Top 10 Marinas in Mozambique
Mozambique rewards the patient sailor. The country stretches for nearly 2 500 km along the Indian Ocean, and within that sweep lie the coral gardens of the Bazaruto Archipelago, the sheltered waters of Maputo Bay, and river mouths that open onto landscapes unchanged for centuries. Facilities were sparse for decades after independence, but since the early 2020s berthing infrastructure has been improving at a rate that makes a coastal passage from Cape Town to the Quirimbas genuinely feasible. This guide covers the best stopping points, from the capital's quays to remote anchor-and-ashore experiences.
Maputo Boat Club
Maputo Boat Club, on the southern shore of Maputo Bay, is the traditional landfall for yachts arriving from Durban or Richards Bay. The bay itself is large enough to offer 25 km of fetch protection from the predominant south-easterly swells that batter the outer coast. The club maintains around 40 swinging moorings and a pontoon with diesel, water and shore power. Formalities — port authority clearance, immigration and customs — can be completed within a short taxi ride of the club, making it the logical starting point for a Mozambique cruise permit. Dry storage for trailerable craft is also available on the club lawn.
Clube Naval de Maputo
Just north of the boat club, the Clube Naval de Maputo dates to the colonial era but has been steadily renovated. The clubhouse bar overlooks a cluttered but functional pontoon where visiting cruisers can take a berth while they provision in the capital. Maputo's Mercado Central is a 20-minute drive, stocking fresh prawns, crayfish and the local piri-piri paste that sailors load in quantity. Shore showers, a small chandlery and basic mechanical assistance are on site.
Escola Náutica de Maputo
The Escola Náutica de Maputo, the country's main maritime training academy, occupies a waterfront site and occasionally makes dock space available to visiting yachts by arrangement. It is worth contacting the director in advance: the facility has a travel hoist capable of lifting vessels up to 15 tonnes, making it one of the few places in Mozambique where antifouling or hull repairs can be done out of the water.
Inhambane Anchorage
Inhambane town and its sister settlement of Maxixe face each other across a wide tidal bay about 470 km north of Maputo. There is no formal marina, but the anchorage is well sheltered behind a peninsula, holding good in sand and mud. The small dhow harbour on the Inhambane side accepts visiting yachts, and the covered market sells reef fish, cassava bread and fresh mangoes. A sail-powered passenger dhow still connects the two towns — a reminder that traditional seamanship thrives here alongside modern cruising.
Vilankulo Harbour
Vilankulo is the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago and the busiest cruising hub north of Maputo. The harbour dries at low water in places, so timing of arrival on the tide matters. A concrete jetty is available for short stays, and several lodges on the beachfront cater specifically to sailors, offering wifi, laundry and provisioning runs to the town market. The national park authority for Bazaruto is based here, and park fees — roughly USD 20 per person per day — are paid before anchoring inside the archipelago.
Bazaruto Archipelago Anchorages
The five islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago — Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina, and Bangue — offer some of the finest cruising anchorages on the African continent. Depths of 3–8 m over white sand and coral rubble give good holding throughout. The islands are a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve candidate and a national park; anchoring is permitted in designated zones marked on BA chart 1090. Dugong sightings are common in the channel between Benguerra and Magaruque, and the snorkelling on Two-Mile Reef ranks among the best in the southern hemisphere.
Cornelder de Moçambique — Beira
Cornelder de Moçambique S.A.R.L. operates the main commercial port of Beira, some 1 000 km north of Maputo. Beira is not a cruising hub, but it is a viable port of refuge and can accommodate yachts within its commercial quays by arrangement with the port authority. Fuel and water are available dockside, and the city's chandleries stock basic marine hardware. The port entrance requires careful navigation — the channel shifts with the cyclonic seasons and charts should be checked against recent Notices to Mariners.
Quelimane River Entrance
Quelimane lies behind the Bons Sinais River delta about 200 km north of Beira. The river mouth presents a sand bar that demands careful timing — local fishermen are the best pilots. Inside, the town's small quay offers a berth alongside for a day or two. Quelimane was once a major Arab trading port and the dhow-building tradition continues on the riverbank. For sailors on a long passage north, it is a useful overnight stop before the longer offshore leg to the Mozambique Channel islands.
Pemba Bay — Cais de Pemba
Pemba Bay in Cabo Delgado province is a deep natural harbour, rated among the finest in east Africa. Cais de Pemba, the main quay, handles both commercial cargo and the occasional visiting yacht. Water and diesel are available, and the town centre is within walking distance. The security situation in Cabo Delgado has improved in the northern coastal corridor since 2024, but sailors should check government advisories before transiting north toward the Quirimbas. The bay itself is spectacular — the coral headlands drop sheer into 40 m water.
Embarcadero de Cobué — Niassa Reserve Coastline
The Embarcadero de Cobué on Lake Niassa (Lake Malawi) is technically inland, but deserves mention for the adventurous sailor who transports a small cruising boat overland to this freshwater sea. Cobué is the Mozambican lakeshore village opposite the Malawian island of Likoma, and the ferry pier doubles as a makeshift berth. Sailing Lake Niassa gives access to the 2 500 m Livingstone Mountains to the west and a coastline of snorkelling coves that see almost no other boat traffic.
Explore on the map
Mozambique's cruising grounds span coral archipelagos, mangrove rivers and one of Africa's greatest natural harbours. The interactive map plots anchorages, clearance ports and fuel stops along the entire coastline. Zoom into Mozambique on the map to plan your passage from Maputo Bay up through Vilankulo to the Bazaruto islands and north to Pemba Bay — and overlay weather windows for the prevailing south-easterly season from April to October.