Sofala · Mozambique
Where to stay in Beira
Beira is a city in Sofala, Mozambique, home to about 531,000 people.
- Best months
- May to September
- Nearest airport
- BEW7 km · Beira International Airport
- Currency
- MZNMozambican metical
- Time zone
- Africa/Maputo
- Language
- Portuguese
About
About Beira
Beira is the capital and largest city of Sofala Province, in the central region of Mozambique. Beira is where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean.
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique and capital of the Sofala Province. During the 1950s and 60s, before the independence of Mozambique, Beira was a playground for white and rich Rhodesians as the country was a colony of Portugal, which did not participate in the UN embargo against Rhodesia. Still an important port city, few tourists find their way here today. Those who do will discover a beautiful, but crumbling, city by the sea with great food and hospitality. Beira took a direct hit from Cyclone Idai in 2019, and 90% of the city was damaged or destroyed.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Beira
See
- Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral
- Grande Hotel Beira
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Beira
3 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Beira Terrace Hotel | 1.9 km | |
| Golden Peacock Resort Hotel | 7.0 km | |
| Hotel Tivoli Beira | 1.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Beira
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Beira are May to September. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 241 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Beira: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Beira International Airport (BEW), about 7.3 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
Minibuses, so called chapas, are easily available for local transport and for connections to neighboring cities like Chimoio.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BEW · Beira International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Beira
Stay safe
Don't walk in the Baixa area at night alone. If you walk around during day time just keep your precious stuff at the hotel. Don't walk around with a fat wallet or your expensive cellphone. Most crime is on a "give me your phone and/or wallet because I have a big knife" basis. If driving at night just keep doors locked and windows almost closed to avoid issues. Friday, Saturday and Sunday night people party and can get very drunk, if you run over someone as a foreigner it's gonna cause you a big headache so drive slowly. Kids also run across the road often without looking out for cars. Avoid driving at night. The city was 90% destroyed by Cyclone Idai, in March 2019.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Beira: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Beira?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Beira are May to September. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 241 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Beira?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Beira International Airport (BEW), about 7.3 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Beira?
Mozambican metical (MZN).
Nearby
Destinations near Beira
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.