Quelimane

from the riverbank of the Zambezi

This town of some 200,000 people is nestled in the northern part of central Mozambique on the banks of the Zambezi river. The town is quite compact, but negotiating it on foot is not as easy as it should be. The roads and sidewalks are in a somewhat disgraceful state at the moment.


the old cathedral

the new cathedral

I am staying at the somewhat rundown Hotel 1 de Julho at the corner of Av. Samora Machel and Rua Felipe Samuel Magaia. I am charged Mtc900 for a room with shared bathroom which is shared with a hat-load of bedbugs. A better bet might be Pensao Quelimane at No.43 Av. Eduardo Mondlane or the Hotel Rosy opposite the old mosque on Aves. 1 de Julho and Paulo Samuel Kankhomba.

the Quelimane port on the Zambezi

There are some very good eateries however. There are some super pasteleras including Saima’s on Av. Josena Machal which has freshly coffee and espressos, toasties and decent hamburgers. The samosas at Kassils on Av. Eduardo Mondlane are excellent. Next door to my hotel is the quality Café Beirute (closed Mondays)offering shwarmas and other Middle Eastern delicacies. The mixed shwarma is excellent if a little pricey at Mtc350. Lonely Planet highly recommends Esplanada A Coquinha on Av. Josina Machel but is closed when i try to check it out on Thursday night. The snack shop at the expensive Hotel Chuambo opposite my hotel is not expensive and offers good qualitity food.

the mosque in the town centre - check out the dodgy road

the old mosque

Editor’s Addition: With no direct bus to Nampula from Zalala i return for an overnight stop in Quelimane. I check into Hotel Rosy (Mtc800) which has an attached bathroom seems to be bedbug free, but also boats a slight fragrance of urine. I eat Sunday lunch at Esplanada A Coquinha which is disappointing. A similar but better option is Restaurante Murrima wa Zambezia,(closed Mondays) which is adjacent to Cafe Beirute on Rua Felipe Samuel Magaia. There is a large inefficient post office on Av. Samora Machel.

Told there is no Express bus to Nampula for yet another day, i am forced to reserve a ticket for the following morning and i recheck into Hotel 1 de Julho into a different room. With no tv this time (only local channels were available on my first visit) i am charged only Mtc700 with shared bathroom. Alas bedbugs are spotted again.

the Christian cemetary