Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

28 August 2025

3-minute read

Originally from Malawi, Hamzah Saeed is an international private chef and the owner of Hamzah Culinary Convenience. He is also a travel agent, content creator, influencer, entrepreneur and cooking instructor.

Chef Hamzah organises tours for people considering a trip to Mozambique and he says that the most convenient and affordable ways to travel there from South Africa is by road. Although the flight from Johannesburg to Maputo is just an hour long, driving is best along the N4 via Nelspruit, and travellers can get to experience the scenic Mpumalanga along the way. Once in Maputo, most of the beaches and tourist areas can only be accessed by road. As the roads are not great in the villages, it is recommended to get around in a 4by4 or an SUV. The visitor’s visa that can be acquired at the border makes it “very easy” for South Africans to visit Mozambique.

Mozambique borders the Indian Ocean and is known for its long coastline, rich natural resources, and tropical climate. The best beach stays are in Ponta do Ouro, the very beautiful San Martin in Bilene, the paradise of Santa Maria that one can access via a boat to Inhaca Island, or Vilankulos which is much further.

Mozambique experiences the same seasons as South Africa, so the best time to visit is from September to October when it is neither too hot nor cold. It does get cold in winter in the evenings, but the weather remains warm and humid during the day.

Most beaches are swimming beaches with “crystal clear” blue water and vast, wide, open spaces. Staying on the beachfront, visitors will be treated to the beautiful sight of dolphins and whales riding the waves from their villas. Markets are situated next to the beaches, making it convenient to get food and supplies when needed. There are also lots of activities that can be done like fishing, boating, jet-skiing, and cruises on the ocean. For deep sea fishing there are slots after fajr and again in the afternoon, and even standing on the shore, you are likely to catch a fish but do be aware that there are certain places where fishing is not allowed and you are likely to be fined.

Mozambique has many accommodation options to choose from, with lots of bookings to select from, hotels in Maputo to villas on the beach for up to 20 family members. Chef Hamza mentioned that his favourite villa on the beach is Aloha.

The is a lot of cultural diversity in Mozambique, with Deen being visible throughout the country and with many Muslims doing business in the city. There are many masaajid along the way with the biggest being in Ponta do Ouro. Mozambique has lots of halal food and halal restaurants. However, there is not a very strong influence of Islam in the villages.

As a chef, Hamzah says that Mozambican cuisine is outstanding and recommends Portuguese seafood dishes like seafood broil, prawn and crab curry. Their food is “kinda mild,” he says, as they are not very big on spices, although the famous Mozambican red chilli is very hot and flavourful and can be requested on the side. Mozambique is also best known for its prawns and Hamzah says that “the flavour is in the head,” with prawns being best prepared butterflied from head to tail and braaied. Chef Hamzah shared his delectable fish recipe with us here, where he says: “the secret is in the sauce!”

Listen to the full interview with Cehf Hamzah, Ml Ibrahim Daya and Ml Muhammad Kara.