Mozambique is a long, thin country — it stretches over 2,500 km from north to south — and getting between regions takes real planning. The infrastructure is improving but still patchy.
Domestic flights are the sensible choice for covering large distances. LAM Mozambique Airlines and SA Airlink connect Maputo with Beira, Tete, Nampula, Pemba, and Vilanculos. Schedules aren't always reliable — LAM in particular has a history of delays and cancellations — but flying beats spending two days on rough roads. Book well in advance during the dry season (May to October), when seats fill fast.
Buses cover the main routes between cities. Three private express companies — Intercape, Nagi Transportes, and Grupo Mecula — operate more comfortable coaches on popular corridors like Maputo–Beira and Maputo–Inhambane. They're not fast by international standards, but reasonable on decent roads. For smaller towns and rural areas, you'll rely on chapas — the ubiquitous converted minibuses that depart when full. They're cheap and go everywhere, but overcrowding and reckless driving make them genuinely hazardous. Take express buses where you can.
Car hire is available in Maputo and Beira through Europcar, Avis, and local agencies. A 4WD is essential if you're heading anywhere off the main N1 highway — rural roads flood badly in the wet season, and coastal sand tracks require high clearance. Police roadblocks are common; have your documents in order and stay calm. The reputation for inventing infractions to extract "fines" is real, though less prevalent than it once was.
Ferries operate across the Maputo Bay to Catembe and across the Zambezi at various points. The long-awaited Maputo–Catembe bridge opened in 2018, so the ferry crossing is less essential for road travellers heading south — but useful if you're on foot.
Getting to the islands: Bazaruto Archipelago is reached by chartered light aircraft to Vilanculos, then boat. Quirimbas islands fly into Pemba then take a boat or light aircraft to your specific island lodge. Island logistics are usually handled by your accommodation — sort it in advance.