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ABOUT PONTA DO OURO
The thriving town of Ponta do Ouro is located at the Southern tip of Mozambique, and offers visitors a wealth of unforgettable experiences, with a wide variety of restaurants and pubs, a bustling market offering all sorts of hand-made curios, and the full array of seaside holiday attractions, all within walking distance from Planet Scuba.
IN AND AROUND THE VILLAGE
Ponta do Ouro didn’t escape the ravages of the 1977-1992 civil war and even today some buildings in the area remain battle-scarred and bullet-ridden. Fortunately, however, the many years of peace since the war have seen the village of Ponta do Ouro become a bustling and exciting centre for tourists and locals alike, with more and more buildings being restored to their former glory – and some becoming even more beautiful than before.
The village centres around the main square where you will find a bank (with an ATM), a number of excellent restaurants, a bottle store, a tackle shop, a small convenience store selling essentials, a chemist, an internet café and even a couple of estate agents. The square is constantly frequented by beach-goers, quad-bikers, friendly locals and visitors on foot and in 4x4’s.
A little further up the road you’ll find the petrol station, another convenience store and a fascinating little shop where you can watch a man weaving kikoi’s using an old bicycle. You’ll also find Magenta Moon, a charming shop tucked away amidst the trees where you can buy exquisite soaps, gifts, clothing and artifacts.
Carry on further down the road, and just before you get to the traditional market you’ll find a small complex containing a number of lovely shops, ranging from beach gear and general hardware to top-end fashion from designers like Paul Smith.
The start of the traditional market is marked by the legendary Fernando’s where it is tradition that you sample an R&R (a potent mix of plenty of rum with a splash of Raspberry Sparletta over ice), before exploring the many rows of this large collection of stalls selling everything you can imagine and then some. Don’t miss the traditional bottled chilli sauce – but beware, it’s not for the faint-hearted!
Taking the road from the square in the other direction – towards the Point – you’ll pass a number of baraccas (small shops) and vendors selling all sorts of hand-made curios and T-shirts, always willing to haggle a good bargain price with you. Not much further along you’ll find the Beach Bar complex, where you can explore the wares of the surf-shop before sitting down to a refreshing Caipirinha cocktail and watching the bronzed and the beautiful go by.
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