Pomene, the forgotten paradise
Written by: Miguel Peral
We follow the N1 after leaving Barra. We are driving this road for the first time, and right from the start it offers a fantastic landscape. From Maxixe, we see the beautiful city of Inhambane. It is worth stopping for a few minutes to take in this view.
We continue on our way, as our eagerness to reach Pomene is great. The road is in excellent condition, passes through few villages and has almost no traffic. Not long after, about 45 minutes, we reach Massinga and, just as we leave it, we find the sign we were looking for: POMENE!
Following the sign, we turn onto a dirt road that will take us to our destination over 53 km. It is important to say that the road to Pomene is tough, with stretches of dirt track in poor or very poor condition, with a lot of loose sand, so it takes us an hour and a half to get to Pomene. The truth is that the road calls for a sturdy, strong 4x4, good tyres and skilful, attentive driving.
After 32 km from our turning in Massinga, we reach the entrance to the Pomene National Reserve. The ranger, who greets us with a smile and great calm, comes over, asking whether we are going to Pomene – after all, we are the first visitors in two days. We deal with the formalities: name, registration, identification and payment of the fees: two hundred meticais per person (national or resident in Mozambique) and four hundred meticais for the car. We talk about the Reserve's native species, which, though it has no large animals, is quite diverse.
We continue on our way towards Pomene Village. Another 20 km and we will be at our destination. We begin to see an enormous dune on our right, we curve, climb, descend, always on sand, always with fantastic views... Suddenly, the Indian Ocean! Ahhhh... the Indian Ocean is beautiful, and in Pomene it seems even more spectacular. We reach Pomene Village and, among a few signs, we see the one for Shipwreck Lodge, where we head and where a fantastic smile awaits us: Elvis!
It is impossible to describe in words everything we felt during the three days we were there. It is simply unforgettable. What we relate next are just a few of the sensations of Pomene.
It is worth explaining here the reason for the title of this article: Pomene is, without a doubt, a paradise on earth, a place where, wherever we look, we see only beauty! A place full of smiles, full of eagerness to please and captivate those who arrive. A paradise barely touched by human hand, but the few hands that do touch it do so with care, with tenderness and love, keeping it a true natural paradise. But, although a paradise, it is forgotten. Forgotten because there is no electricity, except what is generated by generators and solar panels; forgotten because the road there is accessible only to a few cars and to drivers with experience of difficult roads. Forgotten because, stopped in time, it has no one to give it greater meaning. Forgotten because few of us go there.
Pomene is a paradise on earth, a place where, wherever we look, we see only beauty! A place full of smiles, full of eagerness to please and captivate those who arrive. But, although a paradise, it is forgotten
Forgotten because, lacking the comforts we have in cities, we prefer to go to places where we have conveniences similar to those we have at home. But, to a certain extent, we are grateful that Pomene is "forgotten", for otherwise we would not have felt the peace we found there.
Let us make Pomene a less forgotten paradise with our visits! But visits that are an asset to that wonderful place and to those people with their beautiful, ready smiles.
What to see/visit
Where to begin? Exactly: as soon as we arrived in Pomene, we realised that three days might not be enough time to delight in all of that paradise. In reality we managed to do and see many things, but the rest was short. We suggest five days, so that rest gets its due time! Our tips:
1. Pomene Cave – A cave carved out by the sea with an opening at the top. A beautiful spot, but only accessible at low tide. A "must go" for its natural beauty, the smell of the sea, the experience. It makes for lovely photographs!
2. Pomene Beach or Pomene "Hotel" Beach - A small, idyllic beach facing south-west, that is, with plenty of sun from early morning until mid-afternoon. It is absolutely unmissable to spend a few hours on this beach with its calm sea, excellent for snorkelling or simply floating in the transparent water. It is an absolutely beautiful place and extremely calm. The hours we spent there were the most tranquil.
3. Pomene "Pool" - a rock formation that can be reached from Pomene Beach or Pomene "Hotel" Beach (also located there), which looks like a natural swimming pool of generous size. The space around it is lovely, a little more extreme, more adventurous. We advise some caution, but it gives a sensation not to be missed.
4. Ruins of the Pomene Hotel – A built complex that, truth be told, we felt sorry to see in ruins. It was economically unviable, and even when the Mozambican state tried to find investors to rehabilitate it and secure a tourist destination of excellence, it was not possible to carry its intention through. You can tell that in the 1960s and 70s it must have been a special place, for it seems designed down to the detail to provide privacy, comfort and peace. The site where it stands could not be better, since from this arm of land we can watch the sunrise and sunset, and also whales and dolphins passing by.
5. Pomene Village – The village is tranquil, excellent for strolling among its (few) houses, its small shops and the local bars, where having a beer is obligatory. The children come to "study" us and ask for a coin; they smile, they smile a lot, even without the coin. Leaving a football there can bring great joy to our hearts.
6. Pomene Bay – Pomene Bay is also an enormous beach stretching out of sight, where we watched one of the most beautiful sunsets to date. Watching the fishermen arrive in their small, fragile boats with fresh fish, feeling the sand under our feet, so little touched and so soft that we feel we are walking on a cloud. Here the space is almost infinite. Continuing along the beach, we reach the place where MSC, a cruise company, docks every Wednesday in the high season, bringing and taking various tourists who come to spend a day or a week. On the inland side there is something like a lagoon (almost permanently open to the sea), where, if we had not already discovered the paradise that is Pomene, any doubt vanishes and we are left breathless. Wildlife is abundant here, with immense numbers of small and medium crabs living in a preserved mangrove, various shelled molluscs, herons, gulls and one of the largest flamingo colonies in Mozambique, with more than 500 birds. Here we can spend endless hours.
7. Walking – Walk a lot, let the fine sand envelop our feet, feel the warm water of the Indian Ocean touch us, sit down and forget that there is anything more than Pomene. Yes, this is without doubt one of the "visits" to make, preferably several times a day.
8. Stars – In a place where there is no electricity other than from solar panels or a generator, at night, when everything goes dark, sitting or lying on the beach sand and letting the stars "touch" us is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful sights in Pomene. The absence of light, especially at New Moon or on the days immediately before or after.
The people
Pomene is more than its landscapes. The people of Pomene are, themselves, the paradise they live in. Their friendliness, their empathy with those who visit them, their availability, the smiles just because, the manner... Here we pay tribute to those who welcomed and looked after us!
Simeão, a fisherman whom age obliged to look for lighter work, but no less important. It was he who brought us fresh fish and prepared it, with hands skilled in the art of treating fish well. Sometimes smiling, sometimes somewhat reserved, but always around, in case one of us needed something. Dona Luísa, who looked after us, kept the house (which is fantastic) immaculate at all times. She kept out of sight, but the moment she heard her name, there she was! A reserved but devoted woman.
Finally, Elvis, the manager of Shipwreck Lodge, was a companion, always giving tips, showing us routes, ready with a smile, always available, even at later hours. Elvis took care of everything and made sure our time in Pomene was unforgettable. To him we owe some advice on routes and places, but above all the way he made us feel part of that paradise!
Pomene Village
Pomene is a small village with few inhabitants; all its houses are made of fragile materials that the people themselves gather to build them. People who depend on tourism and who, as a result of the pandemic, are even poorer and more needy. There is a primary school, but all other public services are in the village of Rio das Pedras or in Massinga. The village is close to the sea, in a mangrove area.
Where to stay?
We stayed at Shipwreck Lodge and recommend it, but there are other options, though few. The house where we stayed is for a family of 6, or even 8 people. But Shipwreck Lodge also has some suites (bedroom and bathroom) and another house, for 4. It is right on the beach, has a fantastic terrace and plenty of social space. The houses are very well equipped in terms of appliances. In Pomene, all have solar power and back-up generators. We had no problems during our stay. All accommodation options are available online, by searching for: Pomene accommodation.
