What it is
A small beach village on a bay about 20 km from Inhambane town, with a wide sand beach and lodges that run from backpacker dorms to comfortable. The diving is the reason it exists. It is reached by road from Maputo, around 450 km and most of a day, or by flying to Inhambane.
Why go
Reef manta rays at cleaning stations offshore, whale sharks on the surface, and humpback whales passing between about July and October. Marine research groups work out of here, so dive briefings tend to be better informed than average. Beyond the water there is surf and a beach you can walk for an hour.
When to go
October to March is the peak for whale sharks and the warmest water, but it overlaps the rains and cyclone season. May to September is drier and cooler with the whales, sometimes windier and choppier. One practical warning: dive boats here launch through the surf straight off the beach, which is wet, bouncy and not for everyone.
Most people stay 3-4 nights.