1. It’s home to some of Africa’s best scuba diving

Mozambique is home to some of Africa’s best scuba diving. Known for its “megafauna” – aka ocean giants – Praia do Tofo, on Mozambique’s southeast coast, is one of the few places in the world you can see whale sharks and manta rays year-round. From June to October you have a good chance of seeing humpback whales passing through too!

2. You can help marine conservation efforts… even if you’re not a diver!

When you think of Africa, one of the first things you think of is probably a safari. But how about mixing things up with an ocean safari? Hop on a boat and head out in search of some of the ocean’s most captivating creatures, including whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, turtles and mobula rays. If you come across one of these magnificent animals, you can jump in and snorkel with them.

What’s more, if you have a camera and manage to take a photo of a whale shark or a manta ray, you can help legit scientific research. All you need to do is upload your snap to the global sightings databases WhaleShark.org or Manta Matcher and researchers will look at the animals’ spot patterns (which are unique to each whale shark or manta ray) to identify the individual and track its movements. This information is used by researchers to help further the conservation of the species.

When I headed out on ocean safari with Peri-Peri Divers in Tofo Beach we swam with manta rays and a 5m whale shark (and he was just a juvenile – these mammoth creatures can grow up to 20m when they reach adulthood!). Not only that but we spotted a turtle and two pods of dolphins from the boat – it was a truly unforgettable experience. Luckily for me, a research assistant from the Marine Megafauna Foundation was on the boat with us to explain all about the marine life we saw and the role the charity is playing in their conservation.

3. Experience authentic African life

 Making matapa with Tofo Life 

Mozambique is a relatively undiscovered holiday destination, which means it hasn’t been overrun by tourism and you’ll still be able to enjoy an authentic experience.

Whilst staying in Tofo I visited the community-run ecotourism project Tofo Life, where we learned about what life is really like in the village and had the opportunity to help cook the country’s traditional dish: matapa (which is made from cassava leaves, peanuts, garlic and coconut milk). Think you can carry a bucket of water on your head without spilling it? The Tofo Life ladies can teach you how – it’s harder than you think!

Grating coconut for matapa 

4. Surf’s Up! Catch some great waves

The country might not be well known for its surf, but Mozambique’s 2,500km of coastline boasts waves suitable for total beginners as well as intermediate and advanced surfers. Being a lesser known surf destination, though, is an advantage because you’ll find uncrowded waves in fun, friendly towns.

5. Enjoy stunning National Parks

Bazaruto Archipelago

Mozambique is home to several national parks and reserves including the group of islands in the Bazaruto Archipelago – home to a population of dugongs – which became a national park in 1971, the impressive Marine Protected Area of the Quirimbas Archipelago, which was nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 20018; and the Gorongosa National Park, which is considered a biodiversity hotspot.

Whether you’re a surfer, an ocean lover or want to head out on safari and explore the real Africa, why not consider Mozambique for your next holiday?

Article shared from http://www.thenationalstudent.com/Top_Destinations_2018/2018-05-30/5_reasons_mozambique_is_the_perfect_destination_for_your_next_eco_friendly_holiday.html

Written by Melissa Hobson

Whales rarely catch flak from their human comrades on land. Sharks? Terror, razor-sharp teeth, snapping jaws and certain death via bloody leg stumps come to mind. Entertainment and media haven’t helped.

Shark fear stems not just from the 70s hit “Jaws” but the tendency to correlate a few shark attacks seen on the evening news to the ocean norm. Add that to teeth-heavy HD photos of any grey-looking shark and most people wouldn’t proactively try to encounter one. Instead, a paralyzing fear while swimming in even fresh water engulfs the mind instead of the more rational thought: 1 in 3.7 million people get attacked. You’re far more likely to die from a sunburn, lightning strike or, I’d bet, a coconut falling on your head.

Scuba divers aren’t most people. I know, because I, now, am one.

Within the dive community, this fear of sharks gets replaced with an absurd fascination and post-dive celebrations after a sighting. Divers travel globally to check breeds off their shark dream list. Close up – but not invasive – footage gets applauded and fear subsides the more creatures are spotted underwater. In short, people pay good money to swim a few meters from the creature.

Before All Out Africa’s citizen marine science program in Tofo, Mozambique, swimming with sharks didn’t top my list. Learning to scuba dive, contribute to marine conservation and swimming with fish, turtles and manta rays did. The turquoise water and white sand beach town tucked along the country’s 2,600-kilometer of East Africa helped too.

My knowledge of sharks and whale sharks, in particular, neared zero. Prior to this adventure, whales were my go-to, starting as early as six when I pleaded to be an orca for Halloween, receiving a mom-tailored full-body orca costume that would fit, and be worn, for the next three years.

And since swimming with whales hasn’t been recreationally popularized (yet) for both safety and sustainability reasons, swimming with whale sharks would need to do.

Three weeks, some mantas, at least sixty species of fish and one black tipped and whale shark spotting later, my respect and love for the ocean grew even more. Unexpectedly, so too did my love for sharks.

There’s a reason a small subset of the world population is comfortable swimming with sharks. They’ve experienced being near them and realize there’s less danger than perceived. The first time I came a few meters from the gentle whale shark or even a black-tipped shark, it, surprisingly, was not scary. Rather, the encounter veered on mutually curious, meditative and relaxing.

This made me wonder: Why are humans so afraid of sharks?

It’s unwarranted fear perpetuating fear. The majority of humans respond to feelings first; then they think. So, it makes sense that humans, after multiple visual exposures to shark attacks in movies and media, feel terror and crippling fear in the water when that person is more likely to die from drowning or sun exposure. Basically, humans rarely consider true risk, rather a manufactured idea of what could happen based on feelings, not what likely will happen based on logic.

Whale Shark, captured for shark fin soup

Add that fear to profiteering from shark fin soup and humans become the enemy. Around 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins. And, in the last 15 years, there’s been a shark population decline of 60 to 90 percent.  Not only are these creatures not as scary as the mass media makes them out to be, they’re being hunted, and their demise is disrupting the overall ocean ecosystem.

The more sharks are removed from the ocean, the more the health of the ocean ecosystems around the globe are thrown out of balance and dissipate. When sharks decline, each area of the ocean is affected.

This is just a subset of lessons learned during a month-long span spent learning more about manta rays, ocean conservation, whale shark preservation and how to think about the fragile ocean ecosystem. The program, rife with information from our on-site leader, Katie Reeve-Arnold, gives a perspective to challenge assumptions and be a better global citizen.

So, before a fear of sharks perpetuates, consider a swim with one or understand what they’re up against (hint: it’s us) and give them some well-deserved love and respect.

Written by Angela Pontarolo, Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation Volunteer | March 2018

If you would like to find out more about how you can swim with sharks, check out the Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation project here or email us at bookings@alloutafrica.com!

For several weeks each year at All Out Africa Marine Research Centre, alongside our normal Marine Research Program, we also open up to World Challenge Trips.  These trips include awesome opportunities like trekking in Eswatini, touring for wildlife in Kruger National Park, South Africa and building classrooms in Mozambique.  And, for those schools that choose it, culminate in 4 days on Tofo Beach with us, learning about marine life, going out on the ocean with our marine researchers and getting in the water with some of the biggest animals in the world!  

For me, the real magic of these World Challenge trips with All Out Africa is that they benefit everyone.  The countries they visit benefit from sustainable tourism and socially conscious funded builds which help the communities.  The participants benefit from an exhilarating and eye-opening portal into another world, so foreign to their own, which lifts their gaze from what they know and opens their world.

17 year old me wanted to change the world.  35 year old me has learned that they key to it all was to open up and let the world change me.

Written by Katie Reeve-Arnold (Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation Project Coordinator)