Palma, city in Palma District, Mozambique
Palma is a small town in Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique, located close to the Indian Ocean. It has a simple layout with unpaved roads, low buildings made from local materials, and active markets where food, clothes, and everyday goods are bought and sold daily.
Palma was long a quiet fishing community where families made their living from the sea, selling their catches at local markets. The discovery of offshore gas in 2010 brought rapid change, with new construction projects, international companies, and a growing workforce transforming the town.
The name Palma reflects its Portuguese colonial past, referring to the palm trees that grow in the region. Today, the markets and streets reveal a multilingual community where Makwe, Makonde, Mwani, and Swahili are spoken, showing how different groups live side by side and share daily spaces.
The town is easy to explore on foot and the markets are the best place to observe local life and daily activity. Limited transportation means visitors should expect basic services and buses that run infrequently.
The town was attacked in 2021 by armed militants linked to extremist groups, leading to mass displacement and destruction that halted economic activity and changed daily life. This event remains a defining moment in Palma's recent history and affects how residents have rebuilt their community.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
