Pomene National Reserve

Pomene sits where an estuary meets the sea on a stretch of the Inhambane coast with almost nothing on it: dunes, mangrove, a lagoon and reef offshore. A hotel built here in the colonial period stands abandoned on the point, roofless and slowly going, and it has become the reserve's landmark. Fishing, snorkelling and the emptiness are the draw, and getting in requires committing to a long sand track.

What you actually see

• The ruined hotel - a roofless colonial-era building standing on the point.
• The estuary - mangrove and tidal channels behind the dunes.
• The reef - coral offshore with snorkelling and diving.
• The dunes - high vegetated sand along the whole coast here.

When to go

May to September is the cooler dry season and the best for the water. The rains from November to March make the sand tracks worse. Cyclones occasionally hit this coast in summer.

Honest expectations

The access track is deep sand and vehicles get stuck; a properly equipped four-wheel drive and experience are needed. Facilities are limited to a couple of lodges and camping. The ruined hotel is unstable and unsafe to climb in.

Nearby

Vilanculos is north, and Inhambane is south.