CALANGA PHATI
Lagoa Phati:/ Calanga Beach
Location. (Google Earth Coordinates:25º 26’ 24,85”S; 33º 00’ 58,99”E)
Calanga Phati Eco Camp is located in the Chef de Posta area of Calanga, in the Manhiça District of Maputo Province on the East coast of Mozambique. It is situated between Marracuene and Bilene and about 650km from Pretoria and Johannesburg and about 80 km North of Maputo. Driving time from Johannesburg with no delays at the border is about 7 hours to Maragra sugar estate and then about another hour and 15 minutes to the Camp via the sandy road, that will test your sand driving capabilities on a couple of places.
Because of the sandy terrain and some clay areas that are muddy after rains, access is by 4×4 vehicles only.
The Camp is uniquely situated between Lagoa Phati, one the largest lakes in the area on the western side and Calanga Beach on Indian ocean on the Eastern side. If the wind is blowing on shore (from the sea) it can be really unpleasant on the beach. Then it is ideal to utilise the lake for sailing or other water sports. You have the best of both worlds, the sea on one side and the lake on the other side and are spoiled for choice.
The beach is very secluded with only the Calanga Phati Eco Camp visitors and at times some local fisher men present. No maddening crowds and sometimes you could be the only one on the beach. Definitely no Paparazzi.
Wake up in the morning to the sounds of nature, with birds chirping, vervet monkeys and the ever present sea in the back ground.
Enjoy the magic hour – from sunset to dusk in silence with only the sounds of nature.
Go to sleep in the evening with the sounds of night jars, owls, bush babies, crickets, frogs and the ever present sea in the back ground.
At Calanga Phati is does not matter whether you are a bush person or a sea person as you can experience both the bush and the sea with the added bonus of the lake.
When it is hot in summer, take your umbrella and pitch it in the shallow water of Lagoa Phati and sit in the water to cool down with some liquid refreshments while just enjoying he tranquillity of the lake, taking a swim, rowing, bathing or whatever you feel like doing.
The Camp is totally off grid. There is no cell phone reception, except on top of the high sand dunes. You are forced to adjust to the tranquillity and the speed of nature that makes it a unique, enjoyable, invigorating and pleasant experience.
Culture
The area is very rural with the majority of people doing subsistence farming and fishing, both in the lakes and the sea.
The language spoken by the people is Xitsonga, although in Mozambique it is also referred to as Shangaan.
The name of the community in the specific area is Chicavele and there is a small primary school with about 40 children and two teachers.
“Calanga” – The Meaning
The name Calanga could mean a couple of things, inter alia a type of reptile, little bigger than a gecko, a place where you meet and talk to water spirits or a place of meditation. We prefer Calanga to be a place of “restful meditation”
Google Earth Images Indicating the Location of Calanga Phati Eco Camp
The following 3 Google Images indicates the location of Calanga Phati Eco Camp in Southern Mozambique.
Figure 1. Indicating Calanga Phati Eco Camp with regards to Maputo.
Figure 2. Indicating Calanga Phati Eco Camp with regards to Maniça and Maragara Sugar Estate.
Figure 3. Indicating Calanga Phati Eco Camp with regards to Lagoa Phati.
