Inhambane

Inhambane is a port city in southern Mozambique on Inhambane Bay, about 470 km northeast of Maputo, and the capital of Inhambane Province. It grew around a deep inlet sheltered by two sandy headlands, and it is one of the oldest settlements on the east coast of Africa: dhows traded here as early as the 11th century, the Portuguese set up a permanent trading post in 1534, and Jesuits made it their first mission in southeast Africa in 1560. The town is known for its old cathedral, its central market, a large working fleet of dhows, and nearby beaches such as Tofo. The sister town of Maxixe lies across the bay.