Mozambique

Now in its eighth edition, Bradt's Mozambique remains the most established and sole standalone guide to this alluring African country. In-depth coverage of wildlife, history, culture, and diving and snorkelling is complemented by invaluable, up-to-date practical advice on travel and accommodation, presented in an easy-to-navigate geographical structure . Originally written by Philip Briggs, this new edition has been updated by Africa experts Huw and Kate Hennessy, authors of several previous Bradt guides. Mozambique is a country of two halves. The tourism-savvy south offers romantic tropical beaches, luxury lodges and world-class diving, plus the tree-lined capital of Maputo, a city oozing Afro-Mediterranean flair. By contrast, the less-developed north is one of Africa's last frontiers, with excitingly vast game reserves and idyllic coastal panoramas that entice intrepid travellers and those hankering after barefoot luxury. With its national park set-up expanded and refurbished, Mozambique looks set to reclaim its standing as one of Africa's top safari destinations. Moreover, although one of the continent's fastest developing tourist countries, it still offers opportunities to experience 'quintessential Africa'. As Mozambique approaches 50 years since independence, development boosted by one of Africa's highest economic growth rates and a swift resurgence following 2019's devastating cyclone are drawing tourists back to a forest-clad interior descending to 2,500km of pristine, palm-fringed coastline. Bradt's Mozambique reveals a country dotted with natural, historical, cultural, and architectural wonders that reflect a history that fuses exploration, trade, and culture. Highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilha de Moçambique, a 16th-century Arab and Portuguese trading post; ancient rock art at Chinhamapere; adventurous journeys by train and Arab dhow; the birdlife of Mount Namuli, accessed from the tea-plantation town of Gurué; surfing in Tofo; and diving or snorkelling in biologically rich seas, including around Bazaruto, home to some of Africa's last remaining dugongs, five of the world's seven endangered sea turtle species, and two thousand species of fish. Whether you are a culture vulture or wildlife enthusiast, a watersports enthusiast or honeymooning couple, the in-depth coverage and practical advice for all budgets means that Bradt's Mozambique has everything you need to plan a thrilling holiday.

Philip Briggs (www.philipbriggs.com) is a travel writer specialising in Africa. Raised in South Africa, where he still lives, Philip first visited East Africa in 1986 and has since spent an average of six months annually exploring the highways and back roads of the continent. His first Bradt Travel Guide, to South Africa, was published in 1991. Over the rest of the 1990s, Philip wrote a series of pioneering Bradt travel guides to destinations that were then - and in some cases still are - otherwise practically uncharted by the travel publishing industry. These include guides to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Rwanda, Somaliland and East African wildlife - new editions of which have been published ever since. Philip has contributed to more than a dozen other books about Africa, and his work regularly appears in magazines such as Africa Geographic, Travel Africa and Wanderlust.