The Limpopo River meets the Indian Ocean near Xai-Xai, and the estuary zone — mangrove-lined channels, sandbanks, and open water — is home to a variety of birdlife and occasional crocodile and hippo sightings. The estuary is most easily explored by hiring a local fishing boat; negotiations happen at the riverbank and prices are reasonable.
The river here is wide and slow, flanked by dense vegetation that has largely recovered from the catastrophic flooding of 2000 when Cyclone Eline caused the Limpopo to burst its banks and inundate the region. The mangrove forests along the estuary are particularly good at dawn and dusk for wading birds, kingfishers, and herons. The crossing point at Chibuto, further inland, is the main road crossing; the estuary itself is accessible only by boat.