The small port is the working heart of Nkhata Bay — fish boats unloading at dawn, the weekly arrival and departure of the Ilala ferry, and a constant traffic of dugout canoes paddling between the headlands. The concrete pier and warehouses are functional rather than picturesque, but the activity around them is the most interesting thing to watch in town.
Walk out on the pier in the early morning to see the fish boats coming in. The boats themselves are simple wooden craft, often crewed by three or four men, and the catch is sold straight onto the dock to traders who carry it up to the market in baskets. If you are travelling on by ferry, this is also where you buy your ticket — the office opens a few hours before each scheduled departure.