Beira.
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Understand

Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique and capital of the Sofala Province. During the 1950s and 60s, before the independence of Mozambique, Beira was a playground for white and rich Rhodesians as the country was a colony of Portugal, which did not participate in the UN embargo against Rhodesia. Still an important port city, few tourists find their way here today. Those who do will discover a beautiful, but crumbling, city by the sea with great food and hospitality.

Beira took a direct hit from Cyclone Idai in 2019, and 90% of the city was damaged or destroyed. As of 2025, the city in now mainly rebuilt, even if some areas are not in a really good shape.

Get in

Rail services are slowly returning, after having been completely halted due to the long civil war. There are

daily commuter trains from nearby Dondo

twice-weekly long-distance service from/to Moatize, just outside Tete which is the largest city of inland north-western Mozambique. The train leaves Moatize on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 14:00. The return from Beira to Moatize is on Tuesday and Fridays at 9:00. Tickets can only be purchase one day before. There are 3rd class, 2d class and sleeping compartments (updated October 2025). twice-weekly long-distance service from/to Marromeu. The train leaves Beira on Wednesdays and Fridays at 18:30 (updated October 2025). twice-weekly service from/to Chimoio. The train leaves Chimoio on Wednesdays at 8:00 and Friday at 13:00. The return from Beira to Chimoio is on Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00. Tickets can only be purchase the same day (come one hour before and, if you leave from Beira on a Tuesday, you will probably see lots of people trying to get a ticket to Moatize. Don't queue there and go directly to the ticket office where there is a special empty line to Chimoio). There is only 3rd class. Duration: about 5 hours if you are lucky (updated October 2025). As of October 2025, there's no more services from Machipanda (at the border with Zimbabwe) to Beira. You have to go by chapa to Chimoio where you can catch the train.

By bus From Chimoio, there are a few small buses and chapas leaving the city everyday. Duration: about 4 hours. If you travel on a Sunday, it can be quite long for the small bus to be full and leave.

From Maputo and the all the main cities in between Maputo and Beira, there are long distance buses running everyday. The main companies are City Link, Nagi and since September 2025, JM Transport. They all leave Maputo or Beira around 04:30.

By road The main road between Zimbabwe and Beira is in good condition, but with some deep pot holes. The Zimbabwe economy relies heavily on this route and it carries many trucks and buses, mostly overloaded. Road travel is best done by daylight as many pedestrians and animals are hard to see after dusk. there is direct buses to Vilankulo MT550 which takes 7 hours.

Get around

Minibuses, so called chapas, are easily available for local transport and for connections to neighboring cities like Chimoio.

See

Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral. Seat of the Archdiocese of Beira, built in a Gothic Revival style and inaugurated in 1925. It was heavily damaged by cyclone Idai in 2019.

Grande Hotel Beira. More of an anti-attraction, this former luxury hotel which once was known as the "pride of Africa" is since the last 30 years occupied by thousands of squatters displaced by the country's long civil war. It serves as a living memory of better times and the horrors of war.

Savanna Beach (20–30 km out of town) ask around if someone is going. You could venture and take a chapa heading in the direction. You have to take a little boat across to the beach, worth the effort. Water is cleaner than Beira and waves are better. Good fishing. Simple restaurant with nice atmosphere. Rio Maria (10–15 km). When traveling from Macuti to Airport, turn right at Monte Verde and take the sandy road. At Rio Maria is a nice river and sea. No facilities there. Don't get car stuck in mud close to beach. Very relaxing.

Buy

Mercado Central(The central market) offers some craftworks, spices, fish and fruits.

Eat

Beira Sol Opposite Hotel Tivoli. 2mais1 Center.

Biques. A camping and bar/restaurant about 2 km out of the centre of Beira. Worthwhile the trip but not so easy to find. Terrace overlooking the sea, excellent food and drink. Pool table. This place is popular with locals and tourists.

Kanimambo Chinese restaurant with excellent food in the city center. Average atmosphere, aircon. Nautico Nice views of the sea, swimming pool. Need to pay small entrance fee of 20Mtn if non-member.

Pappas, officially called Shakila snacks. Best food in town, also expensive. Close to Hotel Tivoli.

Restaurante Macuti (formerly Wings). Chinese/Portuguese cooking. Inside Macuti Housing Complex, park outside. Good food, can take a while if the restaurant is full. Aircon inside and nice seating area outside. Chicken with cashew and pineapple or the Bife Cremoso is nice.

Solange. Portuguese owned. Good food, including pizza. Good ambiance. Also has a bar.

Chipima's Burguer. The best hamburgers in town. In the city centre around the corner of the Banco de Moçambique. Good hygiene, friendly staff and popular with locals.

Drink

Café Riviera. On the same Praça has easy chairs, good coffee and pastries.

Só Bolos. Great to have breakfast or coffee.

Beira Bar. Nice restaurant and bar serving meals and drinks located on the beach. Two levels with an outside deck overlooking the hustle and bustle of the street beach adjacent road and great view of beach. A good selection of food including seafood, chicken, pizza, vegetarian. Downstairs entertainment (band) late week and over weekends. Good prices.

Barbeque Beach. Located on the beach strip, 2nd level, casual relaxed bar and barbeque restaurant, serves range of soft drinks, beers and spirits and casual food including burgers, chicken, ribs and steaks cooked downstairs on the charcoal barbecue. Great value relaxed setting.

Sleep

Jardim das Velas. A Mediterranean-style lodge on the beach front. There are 12 rooms in total, 6 with an ocean view, and 6 on the ground floor. No restaurant, so no breakfast available. But bars and restaurants are not far away.

Hotel Moçambique. Many rooms: single, double, single suite, double suite. Simple, close to center of town. Bring your own towels.

Hotel Savoy. Centrally located but run-down hotel in a 1960s highrise, offering a glimpse of yesterdays charm and how Beira was in Portuguese times. Probably the cheapest accommodation in central Beira though.

Hotel Tivoli. Your best bet for a decent sleep in a clean place. The rooms are small. A/C. One PC with free internet access in the lobby. Some rooms have wireless Internet - ask for it. Restaurant and bar in the hotel but expensive. A few meters from the hotel (turn right at the entry) a large interesting food market with lots of small places to eat. Freshly grilled fish.

Pensao Moderna. A mid-range alternative with good rooms.

Sena Hotel. New Hotel on the way to airport. Clean and well kept however the restaurant desperately needs improvement.