Surfing in Mozambique: Where to Surf, When to Go and What Level You Need
Where to surf in Mozambique: Tofo's beginner beach break, the Tofinho point, Guinjata Bay and Ponta do Ouro, plus where to kitesurf. Spots by level, season and hazards.
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Surfing in Mozambique means warm Indian Ocean water, uncrowded breaks and a handful of well-known spots: Tofo and Tofinho on the Inhambane coast, Guinjata Bay nearby, and Ponta do Ouro in the far south. It isn’t a place with a break on every beach, and most of the coast faces no useful swell at all, so the trip comes down to choosing the right spot for your level and the right months for the swell. This guide does that, and it’s written by the people who run surf lessons at Praia do Tofo.
The surf spots at a glance
Mozambique’s best-known surf is on the Inhambane coast around Tofo, with a second area at Ponta do Ouro in the far south. The table sorts the spots by what they suit. The descriptions come from Surf-Forecast and The Surf Atlas, plus our own knowledge of Tofo.
| Spot | Where | Wave | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Praia do Tofo | Tofo town | Beach break, lefts and rights, some closeouts | Beginner to intermediate |
| Tofinho | Headland just south of Tofo | Right-hand point and reef, takeoff over rock | Intermediate and above |
| Guinjata Bay | South of Tofinho, Inhambane coast | Mainly right walls, heavy in big swell | Experienced |
| Barra | Peninsula beside Tofo | Needs a south swell to wrap in; poor otherwise | Not a reliable surf stop |
| Ponta do Ouro | Far south, near the South African border | Exposed to southeast swell, submerged rocks | Intermediate and above |
Where to surf in Tofo: the beach break and Tofinho
Tofo has two breaks within walking distance of each other: the sand-bottom beach break in town, and the point at Tofinho a little way south. They’re different worlds, which is why Tofo works as a base for a mixed group of surfers.
Praia do Tofo. The beach break is where beginners learn. It breaks on sand rather than rock, with lefts and rights, and The Surf Atlas puts it at roughly 2-4 ft on its best swell, with offshore winds from the west and the season running May to September. Some waves close out, so the lineup is mostly about picking the peak. This is also where our lessons run, next to Casa Na Praia.
Tofinho. The point is Mozambique’s most famous wave: a right-hander that wraps off the headland on southeast swell, with long, hollow sections when it’s working. Surf-Forecast’s wind pick is an offshore from the south-southwest, and it rates April the most consistent month, with clean conditions about 38% of the time. It is for experienced surfers: the takeoff is over rock, and the paddle-out is committing. Surf-Forecast flags sharks and rocks as hazards, and describes the lineup as rarely crowded. Nobody should learn here.
Guinjata Bay. Further along the coast, The Surf Atlas describes Guinjata as mainly right walls that run bigger than Tofo, heavy once the swell is up. It suits experienced surfers with a car or a driver, and it’s worth asking at a Tofo surf shop whether it’s on before you set out.
Barra. Barra, the peninsula beside Tofo, is beautiful, but The Surf Atlas rates its surf poor, working only when a south swell wraps in. Come for the beach, not the waves.
When to surf in Mozambique
The surf season on the Inhambane coast is April to September, the southern-hemisphere winter. That’s when south and southeast groundswells push up the Mozambique Channel. Surf-Forecast rates April the most consistent month at Tofinho.
Tofo’s beach break doesn’t switch off outside those months, but it gets smaller and less reliable, which suits learners better than it suits anyone chasing size. For when to come for everything else, including whale sharks, humpbacks and the December crowds, our best time to visit Tofo guide has the full calendar.
Water temperature and what to wear
Mozambique’s water is warm enough that most surfers never need a full wetsuit. Surf-Forecast’s sea-temperature record for Tofinho runs from about 22-24°C in the coolest weeks, around early August, up to about 27-28°C at the peak of summer, around late January. Its wetsuit advice is a rash vest and boardshorts year-round, with a 2 mm top or shorty for dawn, dusk or windy sessions.
Pack a rash vest for sun and board rash, reef-safe sunscreen and a thin top for the early start. At Ponta do Ouro, Surf-Forecast suggests a shorty or thin suit.
Hazards: rocks, sharks, rips and distance
The main surf hazards in Mozambique are rock and reef under the bigger breaks, sharks, rips, and being a long way from help. None of these is a reason to stay out of the water, but they decide where you should surf.
- Rock. Tofinho breaks over rock, and Surf-Forecast notes submerged rocks at Ponta do Ouro. Know your level and take local advice on the day.
- Sharks. Surf-Forecast lists sharks as a hazard at Tofinho. Don’t surf alone, and ask locals what’s been seen recently.
- Rips. Beach breaks channel water back out through the gaps between sandbanks. Learn to spot them; an instructor will point them out.
- Distance. Help can be a long way off. Carry travel insurance that covers surfing, and see our safety guide.
Learning to surf in Mozambique
The place to learn to surf in Mozambique is Praia do Tofo, and the way to start is a 45-minute lesson. You begin on a soft-top board, practise the pop-up on the sand and then paddle out with an instructor. Our Tofo surf lessons are 1,500 MZN per person (1,350 MZN each for groups of four or more), with the board, rashguard and sunscreen included. Same-day booking usually works; message us as early as you can.
Not everyone in a group has to surf. Tofo is also a place with whale sharks year-round and, from June to November, humpback whales, so the flat days have plenty to fill them.
Getting to the surf
Tofo is about 22 km from Inhambane city, and Inhambane Airport (INH) is the nearest airport. From there it’s a short transfer by road. If you’re coming from Vilanculos, it’s about five hours south on the EN1, and we run private transfers between Vilanculos and Tofo. For Ponta do Ouro, we run transfers from Maputo. Our Tofo getting-here guide compares all the options.
Kitesurfing in Mozambique
Kitesurfing in Mozambique is best at Vilanculos, on the Bazaruto coast, rather than at Tofo. Surfers who also kite should plan the two as separate legs: waves around Tofo, wind and flat water around Vilanculos, about five hours apart on the EN1.
Vilanculos. Kiteforum’s spot guide gives the season as August to March, with a south-easterly trade wind that “generally blows 15-22 knots”. The water is shallow and clear, flat over the sandbanks at low tide with some chop and small waves elsewhere, and about 25°C or warmer. At low tide the sandbars between the islands and the mainland are exposed, and Kiteforum recommends a boat to reach them. It also warns against riding into the tidal channels, because you can be washed out to sea when the tide turns. Our own kitesurfing in Vilanculos page covers the lessons and rentals we arrange there.
Tofo and Barra. Kitejungle’s wind statistics for Tofo show an average wind of 8-10 knots, and count the days of 12 knots or more at about 26 a month in October and November, against 14 in May and June. That makes it a light-wind spot compared with Vilanculos, best from September to January. We couldn’t find reliable data on its wind direction or hazards, so ask a local school before you rig.
Common questions
Where is the best surfing in Mozambique?
When is the best time to surf in Mozambique?
Is Mozambique good for beginners to learn to surf?
Do I need a wetsuit in Mozambique?
Is Tofinho the same as Tofino?
Is it safe to surf in Mozambique?
Can I rent a surfboard in Mozambique?
Where can you kitesurf in Mozambique?
What is the closest airport to Tofo?
Where to go next
If surf is the reason you’re coming, base yourself in Tofo and see our Tofo travel guide for everything else in the area. For a wider look at Mozambique’s coast, our beaches guide puts the surf beaches next to the others.
Still not sure?
Swell, wind and tides change by the day. If you’re not sure which spot suits you, or you’d like to book a lesson, send us a message on WhatsApp and tell us your level and when you’re coming.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026. Spot descriptions, swell and wind preferences, hazards and sea temperatures come from Surf-Forecast’s Tofinho page, its Tofinho sea-temperature page, its Ponta do Ouro page The Surf Atlas’s Tofo guide, Kiteforum’s Vilanculos spot guide and Kitejungle’s Tofo wind statistics, all read on that date (the kite pages are undated). These are commercial surf and kite guide sites, not official sources; conditions change by the day. Lesson price and details are from our own surf lesson page.
