Mandimba

Mandimba is a city in Niassa in Mozambique.

Get in
Mandimba is the first town you will come to while entering the Niassa District area of north-eastern Mozambique as it borders the Chiponde, Malawi exit. Travelers can enter by foot, by bicycle taxi, hired vehicle or personal transport. Regular vehicles drive in from Lichinga to the north and Cuamba to the east.

Get around
Getting around on foot or bike is no problem in this small town. It is easy to hire transport to take you wherever you may need to go whether it be nearby or far away.

Do
There is not much for a tourist to do in Mandimba. You could hang out in some local bars, get to know the friendly folks that make this area interesting. It's mainly a resting point for travelers heading to Lichinga up north, or towards Nampula to the east.

If you've got a mountain bike there are some nice dirt roads/trails leading through scenic villages and the like. There is a smallish waterfall outside of town heading towards Cuamba that's good for a swim during certain times of the year (turn right past the second bridge out of town and go down a few kilometers where there is a branch-off to the right, park and cross the river on foot and walk down the rocks.)

The first church of Niassa Province sits unassumingly just past the first bridge out of town heading towards Cuamba (on the right; sometimes there is a sign to mark the church set back off the road).

Buy
There is a thriving local market that sells all kinds of locally available produce (tomatoes, onions, lettuce, ground nuts, maize, etc. depending on the season), as well as simple construction supplies. Visitors are known to come in from Malawi to purchase new Chinese motorcycles available at rock bottom prices with the quality to match.

Eat
Several dining establishments are available for those who enjoy chicken and chips, locally-caught fish, beef purchased from the Namwera, Malawi Saturday market.

Drink
There are several bars in Mandimba offering a wide selection of beers, wines and liquor.

Connect
Media outlets include TVM (the national television network) and a locally-run radio station which uses a mixture of Portuguese and locally-based languages of Makua and Ciyawo (also known as Ajawa, Chiyao). Several government offices are housed in Mandimba including the Administrador, Dept of Labor, District Court, City Planning, and others.