 1195/1201,
Maputo
Phone: +258 21 423 708
Fax: +258 21 425 532

Ungumi
Avenida Julius Nyerere, 1555,
Maputo
Phone: +259 21 490 951 / 11

SHOPPING IN MOZAMBIQUE / MOZAMBIQUE SHOPPING GUIDE

Mozambique Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:05 am

Author: Mozambique Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:05 am

SHOPPING IN MOZAMBIQUE

Local crafts and indigenous art can be purchased from markets in the cities and tourist areas. These include masks, carvings and ornaments made of wood, soapstone, malachite and wire, as well as pottery, paintings and basket ware. A lot of what you will see will be tacky souvenirs, but quite often you will find unique works of art. Avoid purchasing natural items like ivory as it is illegal to export these without a license.

Shopping hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1230 and 1400-1730, Sat 0800-1800.

Banking hours

Mon-Fri 0730-1530.

Currency

Mozambique Metical (MZM) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of MZM100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of MZM5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1.

Currency exchange

There are bureaux de change at the airports. Money can also be changed at banks. It is advisable to take US Dollars or South African Rand.

Credit & debit cards

These are rarely used in shops. However, money can be obtained from some ATMs using Visa credit or debit cards.

Traveller's cheques

High rates of commission are often charged on these. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds sterling, US Dollars or South African Rand.

Currency restrictions

The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on import.