Casa Golfinho

Casa Golfinho is a beach house in the Cumbini Estate overlooking Guinjata Bay, in Inhambane Province. Built from local materials, it offers first world amenities in a local style and architecture.

It sleeps eight under mozzie nets in four double rooms, each with dressing area and en-suite shower, toilet and basin. The central block is an open plan kitchen, bar area, lounge and dinning section. There is a deck and covered patio overlooking the beach. The house is thatched and is built in local face bricks. There is covered parking for two cars and another three open parking bays.

Guinjata Bay is 535 kilometers from the Komatipoort Border and from there one travels towards Maputo, taking the ring road to then head north on the EN1 to Lindela. At Lindela one takes the right hand fork onto a secondary tarred road to Inhambane. 25 kilometres on there is a busy tee junction with the "Red Road" (red sand) to the right and 16 kilometres of reasonable sand road brings one to a collection of shops and stalls including a superette and garage.

The house is fully equipped for eight people. Beds can be made up in single or double configuration, it has a fridge and deep freezes, bar fridge, ice machine, modern gas/electric stove, hot water geysers, Wifi and a gas braai. Rodriques Cumbi is the man-Friday and does the daily servicing and offers a hand-washing laundry service and can source fresh sea food, fruit and vegetables and provide local knowledge.

The house is on the top of the beach dunes overlooking the white sands of the beach with a 400 metres walk down a path onto the beach. The location means that there is a constant sea breeze for hot summer nights but fans are also provided. Within the 1000 metres spread of the bay are two dive centres, three restaurants and a handicraft and curio sellers. The point forming the southern end of the bay provides safe boat launching, snorkelling as well swimming. Sea temperatures vary between 22 C in winter and up to 29 C in late summer. The dive centres can train in SCUBA and take parties to a variety of dive spots including the world famous Manta Reef - a cleaning station for the giant manta rays. Multiple pods of whales can be seen from the patio between July and October, as well as dolphins, turtle, whale-sharks and its a fishing paradise for rock and surf and ski-boaters. The local fishing charter comes highly recommended.