Inhambane Province

Inhambane Province exists because the Bazaruto Archipelago exists—a chain of islands protecting one of the Indian Ocean's finest marine ecosystems while creating the sheltered waters that attracted Arab and Portuguese traders centuries before tourism became the economic engine. Inhambane town itself is Mozambique's third-oldest European settlement, founded in 1534, with Arabic influences stretching back further still. The name derives from a Bitonga word meaning 'something held in the hand,' reflecting its role as a trading post.

The province has reinvented itself as Mozambique's premier beach destination. Vilanculos serves as the gateway to Bazaruto, while Tofo draws divers seeking manta rays, whale sharks, and the dugongs that survive nowhere else along this coast. The transformation from colonial backwater to tourism economy accelerated after the 1992 peace accords ended civil war, when foreign investment discovered pristine coastlines that conflict had preserved from development.

Agriculture still employs most of the workforce: cashew nuts, coconuts, and citrus grown on small holdings that feed both local markets and export flows. Fishing remains fundamental—the coastal communities around Inhambane have harvested these waters for generations, their traditional knowledge now commodified into sport fishing operations.

During festive seasons, tourism establishments in Inhambane approach 100% occupancy, with South African visitors arriving by road through Gaza. But Tropical Storm Filipo in March 2024 demonstrated the fragility: the same coastline that attracts tourists concentrates cyclone damage. Climate vulnerability threatens both the marine ecosystems tourists come to see and the agricultural production that sustains residents year-round.

By 2026, Inhambane faces the challenge of tourism that is seasonal, climate-vulnerable, and dependent on South African spending patterns.