The central market in Vilanculos is a good place to spend an hour on any morning. Stalls sell fresh fish brought in daily from the bay, fruit, vegetables, and spices. The dhow-building and repair work that goes on at the beach nearby is worth watching too — the boats are made with hand tools using local timber, the same way they have been for centuries.
The market is not a tourist attraction and prices are local. It gives a more accurate picture of the town's daily rhythms than the beach-front restaurants and lodges. Bring cash in meticais; dollar exchange rates at the market are poor.