Week End Activities in Beira Mozambique

I've been here for 3-4 months and except going to bars none - unless you speak Portuguese.

Moeller - you seem quite negative.  Have you explored the great parks around Beira like Gorongosa and Chimanimani?  Have you been fishing on Chicamba dam?  have you been down to the old Safarilandia on the Save River?  Have you hung out at Rio Savane and enjoyed the totally unique birding available there?  Have you sailed a dhow down the coast from Ilha da Mocambique to Vilanculos?  Have you climbed Gorongosa Mountain and greeted the sunrise over an inversion of clouds?  Have you helped a local community football team or assisted at a local school to teach english, geography or just spent time with kids of Beira? 

If you can answer yes to more than one of these then how on earth can you call Beira and its surroundings boring?

I can answer yes to more than one of those. Sadly the answer is still that Beira is boring. Many of the locals find Beira boring.

The problem is really that the middleclass in Beira is quite small, which then in turn means that Beira offers little to do. The English speaking expat community here is also quite limited, which doesn't make it easier.

There are obviously several different things you can do if you get in your car for 2-4-6-8 hours, but Nagoda asked which activies there were in Beira, which I interpreted as leisure activities of which there are very little.

The nature related activities you describe you'll in principle find anywhere in the world - obviously you wont find lions in Belgium but I'm sure they have nice forrests too. And if you are a photo enthusiast you'll find plenty of stuff that will give you good pictures.

But if you'd like to go the gym or go bowling or anything remotely 1st world leisure type of thing then you're in the wrong town.

Like a woman I met said - "What can you do in Beira as a housewife? Except get pregnant."

Nevertheless it looks like Beira is beginning to take of. It is getting increasingly difficuelt to get accomodation and there seems to be an influx of expatriates coming following the investments that will be made in the harbour, gas and oil etc. But it will take several years before Beira will be a decent town to life in.

I have to agree with some of what you have said here, especially when it comes to the English speaking part of things. I have only been here for a couple of weeks and find people to be mostly hostile to me not being able to communicate very well. I also have a problem with the lack of facilities - like a gym! I am getting FAT sitting around, it may be safe but as a white blond woman, I feel a little scared at going out for a jog.

Could anyone give me some suggestions?

Natalie111 wrote:

I also have a problem with the lack of facilities - like a gym!

There is actually one.

Natalie111 wrote:

I am getting FAT sitting around

No, you're getting fat by eating more calories than you burn during the day.

Natalie111 wrote:

it may be safe but as a white blond woman, I feel a little scared at going out for a jog.

Could anyone give me some suggestions?

I've pm'ed you.

/Møller

With all the recent unseasonal rain - we can add "Snorkelling in the streets" to the list of cool things to do in Beira on the weekends...  come play at Explore Gorongosa... it's much more fin than town and you don;t have to fall pregnant!

beira's a nice town,you can go to clube nauticus in macuti,nice beach,decent swiming pool,nice gym and its right on the beach..
if u like to go out at nights u can go to Monte verde(weekends),centro hipico,or just have a drink by the beach at miramar in ponta gea.have nice restaurants,2+1 restaurant in town its a really nice place with excellent food,restaurant wing in macuti,clube nautico,churrasqueira,biques(right on the beach and u def meet other english speaking people in here)..if u have a car u can drive for about half hour from beira to savane,gorongosa national park it's about 2hours drive and all the quiet lovely beaches everywere around the town.
the people are def very friendly and u'll be surprise to find that a lot of them speak or understand english..if u go to beira look for Gi,she lives in macuti near the CPMZ offices in macuti and speaks good english and can help u out...

This is great, I am especially happy to find out that there is a gym in town. Will try out some of the restaurants you mention. Savane is great with fantastic food, and the road there provides wonderful bird watching.

Any ideas where we can get some Portugese lessons?

If you can find Gi (she's actually my aunt) she might be able to help you - she teaches English so could probably help you with some basic portuguese. If not she'll know someone who can help. Once you start to get to know some of the locals you'll want for nothing as people really will go out of their way to help you.

I disagree about the negative perception of Beira. There's lots to do, you just have to make a bit of effort to find out about it. There's a free news-sheet called Beira Views which you can obtain from [email protected] that includes listings of many activities and is updated regularly. There is everything from touch rugby on the beach and book clubs to Mah Jong and bible study, with everything in between. There are many active sports clubs, a couple of gyms and so on. I also think it's a case of asking what you can contribute to the community, perhaps you have a skill or hobby that would interest other people, and you could make that a way to meet people. Speaking Portuguese is not essential, there are lots of expats here and they are always up for something new or a social event.
Portuguese lessons - yes find a private teacher, there are quite a few, ask around, Gi is one, a good one, but there are others. There are also classes at the Languages Institute.

We have been in Beira for 4 months now, and the thing I long for the most is company that share common interests. I miss my regular Church meetings (Not Catholic, and do not speak Portuguese) so I struggle. I have heard that some of the xpat ladies have a bible study group but I work so it is difficult to attend. The weekends are still boring as far as we are concerned, so far we have on;t met a handful of english people and mostly they stick to themselves. I have to admit that I am terribly misreable hear and so I see all the negative. The bird life is great.... but thats about all I can think of that is positive.

Sorry to hear you're not having a good time. There is a regular meeting of English Speaking Fellowship on Sundays at 17.15h in Ponta Gea, near Mira Mar bar. Call Matthew on 82 305 1983 to find out more. That should help put you in touch with a church group.

If I would be an expatriate in Mozambique/Beira and do to the fact that I am a Motorsports fan I would try to start a Off-Road Group to organize weekend trips. It can be an enormous stupidity because I don't know the reality of living in Beira... but I think iniciative and "hands-on" is always important. Someone has to do the first step!

Regards
Carlos

Nagoda wrote:

Hi someone there
I am hoping to move out soon to Beira. Can someone please tell me what activities are available over the week ends. Thanks.

Beira is an awsome town, always buzzing and loads of activities, the beaches are beautifull, You have to be here to find something to do

Hi All

Having read all the above on activities what would you recommend to a family of 6 visiting Beira for a 5 day holiday?  What activities can they participate or places they can visit. Is there a company that does sea or river day cruises,or organised fishing etc?

also just moved to beira,apart from drinking alone at most of the beachside cafes i need to meet people andfind out if there is a squash court in town.

olkirimatian wrote:

also just moved to beira,apart from drinking alone at most of the beachside cafes i need to meet people andfind out if there is a squash court in town.

Did you find out about squash courts in town?

New in town too and wouldnŽt mind playing some squash!

I could be offered a job in beira, would it be a good idea to accept and leave my homeplace?
Thanks .

depends on length ofcontract and pay, you will need at least 4,000 usd base and at least twoyrs with possibiliy to renew to warrant moving house and home and family.

Olkirimation, how do you find the safety in Beira?

I have lived in port of spain trinidad previously which has high murder rate and wasnt safe to walk or travel in sometimes.

Hi I'm coming to beira for a holiday next month and would like to know what there is to do there like shopping etc, girly things any ideas??

Is very nice at maputo shopping centre I like the place very much

hey tim,

I am from Trinidad... trini is paradise man! only POS/Laventille has crime, if you went there that's the wrong spot.

Trini 2 d Bone in Maputo!

Hello nischol,

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Thank you,

Marjorie