Pomene

a forgotten paradise

Escrito por: Miguel Peral

We are driving along the N1, after our departure from Barra. We are taking this road for the first time, and right from the start, it offers us a fantastic landscape. From Maxixe, we can see the beautiful city of Inhambane. It's worth stopping by for a few minutes and contemplating this picture. We continue on our way, anxious to reach Pomene. The road is in excellent condition, passing through a few villages and hardly has any traffic. A short time later, about 45 minutes, we arrived in Massinga and, on the way out, we found the sign we were looking for: POMENE!

Following in the direction of the sign, we enter a dirt road for the next 53 km, which will take us to our destination. It is important to note that the road to Pomene is hard, with sections of compacted earth that are in bad or very bad condition, with a lot of loose sand, so it takes an hour and thirty minutes to reach Pomene. The truth is that the road requires a robust and strong 4x4, good tires and skillful and attentive driving.

Approximately 32 km after our turn-off in Massinga, we arrive at the entrance to the Pomene National Reserve. The guard, who greets us with a smile and very calmly, approaches us to ask if we are going to Pomene – since we are the first visitors in two days. We take care of formalities, name, registration, identification documents and payment of entry fees: two hundred meticais per person (Mozambican national or resident) and four hundred meticais per car. We talk a little about the Reserve's native species, which, in the absence of large animals, are quite diverse.

We continue our way towards Vila de Pomene (Village of Pomene). Another 20 km to go until we reach our destination. We begin to see a huge dune to our right, then take a curve, climb, descend, always driving on sand, always with fantastic views... Suddenly, the Indian Ocean! Ahhhh... the Indian Ocean is beautiful, and in Pomene it looks even more spectacular. We arrive at Vila de Pomene and, among some signs, we see the one for the Shipwreck Lodge, where we are headed to and where we will find a fantastic smile waiting for us: Elvis!

It is impossible in to put into words everything we felt during our three-day stay. It was simply unforgettable. What we report next are just some impressions of Pomene.

Let me now explain the reason for the title of this article: Pomene is, without any doubt, paradise on earth, a place where, wherever we look, we only see beauty! A place full of smiles, full of the desire to please and seduce those who visit. A paradise hardly touched by humans, but the few who do touch it, do it with utmost care, affection and love, tending to it and keeping it a true natural paradise. However, although paradisiacal, Pomene is a forgotten place. Forgotten because there is no electricity, except for the one supplied by generators and solar panels. Forgotten because the road to reach it is only accessible to a few cars and to drivers sufficiently experienced in negotiating difficult terrain. Forgotten because it stopped in time, without anyone to give it greater meaning. Forgotten because few of us go there. Forgotten because, in lacking the comfort we have in cities, makes us prefer going to places where we have the same amenities as in our city homes. Nevertheless, to a certain extent, we are grateful that Pomene is “forgotten” – otherwise, we might have felt less peace that the one we found there.

Let us make of Pomene a less forgotten paradise with our visits! But visits that will be an asset to that wonderful place and to its people, they of the beautiful and easy smiles.

What to see/visit Where to start? That´s just it – as soon as we arrived in Pomene, we realized that three days might not be enough time to delight in all that paradise has to offer. In reality, we were able to do and see many things, but didn’t have enough downtime. We suggest a five-day stay, to allow time for resting, too. Here are our tips:

1. Gruta de Pomene (Pomene Cave) – A cave excavated by the sea that has an opening at the top. A beautiful place, but only accessible at low tide. A “must visit” for the natural beauty, the smell of the sea, the experience. A great backdrop for beautiful photos!

2. Pomene Beach or “Praia do Hotel de Pomene” (Hotel de Pomene´s Beach) – A small and idyllic beach facing southwest, that is, with strong sun exposure from early to mid-afternoon. It is absolutely unmissable, to spend a few hours on this beach with calm waters, excellent for snorkelling or simply floating in the transparent waters. It is an absolutely beautiful place and extremely calm. The hours we spent there were the most peaceful.

3. Pomene “Pool” – A rock formation that is accessible from Pomene Beach or Hotel de Pomene´s Beach (also located there), which appears to be a generously sized natural swimming pool. The space that surrounds

It is impossible in to put into words everything we felt during our three-day stay. It was simply unforgettable

it is beautiful, a little more radical, more adventurous. We advise some prudence, but it gives a feeling not to be missed.

4 Ruins of the Hotel de Pomene – A building we actually regret being in ruins. It was economically unviable to keep it running, and even when the Mozambican state tried to find investors to rehabilitate it and secure this excellent tourist spot, it was not possible to carry out its intentions. One can see that it must have been a special place in the 60s and 70s, as it seems to have been carefully designed to provide privacy, comfort and peace. It´s location couldn't be better either, because from this stretch of land we can watch both the sunrise and the sunset, and also the passage of whales and dolphins.

5. Vila de Pomene (Village of Pomene) – The village is quiet, excellent for strolling among its (few) houses, small shops and local bars, where drinking a beer is mandatory. The children come to “study us” and ask for a coin; they smile, they smile a lot, even without the coin. There, leaving behind a soccer ball can bring great joy to their hearts, and ours.

6. Pomene Bay – Pomene Bay is also a huge beach as far as the eye can see, where we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets we´ve seen to date. Seeing fishermen arrive in their small and fragile boats bearing fresh fish, feeling the sand under our feet, so little touched and so soft that we feel as if walking on a cloud. Here, space is almost infinite. Continuing along the beach, we arrive at the place where MSC, a cruise company, drops anchor every Wednesday during the high season, bringing in and taking back several tourists who come to visit for a day or a week. On the inland side, it resembles a lagoon (almost permanently open to the sea), where, if we hadn't yet been convinced of the paradise that is Pomene, we would be now, as it takes our breath away. The wildlife is thriving here, with an abundance of small and medium-sized crabs that inhabit a well preserved mangrove, several shell molluscs, herons, seagulls and one of the largest colonies of flamingos in Mozambique, with more than 500 birds. One can spend endless hours here.

7. Walking – Walking a lot, letting the fine sand cover our feet, feeling the warm water of the Indian Ocean touching us, sitting down and forgetting that there is anything or anywhere other than Pomene. Yes, this is undoubtedly one of the “visits” to make, preferably several times a day.

8. Stars – In a place where there is no electricity other than sourced from solar panels or generators, at night and when everything is dark, we sit or lie down on the sandy beach, and let the stars "touch" us. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful sights in Pomene: the absence of light, especially during the new moon

The people Pomene is more than its landscape. The people of Pomene are also a part of the paradise they live in. Their friendliness, the empathy they show towards those who visit them, their availability, the smiles just because, the way they treat you…We would like to pay homage to those who welcomed us and took good care of us!

Simeão is a fisherman whose age forced him to look for lighter jobs, but no less important. He was the one who brought us fresh fish and prepared it with the knowledgeable hands of those who care for the catch. Sometimes smiling, sometimes somewhat reserved, but always around, in case one of us needed something. Dona Luísa, who took care of us, kept the house (which is fantastic) always immaculate. She kept out of sight, but as soon as she heard her name, there she was! A reserved but dedicated woman.

Finally, there was Elvis, manager of the Shipwreck Lodge. He was companiable, always giving tips, showing the way with a ready smile, always available, even at late at night. Elvis took care of everything, ensuring that our visit to Pomene was unforgettable. We owe it to him some advice about paths and places to see, but above all, the way he made us feel part of that paradise!

The Village of Pomene Pomene is a small village, with few inhabitants. All the houses are built with fragile materials, collected by the residents themselves, who also build the houses. These are people who depend on tourism and who, as a result of the pandemic, are even poorer and more deprived than begore. There is a primary school, but all other public services are in Vila de Rio das Pedras or in Massinga. The village is close to the sea, situated in a mangrove area.

Where to stay? We stayed at the Shipwreck Lodge and recommend it, but there are other options, albeit few. The house where we stayed caters for a family of 6, or even 8 people. However, Shipwreck Lodge also has some suites (bedroom and bathroom) and another house that caters for 4 people. It's right on the beach, has a fantastic terrace, lots of space for socializing. The houses are very well equipped in terms of appliances. In Pomene, all have solar energy, and backup generators. We had no problem during our stay. All accommodation options are available online, if you search for: Pomene accommodation.

humans, but the few who do touch it, do it with utmost care, affection and love, tending to it and keeping it a true natural paradise. However, although paradisiacal, Pomene is a forgotten place. Forgotten because there is no electricity, except for the one supplied by generators and solar panels. Forgotten because the road to reach it is only accessible to a few cars and to drivers sufficiently experienced in negotiating difficult terrain. Forgotten because it stopped in time, without anyone to give it greater meaning. Forgotten because few of us go there. Forgotten because, in lacking the comfort we have in cities, makes us prefer going to places where we have the same amenities as in our city homes. Nevertheless, to a certain extent, we are grateful that Pomene is “forgotten” – otherwise, we might have felt less peace that the one we found there.

We continue on our way, anxious to reach Pomene. The road is in excellent condition, passing through a few villages and hardly has any traffic. A short time later, about 45 minutes, we arrived in Massinga and, on the way out, we found the sign we were looking for: POMENE!

We are driving along the N1, after our departure from Barra. We are taking this road for the first time, and right from the start, it offers us a fantastic landscape. From Maxixe, we can see the beautiful city of Inhambane. It's worth stopping by for a few minutes and contemplating this picture.

Following in the direction of the sign, we enter a dirt road for the next 53 km, which will take us to our destination. It is important to note that the road to Pomene is hard, with sections of compacted earth that are in bad or very bad condition, with a lot of loose sand, so it takes an hour and thirty minutes to reach Pomene. The truth is that the road requires a robust and strong 4x4, good tires and skillful and attentive driving.