Mozambique

Destinations

Visa & entry

eu passport	Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), 30 days, USD 48, extendable 30 days (in effect since 1 May 2023) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Mozambique)
us passport	ETA 30 days USD 48 (extendable), OR visa on arrival 30 days USD 50 (requires passport valid 6+ months, return/onward ticket, proof of funds)
uk passport	Same options as US passport: ETA (30 days, USD 48) or visa on arrival (30 days, USD 50), same requirements
notes	A separate tourist e-Visa system also exists (6,250 MT / 30 days) but is not needed by EU/US/UK nationals, who have the ETA/VOA routes above; that e-Visa is barred to nationals of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia.

Money

currency	Mozambican Metical (MZN / MT)
card acceptance	USD, ZAR (South African Rand), GBP and EUR are freely convertible at commercial bank rates; other currencies not generally accepted; card acceptance is concentrated in Maputo and larger tourist operations — cash MT is the norm along the coast (Bilene, Tofo, Vilanculos, Ponta do Ouro, Pemba) (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique, partially)
atm networks fees limits	BCI, Standard Bank, Eco Bank and Millennium BIM are the main networks; per-withdrawal caps vary — Millennium BIM ~3,000 MT, Standard Bank and Eco Bank up to 10,000 MT; most Mozambican ATMs charge no local fee on foreign cards (your home bank's foreign-ATM fee may still apply) (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique)
local instant payment	M-Pesa (Vodacom) has operated in Mozambique since 2013 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Pesa); whether short-term foreign tourists can register for an M-Pesa wallet without a local ID/residency was not confirmed this session
scams	Street vendors sell SIM cards at inflated prices or from recalled batches — buy only at official mobile-phone stores (~50 MT for a SIM) (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique)

SIM & internet

operators ranked for coast coverage	Vodacom Mozambique Movitel mCel (Tmcel)
id required for sim	Passport commonly required for SIM registration under Mozambican telecom regulation (general industry knowledge; not confirmed via a primary source this session)
notes	Internet is described as widely available in Maputo and tourist areas but sporadic elsewhere (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique) — relevant for the more remote coast spots (Bilene, Vilanculos, Ponta do Ouro). Relative coverage ranking of the three operators for these specific coastal towns was not independently verified this session.

Insurance

kite excluded by standard policies	General rule across the atlas: standard travel/medical policies typically exclude kitesurfing unless a specific sports/extreme-activity rider is purchased — not Mozambique-specific and not re-verified this session
evacuation note	Given limited rural medical infrastructure and the active security situation in Cabo Delgado province, medevac-inclusive insurance is commonly recommended for northern Mozambique travel — general guidance, not source-verified this session

Health

vaccines	Malaria prophylaxis is described as essential nationwide, with chloroquine no longer effective against local strains — consult a doctor before travel (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique). A yellow fever vaccination certificate is commonly required only if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission (standard WHO/IHR rule applied regionally; not independently re-verified for Mozambique this session).
mosquito disease seasons	Malaria risk is present across Mozambique; general regional pattern is higher transmission during the rainy season (roughly Nov–Apr) — not independently source-verified this session
tap water	Do not drink tap water or use ice north of the Zambezi River / in rural areas; south of the Zambezi, tap water in developed areas and major cities is generally considered safe (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique)

Driving

idp needed	Yes, an International Driving Permit is required (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique)
road safety	Posted speed limits: 60 km/h in towns, 100 km/h on open roads (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique). As of the source checked, travelers are advised to avoid the EN6 between Beira and Chimoio, sections of the EN1 between Caia and Gorongosa, and the Save River area due to reported armed attacks, and to avoid Cabo Delgado Province and north-eastern Nampula Province entirely — Cabo Delgado is where Pemba is located, so this directly affects the Pemba kite destination and should be checked against current travel advisories before booking.
4x4 contexts	4WD-only restrictions apply at certain border crossings (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mozambique); soft-sand access roads to coastal spots like Vilanculos, Tofo and Ponta do Ouro often require 4x4 — general knowledge from kite trip reports, not independently verified this session

Regulation

protected areas	Ponta do Ouro sits within/adjacent to the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve; Cabo Delgado province (Pemba) has an active insurgency/conflict that is the subject of specific safety advisories — general knowledge, not independently re-verified via a primary source this session
other	Security situation in Cabo Delgado province (where Pemba is located) has included an armed insurgency since 2017; check current government travel advisories before planning a Pemba trip.

Calendar & costs

beer	MT 30–50 per bottle (local brands, Maputo prices — coastal towns may differ) (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Maputo)
meal	Budget/market meal MT 40–60; mid-range restaurant MT 376–1,204 (en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Maputo)
currency	MZN
year	2026

Open questions

Airline kite-bag policy for LAM Mozambique Airlines, South African Airways and Airlink (main carriers serving Mozambique) not verified this session.
Drone regulations not verified this session.
Whether tourists can register M-Pesa without local ID/residency not confirmed.
Digital nomad visa existence, entry/eco taxes and tax residency days not confirmed.
Emergency phone numbers and hospital standard not captured this session.
Cost-of-living figures (coffee, one-bedroom rent) not found for Mozambique's coast towns specifically.