People are now coming to Mozambique just for the Tofo surf. The town is a chilled beach escape on the Indian Ocean, surrounded by white sands. There’s a great right point, plus loads of beach breaks for beginners.
An introduction to Tofo surf
Tofo is the surf capital of Mozambique. It’s perfectly located. A spit of sand curls like the horn of a springbok around the beach town. It first runs a little SW-NE, alongside the main S swell channel of the Southern Ocean. Then, it bends north to offer banks that pick up all the action from the SW and the Indian Ocean, at beaches that great protection from onshores to offer more beginner-friendly options.What’s cracking is that this town has options for all levels.
The point at Tofinho gets loads of attention because it can fire off hollowish barrel sections and long shoulders like something out of eastern Oz. What they don’t tell you is that it’s a pretty fickle number, working to its best only a few days throughout the main dry season. Though a quality break Tofinho Point is nonetheless.
And from there, the sands of Tofo stretch north to give endless peaks for beginners. They’re at their easiest on Tofo Beach itself, which forces any S in the swell to wrap and lose power before gurgling over the white sand. Behind, and in the whole region, you’ll be able to pick from some of the finest beach hotels in Mozambique – cold Raiz beer on the balcony, anyone?
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Mozambique
What’s in this guide to Tofo surf?
Where is Tofo?
Tofo is a small coastal town in southeastern Mozambique, located in the Inhambane Province. Known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant marine life, it’s a popular destination for tourists interested in diving, snorkeling, and surfing. The town is about 16 kilometers east of Inhambane city, a historic port city.
How to get to Tofo?
Inhambane Airport is the closest airport to Tofo. There are flights from Johannesburg to Inhambane (we usually use Skyscanner to search for ours).
Once at Inhambane Airport, you can take a taxi or a local “chapa” (minibus) to Tofo, which is approximately a 30-minute drive.If you’re driving, you can take the EN1 highway from Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, to Inhambane, and then continue on to Tofo.
The total travel time is around 7-8 hours. It’s recommended to have a 4×4 for this trip as some roads can be rough.There are also long-distance buses from Maputo to Inhambane. Once in Inhambane, you can use a chapa or taxi to reach Tofo. One warning: These long-distance buses can be BRUTAL in Mozambique. Hey, it’s your lumbar!
Do I need to hire a car to surf in Tofo?
We’d reccomend it if you’re looking to venture out to other surf areas in Mozambique. The good news is that this is the region you’ll want to be in. Bascically, Tofo town is the northern end of the surf zone in the country. Drive south from here and you’ll come to all manner of empty, unchartered beaches, plus Punta de Ouro, which is arguably even more famous than the points in Tofo. It’s a good idea to get a heavy-duty 4X4 and always book with RentalCars.com – they’re our fav.
Tofo surf spots
Tofo has really cut its teeth on two spots: The point at Tofinho and the main beach. Each caters to different levels. There are some others in the region also worth knowing about…
Guinjata Bay
Guinjata Bay isn’t in Tofo itself. It’s further along the south coast of Mozambique, about 1h15 minutes’ drive from the beach town – it would be less if you had a 4X4 because the only metalled roads go via the airport in Inhambane. Anyway, this is a wide bay that’s a swell magnet, offering consistent surfing conditions through the winter. It flourishes with SE to E swells, making it ideal for regular riders most of all. The bay accommodates all levels of surfers with wave sizes averaging 3-5 feet, yet capable of reaching 8 feet in powerful swells, when the sets in the middle of the beach will be real fat, heavy numbers.
Tofinho Point
Tofinho Point is Tofo’s claim to the magazine covers. When it works, it’s a stunner of a break, with long-armed peelers curling around a reef and point. If we didn’t know any better (and, to be fair, we don’t really), we’d think it was something out of eastern Australia. The spot works best with a S to SE swell and a NW to W offshore wind. When they combine, it will offer up powerful, hollow waves which section between short tubes and top-to-bottom walls. The winter months of May to September are optimal for surfing here but be warned: The spot is fickle. It’s not always clean and is real suseptable to wind changes. Dawn patrols make for the best hunting.
Tofo Beach
Tofo Beach is the main beach of Tofo. It’s the one that actually faces a little north, because it’s tucked behind that headland; the same head that sucks in the S-SE swells and tames them into mini rollers that are plenty crumbly for the learner crowd. See, that’s basically this spot: The town’s beginner-friendly hub, home to soft, fun waves. Favoring an E-SE swell direction, the beach break offers both left and rights, but also its fair share of closeouts. The ideal conditions occur from May to September, with offshore winds blowing from the W to NW direction. With typical wave sizes of 2-4 feet, it is excellent for learning and improving skills, which is why most local surf schools will head here.
Barra Beach
Barra Beach is the northern end of the Tofo peninsula. There’s no denying it’s a gorgeous customer – you’ve got mangroves to the back and yellow-tinged sands out front. Sadly, the spot isn’t the best for surfing because it demands a lot of power from S swells to wrap around, though it will work on rare N pushes through the Indian Ocean (usually during freak storms). Really, the beach break thrives on an E to SE swell, delivering left and right waves that are almost always ankle slappers.
Where to stay when surfing in Tofo?
One area where Tofo can really shine is when it comes to hotels. Beach resorts here are among the best in the country. Some offer prime luxury and not that OTT price tags. These would be our picks:
- Kumba Lodge – Where do we begin? This is one of the best hotels we’ve seen in the whole of Mozambique. It’s got a simply eye-watering pool and is right on the edge of Tofo Beach. Rooms with sea views open to 180-degree vistas of the Indian Ocean.
- Liquid Dive Adventures – The vibes here are pretty great. Nice crew. Lovely pool. The beachfront bungalows are spacious and clean, and open literally steps off the sand (and surf)
- Kitesurf Tofo House – This kitesurf resort has staff that know plenty about the plain old surf in Tofo (you know, without the kite). The property is also cool, with a garden and bargain dorm options on offer.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Tofo?
The prime surf season in Tofo extends from May to September, coinciding with the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.
During this period, the Mozambique Channel sees consistent swell generation, primarily from the E to SE direction. These swells, coupled with predominant offshore winds from the W to NW, create well-shaped, clean wave faces, enhancing the quality of the surf at various breaks.
The winter months are typified by larger wave sizes and a higher swell consistency, offering more robust and challenging conditions for experienced surfers at Tofinho Point and Guinjata Bay. At the same time, the softer waves at Tofo Beach and Barra Beach provide ideal conditions for beginners or those seeking a more relaxed surf experience.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
