2 Best Shopping in Mozambique

When you shop here, you won’t only be buying lovely handmade things such as bags, hats, jewelry, bead and metal work, hammocks, carvings and handcrafted furniture, but you’ll also be helping to support over 60 local families, who, when fishing yields dramatically declined because of netting and trawling, learned to create unique and sustainable fair trade crafts. Sandy and Snowy Somerville, who lived in the village of Macunhe, 15 miles (25 km) north of Vilankulo, started the community uplift enterprise in 2002, training the local people, and giving them tools, raw materials, and design ideas. You’ll find it hard to go away empty handed.

The safe (but always beware pickpockets) and lively covered market in Baixa, Maputo's historic city center, was built in 1901. It has everything from fresh fish and shellfish to vegetables and fruit, and is choc-a-bloc with photo opportunities. Load up on packets of fresh cashew nuts (Mozambique’s number two export)—plain, roasted, salted or peri-peri (hot and spicy). It’s also a great place to buy wood carvings, batiks, and all kinds of curios. Be sure to hone your bargaining skills before you plunge in.