worynjay Jane Flowers is the author of two fiction novels and a number of marketing ebooks.Her books and articles are sometimes produced under the pen-name of Woryn jay. She is an accredited journalist with the Australian news Agency and holds a Diploma in Media Studies from the Australian College of Journalism. Jane works from home as a freelancer, author and Webmaster. She was born and raised in Africa, and now lives in New Zealand View all articles | Contact author

Africa's best Kept Dive-Resort Secret

Conservation of the dunes and the reefs are of prime concern and the authorities are not joking about how their pristine resources can be used. Hey, you can't even walk to the beach in case you damage the dunes!

Somewhere out there right now a Kiwi carpenter is toiling to build a minimum impact path for you to walk on.

Once you hit the water you are in a No Gloves Zone. If your hands are uncovered, you're a lot less likely to touch unfamiliar coral – right? Touching and gloves are not tolerated. The Ponta Mamoli staff will send you up to five meters pretty smartly if you touch too often. There, you may hang as game - fish bait whilst your companions get to check out the best reefs in Africa. 

It all sounds pretty eco-friendly for a country too often associated with poverty, floods and land mines. If you thought that only bad things ever happened in Moz, it is probably because the South Africans have been hanging onto the best kept secret in the dive world. That best kept secret is Ponta Mamoli Beach and Diving Resort.

Well, now the secret is out so do yourself a favour and pluck up the courage for an adventure outing of a life-time.

Just getting there can be a challenge unless you are lucky enough to have a relative lend you a 4x4 like I did. The roads are sand tracks all the way up from the South African Border. Don't let this deter you though for the resort is very flexible.

When you make your booking speak to Linky Britz, a spokesman for the company who says " There are options negotiable and they range from transfers via Richards Bay, to being collected at Johannesburg International Airport in South Africa. You can even hire a car and drive to the border, park in a secure parking area and get collected by the Resort Transfer Truck"

First stop is probably the bar with its satellite TV, and spectacular seaviews across the training pool and sun deck. I watched the FA Cup Final in a T-shirt and shorts in the bar and thought of you all back home. That was right after crystal clear snorkelling and a swim with about 30 dolphins.

I had a lot of options to choose from, as the resort is an authorised PADI centre. There is not just the diving and snorkelling but whale watching, surf and salt water fly fishing, wind and kite surfing and opportunities to do specialised courses such as night or deep dives.

All these activities make Mamoli more than just another dive resort. If the surge is a bit much there are game drives, bird walks, barbeques, 4x4 trails, canoeing and volleyball, or you could hit the gym and health centre.

Remember though that Mozambique has a Portuguese past and lunchtime siestas are obligatory! Not that siestas are any kind of hardship in the private, sea facing bungalows within meters of the high tide.

The best time to travel to Moz is in winter. Not only do you get to miss the cold back home, but you avoid the mosquito and the cyclone season too. Nevertheless, it is wise to check with your doctor about taking malaria prophylactics before your departure.

Make sure you have a visa to visit Mozambique. It will cost you about R75.00 to get one through a travel agent. Visas take about one week to come through and you will need to supply one passport photograph with your first application.

Mozambique is light on the pocket for Westerners. Couple that with the fact that these days it is not that hard to find lowers air fare rates to South Africa and once there your money will exchange at 10 -1. Just go there. You only have one life –  Go and dive it!