Tofo Beach Accommodation
Tofo Beach Accommodation Tofo
Tofo Beach Accommodation offers 3 self-catering, basic and rustic-styled cottages. Casa Derika, a 2 bedroom beachfront cottage sleeps max 5 and is on the main beach in Tofo. Casa Isabel, a 2 bedroom seafront cottage sleeps max 6 and is in Tofinho. Case Christine, a 2 bedroom with loft seafront cottage sleeps max 7 and is also in Tofinho. Tofo is an awesome beach town, in the Inhambane province some 550km to the north of Maputo. All the cottages are reachable with a normal car.
Tofo Beach Accommodation is professionally managed by a local agency responsible for the management of several tourism establishments in Tofo. Casey, Raule and Pedru see to the well-being of our guests and that all their requirements are attended to.
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Property AmenitiesCasa Christine (7 sleeper)
Casa Christine enjoys Tofinho?s prime spot. Located right at Tofinho?s main beach it takes less than 80 yards to experience the hot waters of the Mozambique Channel. The cottage is ideal for a large family. The verandah offers spectacular views and frequent sightings of dolphins and whales. Casa Christine is just far enough from the hustle-and-bustle of Tofo?s main beach, but still within walking distance, either by road (some 1,5 km.) or a 30 minute stroll along the beach. Casa Christine sleeps 7 and offers guests a 2-bedroom cottage with a loft and the basic self catering facilities, including:
Main bedroom with a double bed (sleeps 2)
Second bedroom with 2 single beds (sleeps 2)
A loft with single beds (ideally for the children) (sleeps 3)
Mosquito nets on all the beds and linen
A large covered veranda overlooking the ocean
A kitchen with the basic facilities for self-catering, including a hotplate, fridge and separate freezer
Cutlery and Crockery to accommodate 7 guests
A shower, toilet and basin
A pantry
A safe for all your valuables
An outside braai
The cottage is serviced with municipal 220 volt electricity with standard 3 point plugs and borehole water supply. However, during peak season times, the electricity supply cannot match Tofo?s demand and periodic power cuts are experienced. The cottage is served by a house-cleaner during day-time ?.. no need for mom to make the beds, sweep the floors, or wash the dishes. During night time a guard is keeping an eye out so that your privacy and security are not compromised. The house cleaner can arrange someone to wash your clothes at a modest fee. Casa Christine is unique in that it was hand build during the late 1990?s. All the bricks and window frames were hand made on site without power tools. Even the roofing was made form local materials. The cottage is a show piece of the local construction skills.
Casa Derika
Casa Derika enjoys Tofo?s prime spot. Located right on the main beach it takes less than 50 yards to experience the hot waters of the Mozambique Channel. The cottage offers basic facilities for a small family. Mom and Dad can sit on the verandah and keep an eye on the children playing on the beach. For teens, the cottage is also ideally located and a stone?s throw from their places of interest, e.g. beach bars and curios.
Casa Derika sleeps max 5 and offers guests a 2-bedroom cottage with the basic rustic styled self- catering facilities, including:
Main bedroom with 2 beds (sleeps 2)
Second bedroom with 1 bunk bed and 1 single bed (sleeps 3)
Mosquito nets and linen in both rooms
An enclosed veranda overlooking Tofo?s main beach
A kitchenette with the basic facilities for self-catering, including a hotplate, fridge and separate freezer
Cutlery and Crockery to accommodate 5 guests
A small bathroom with a shower, toilet and basin
A braai in front of the cottage
Safe for your valuables
Standard 3 point plugs
The cottage is serviced with municipal 220 volt electricity and water supply (we do not recommend it for drinking). Water can be collected from Casa Christine or Casa Isabel, which have borehole water supply. However, during peak season times (Christmas to New Year), the supply cannot match Tofo?s demand and periodic power and water cuts are experienced. The cottage is served by a house-cleaner during day-time ?.. no need for mom to make the beds, sweep the floors, or wash the dishes. During night time (22:00 to 06:00)a guard is keeping an eye, out so that your privacy and security are not compromised. The house cleaner can arrange someone to wash your clothes at a modest fee. Casa Derika dates back to the pre-war colonial period (early 1960?s) during which a row of approximately 10 look-alike cottages was built by a Portuguese gentleman with the name of Mr. Poletta, right on the main beach at Tofo. Some of these cottages survived the period of war and was rehabilitated to their original state. Casa Derika, being one of them is located right in the middle.
Access to the cottage by motor vehicle was recently destroyed by cyclones. Your motor vehicle needs to be parked some 50 meters from the cottage. The night guard also keeps an eye on your car.
Casa Isabel
Casa Isabel is located beach front, mid-way between Tofo's main beach and Tofinho's surfing beach. The cottage is ideal for a medium sized family. The veranda offers spectacular sea views and frequent sightings of dolphins and whales. Casa Isabel sleeps 6 and offers guests a 2-bedroom cottage with the basic self catering facilities, including:
Main bedroom with a double bed (sleeps 2)
Up-stairs loft with 4 single beds (sleeps 4)
Mosquito nets and linen on all the beds
2 large covered verandas, overlooking the ocean
Dining space with table and chairs
Large living area inside the house, NO TV and aircondition
A kitchen with the basic facilities for self-catering, including a hotplate, fridge and separate freezer
Cutlery and crockery to accommodate 6 guests
A shower, toilet and basin
A pantry
A safe to keep your valuables
Standard SA 3 point plugs
An outside braai
The cottage is serviced with municipal 220 volt electricity and borehole water supply. However, during peak season times, the electricity supply cannot match Tofo's demand and periodic power cuts are experienced. The cottage is served by a house-cleaner during day-time... no need for mom to make the beds, sweep the floors, or wash the dishes. During night time (22:00 to 06:00) a guard is keeping an eye out so that your privacy and security are not compromised. The house cleaner can arrange for someone to wash your clothes at a modest fee.
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Area AttractionsDIVING
The warm, clear waters and abundance of sea life that inhabit the coral reefs make this area a paradise for divers. Snorkeling and scuba diving are the best-developed activities and spear fishing is also catered for. Following Tofo, some of the better-known mainland spots are Paindane, Jangamo, and Barra, as well as Morrungulo and Pomene further north. The world famous Manta Reef is close by Tofo. This stretch of coastline offers the ultimate drive and dive experience. The turquoise waters hold a vast number of game and tropical fish species as well as a variety of beautiful corals and rare marine creatures including dugongs, whale sharks, and turtles.
Conditions compare favourably with those of the Caribbean or Great Barrier Reef but are far less crowded and not nearly as commercialised. Water temperatures range from 24?C (in mid-winter) to 31?C. Visibility is generally between 5 and 35 meters with 15 meters being the year-round average. Gin-clear conditions occur frequently, both along the coast and around the islands. Most lodges hire snorkeling equipment and arrange diving excursions. The more up-market resorts offer courses ranging from Resort and Open Water to Advanced Diver. Many also have their own dive shops where a full range of equipment can be hired or bought. Diversity Scuba located in Tofo town centre is recommendable. Please visit diversityscuba@teledata.mz
FISHING
The Mozambique coastline is renowned for its offshore game fishing and Tofo is at the heart of the action. The pristine, blue waters abound with king mackerel (baracouta), dorado, wahoo, various species of kingfish, bonito and yellow-fin tuna. The sailfish season peaks from June to August. Boats can be launched or chartered from Tofo beach. Summer is the best time if it is marlin you are after. Catch and release of all fish that will not form part of the evening meal is encouraged as is protection of all other natural resources and the environment.
Launch sites are carefully designated and vehicle access to beaches is strictly controlled. Angling from the shore can also be most productive. Small kingfish (2 to 3 kg) can be found from the rocks off Tofinho, particularly towards high tide, and at deep water spots anything can happen (Adrie Prinsloo of Glassfit Witbank holds the Tofo record of 48 kg for a Kingfish caught off the rocks at Tofinho). Kingfish, stump nose and pompano are taken from the sandy beaches between Tofo and Tofinho. Salt water fly fishing is becoming increasingly popular, particularly off the sandbars at Tofo point.
FISHING REGULATIONS
A permit (obtainable at the Maritimo office in Inhambane) is required for launching boats. A spear fishing license must be obtained from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism in Maputo. Fish may not be sold for commercial purposes and there are limits (6kg, but not more than 4kg of a particular species) to what bona fide fishermen and spear fishermen can take out of the country.
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SURFING
The Inhambane coastline has all the makings of a world class surfing destination, with an ideal mix of warm water, consistent swells and sandy headlands. In the south of the province Quissico has a hollow reef break but access is rather difficult. Jangamo Beach (also known as Guinjata Bay) has a crescent-shaped bay with a reef off the tip and under the correct conditions right-handers peel all the way to the shore. Neighbouring Coconut Bay features a splitting peak in the shorebreak, the left-hander working during light south westerly winds. There are a wide variety of spots in the vicinity of Tofo, working in a range of wind and swell conditions, with the sand point at Tofo beach point being ideal for beginners and long-boarders.
However, it?s the waves around the corner at Tofinho that draw the serious surfers. A shallow reef ledge skirts the sandstone headland and at low tide advanced surfers who can handle the steep take-off have the chance of getting the ride of a lifetime. Tofinho, less than a kilometre south of Tofo, is situated on a more exposed and rocky headland and is known for its stiff currents and a shallow rock shelf make it a place for advanced riders only.
BIRD-WATCHING
Inhambane Province, with its great variety of habitats, is home to over 500 species of birds. The area around Inhambane Bay, particularly the various mud flats and the extensive mangrove swamps, is popular with bird-watchers. There is a resident population of about 250 greater flamingos and on the outgoing tide whimbrels, turnstones and many other waders work the mud flats. The mangroves near Barra are home to egrets, purple-banded sunbirds and mangrove kingfishers. The stretches of dune forest that remain along the coast harbour the lilac-breasted roller, Burchell?s coucal and grey and olive sunbirds. Ospreys, fish eagles, olive bee-?eaters, narina trojans, flamingos and numerous seabirds and waders are a common sight. A highlight for avid bird-watchers is a sighting of the crab plover, a visitor from September to April.
CURIO SHOPPING
An array of value-for-money curios are sold at various roadside stalls, general dealers and markets throughout Inhambane. Colorful cloths called capulanas, worn by women around their waists, but with many other uses, are very popular with tourists as are grass mats, batik prints, wood carvings, baskets, traditional ceramics, sculptures and items carved from semi-precious stones. Always test ebony wood carvings by smelling for shoe polish or dye, or by rubbing with a damp finger. On route to Inhambane, at Quissico and Inharrime, bows and arrows, timbilas (a local form of xylophone) and other Chitende musical instruments is an added attraction. A wide selection of curios is peddled at the main markets in Inhambane and Tofo. Items are generally priced modestly and make excellent souvenirs.
SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES
Don?t miss the huge array of ceramic pots for sale alongside the road just out of town on the EN. At lnhambane?s bustling central market, one can browse for curios, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread rolls and sea food. Fresh catches arrive throughout the day. Crabs and shellfish are sold alive. If you buy fish check for freshness ? a fresh fish has shiny eyes, red gills and smells of the sea. Some products are from South Africa, others are produced locally. Good buys include a colourful array of capulanas, a bewildering number of woven grass mats and bags in the local Sipatsi style as well as wood carvings and fresh cashew nuts. Prices are reasonable and bargaining should not be necessary.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Dhow trips are an added adventure although you should always allow for the impact of tides and winds on your timetable. Parasailing, windsurfing, paddle-skiing, kayaking and quad biking are also available in and around Tofo, as are escorted excursions into the towns and rural settlements. 4x4 trails and trips to nearby Paindane, Praia da Rosch and Jangamo Bay can be arranged.
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