ship Inhambane is one of the oldest settlements on Mozambique's eastern coast.
Dhows traded here as early as the 11th century. Muslim and
Persian traders were the first outsiders to reach the area by sea and traded
pearls and
ambergris. They also traded at
Chibuene in the north. The area became well known for its local
cotton spinning and production by the
Tonga tribe. Sometime before the
Portuguese reached the area, the
Karanga had invaded Inhambane and formed a number of local
chiefdoms. They dominated the Tonga cotton workers and reaped the rewards of trading with the Muslims. When
Vasco da Gama rounded Africa in the late 15th century, he pulled into Inhambane to replenish stocks and to explore. He took an immediate liking to the area and named it Terra de Boa Gente or 'Land of the Good People'. In 1505, a ship sent by
Francisco de Almeida was shipwrecked south of the town, but the Portuguese gained an initial meeting with the Karanga chiefs. Later, their sons landed on
Mozambique Island to survey the situation. The Portuguese eventually established a permanent trading post at settlement in 1534. Inhambane was then chosen as the first
Jesuit mission to Southeast Africa in 1560. but grew rapidly in the second half of the century as a town of
Portuguese East Africa. The city is now home to a
museum and a
market and is known for its nearby
beaches of Tofo and Barra. The central market located along the main boulevard called simply "Mercado Central" offers numerous foods, ranging from a colourful array of
spices and
vegetables to
prawns,
fishes, and
cashew nuts. Motor and
dhow taxis sail from the town to
Maxixe. The town of Inhambane has one of the largest working fleets of dhows on the
Swahili Coast. ==Recreation==