Nkhata Bay
Encyclopedia
Nkhata Bay or just Nkhata is the capital of the Nkhata Bay District
in Malawi
. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi
(formerly Lake Nyasa), east of Mzuzu
, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. The population of Nkhata Bay is estimated to be 14,722 as of 2008. Nkhata Bay is 413 kilometres (256.6 mi) from Lilongwe
, Malawi’s capital city, and 576 kilometres (357.9 mi) from Blantyre
, Malawi’s largest city. Nkhata Bay is the second "busiest resort" on Lake Malawi.
, who fled north to escape the rule of the Zulu
king Shaka
, in South Africa
.
is the preferred language in hospitals, churches, radio and newspapers in Nkhata Bay. Tonga is the main language spoken in Nkhata Bay’s schools; Tonga is used approximately 92% of the time.
. Farming, especially cassava
, is the main occupation in the area. Rubber plantations also exist at Nkhata Bay. In May 2008, the Lweya irrigation scheme in Nkhata Bay was "rehabilitated".
Income from tourism
is a major source of income to the Nkhata Bay community.
from Monkey Bay in southern Malawi, to Chilumba in the north, via Likoma Island
and Chizumulu. In July 2006, plans were announced to "rehabilitate" Nkhata Bay port, and to re-establish a ferry service between Nkhata Bay and Mbamba Bay
in Tanzania
. This route is currently serviced by motorized dhow
.
There are regular minibuses that travel from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu
, Chintheche
, Nkhotakota
and Salima
. Express buses to Blantyre
, Mzuzu
and Karonga
depart from the police road block, 3 km from the town.
In June 2008, it was announced that the African Development Bank
(ADB) would fund the reconstruction of the road from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu. As of 20 June 2008, it is expected that the ADB will partly fund the reconstruction.
and now play in Mzuzu
. The team play in the TNM Super League. There is a ladies’ football team in Nkhata Bay, and are called the Nkhata Bay United Sisters of Malawi. The club was founded in 2003. Netball
is also played in Nkhata Bay. In June 2008, the champions of Nkhata Bay were Kawalazi, and received a prize of 30,000 Malawian Kwacha.
Each summer there is a multi-day yacht race which starts at Cape Maclear
in the south, and ends at Nkhata Bay.
to the Malawi national football team
, after their 1-0 victory against Egypt, the African champions, in a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier.
will not allow withdrawals using most foreign credit or debit cards. There is now internet access and at least one internet cafe. There are public telephones. I can confirm that as of August 2009 the bank ATM now give cash advances up 15000 Mkw on international visa debit and credit cards with a four digit pin.
. AllAfrica have reported that parts of the Nkhata Bay area are not receiving appropriate AIDS treatment.
as "Caribbeanesque" and a "lush tropical indent". There are several guesthouses and lodges for tourists in Nkhata Bay. In February 2005, the Malawian government announced plans to build ecolodges as a way of increasing ecotourism
in the Nkhata Bay area. The diving school in Nkhata Bay offers the "cheapest diving course in the world" according to The Daily Telegraph
. Nkhata Bay tourism has a long history. It has been part of the overland backpackers route between east africa and cape town but the number of backpackers have dropped considerably in recent years. Political issues in Zimbabwe has revised the overland backpacking route so that many people now go through Zambia or the Mozambique coast. The Heart Hotel was a local owned establishment in the local village where very low budget backpackers could get a room and breakfast for well under one US dollar. Nkhata Bay became a place where people could rest on a long trip and spend very little money. With the opening of Njajay Lodge the scene changed a little. The town along with backpackers culture shifted to catering to a traveler with more money to spend. While the village now has many places to stay the problem has become attracting people who now often travel though other countries or more easier accessed beaches in Malawi. Another shift that has reduced the amount of foreign visitors to Nkhata Bay is the increasing number of people traveling Africa by overland truck rather than independent backpackers travel. Overland trucks to do not come to Nkhata Bay but instead choose the beaches on Chinteche to the south. As a result many of the local artists have moved their craft stalls to the Nkhata Bay/Chinteche road junction. This along with huge increases in international parcel rates from Malawi have made it increasing difficult for the talented local artist to make a living. Many artists now set up stalls directly outside of overland truck camps around Malawi understanding that backpackers can no longer afford to send famous Malawi chief chairs and masks home.
reported as "Malawi's surprise wedding of the year"
at Nkhata Bay by a crocodile
; Chawinga managed to escape by biting the crocodile on the nose. The crocodile then released him, and Chawinga managed to return to the shore, although he had received severe injuries to his legs and arms. The Times
reported that, according to "wildlife experts", Chawinga is the first person to survive after "using such an audacious tactic".
Nkhata Bay District
Nkhata Bay is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Nkhata Bay. The district covers an area of 4,071 km.² and has a population of 164,761.Nkhata Bay District houses the charity group in Mwaya....
in Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
(formerly Lake Nyasa), east of Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. The population of Nkhata Bay is estimated to be 14,722 as of 2008. Nkhata Bay is 413 kilometres (256.6 mi) from Lilongwe
Lilongwe
Lilongwe, estimated population 902,388 as of 2009, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe River, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.-History:The city started life as a...
, Malawi’s capital city, and 576 kilometres (357.9 mi) from Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
, Malawi’s largest city. Nkhata Bay is the second "busiest resort" on Lake Malawi.
History
The ancestors of Nkhata Bay residents were the Tonga (Lakeside Tonga). In 19th century the area suffered frequent attacks from the Ngoni peopleNgoni people
The Ngoni people are an ethnic group living in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, in east-central Africa. The Ngoni trace their origins to the Zulu people of kwaZulu-Natal in South Africa...
, who fled north to escape the rule of the Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
king Shaka
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Demographics
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 6,494 |
| 1998 | 9,424 |
| 2008 | 14,722 |
Language
ChichewaChichewa language
Chewa, also known as Nyanja, is a language of the Bantu language family. The gender prefix chi- is used for languages, so the language is also known as Chichewa and Chinyanja.-Distribution:...
is the preferred language in hospitals, churches, radio and newspapers in Nkhata Bay. Tonga is the main language spoken in Nkhata Bay’s schools; Tonga is used approximately 92% of the time.
Economy
Nkhata Bay is dependent on fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. Farming, especially cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
, is the main occupation in the area. Rubber plantations also exist at Nkhata Bay. In May 2008, the Lweya irrigation scheme in Nkhata Bay was "rehabilitated".
Income from tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is a major source of income to the Nkhata Bay community.
Damage to crops
In April 2002, over 1000 hectares (2,471.1 acre) of "corn, rice, nuts and cassava" were washed away at Nkhata Bay after heavy rain, causing a worsening of food shortages. In March 2006, Nkhata Bay received over 300 bags of maize from the Feed the Nation Fund, because the area was suffering from food shortages. There were heavy rains in April 2006, causing further damage to Nkhata Bay. Malawi’s former minister of agriculture, Uladi Mussa Monday, stated in May 2008 that due to heavy rain and flooding, crops in Nkhata Bay had washed away; he said this would cause an "acute food shortage".Transport
Nkhata Bay is a port visited by the MV Ilala steamship, a boat which travels up Lake MalawiLake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
from Monkey Bay in southern Malawi, to Chilumba in the north, via Likoma Island
Likoma Island
Likoma Island is the larger of two inhabited islands in Lake Malawi , in East Africa, the smaller being the nearby Chizumulu. Likoma and Chizumulu both belong to Malawi, and together they make up the Likoma District...
and Chizumulu. In July 2006, plans were announced to "rehabilitate" Nkhata Bay port, and to re-establish a ferry service between Nkhata Bay and Mbamba Bay
Mbamba Bay
Mbamba Bay is a town in western Tanzania, lying on the eastern shore of Lake Malawi. Elevation 471m.- Port :Mbamba Bay has an indentation in the otherwise straight profile of the lake and may be a potential port.- Transport :...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. This route is currently serviced by motorized dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
.
There are regular minibuses that travel from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
, Chintheche
Chintheche
Chintheche is a settlement in the Nkhata Bay District of the Northern Region of Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi, and is approximately south of Nkhata Bay. The town is close to the main road between Nkhata Bay and Nkhotakota.-History:...
, Nkhotakota
Nkhotakota
Nkhotakota is a town and one of the districts in the Central Region of Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. As of 2008, Nkhotakota had a population estimated at 33,150...
and Salima
Salima
-Demographics:...
. Express buses to Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
, Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
and Karonga
Karonga
Karonga is a township in the Karonga District in Northern Region of Malawi. Located on the western shore of Lake Nyasa, it was established as a slaving centre sometime before 1877. As of 2008 estimates, Karonga has a population of 42,555.-History:...
depart from the police road block, 3 km from the town.
In June 2008, it was announced that the African Development Bank
African Development Bank
The African Development Bank Group is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa...
(ADB) would fund the reconstruction of the road from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu. As of 20 June 2008, it is expected that the ADB will partly fund the reconstruction.
Sport
Nkhata Bay’s local football team are the Nkhata Bay Police; the team were renamed to Eagle StrikersEagle Strikers
Eagle Strikers are a football team from Malawi. They currently play in the Malawi Premier Division....
and now play in Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
. The team play in the TNM Super League. There is a ladies’ football team in Nkhata Bay, and are called the Nkhata Bay United Sisters of Malawi. The club was founded in 2003. Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
is also played in Nkhata Bay. In June 2008, the champions of Nkhata Bay were Kawalazi, and received a prize of 30,000 Malawian Kwacha.
Each summer there is a multi-day yacht race which starts at Cape Maclear
Cape Maclear
Cape Maclear or Chembe is a town in the Mangochi District of Malawi's Southern Region. The town, situated on the Nankumba Peninsula, is on the southern shore of Lake Malawi and is the busiest resort on Lake Malawi...
in the south, and ends at Nkhata Bay.
Politics
The Member of the Malawian Parliament for Nkhata Bay North is Pisho Nkhwazi. The MP for Nkhata Bay Central is Symon Vuwa Kaunda. The MP for Nkhata Bay South West is Silvester Kasambara, a member of the opposition. Kasambara caused a storm in Parliament in June 2008 when he pledged 10,000 Malawian kwachaMalawian kwacha
The kwacha is the currency of Malawi as of 1971, replacing the Malawian pound. It is divided into 100 tambala. The kwacha replaced other types of currency, namely British, South African and Rhodesian, that had previously circulated through the Malawian economy...
to the Malawi national football team
Malawi national football team
The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, is the national team of Malawi and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966 they were known as the Nyasaland national football team...
, after their 1-0 victory against Egypt, the African champions, in a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier.
Amenities
There are bars, restaurants, two grocery stores, a bus station, tailor shops, a taxi rank and a market in Nkhata Bay. There is one bank, although the automated teller machineAutomated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
will not allow withdrawals using most foreign credit or debit cards. There is now internet access and at least one internet cafe. There are public telephones. I can confirm that as of August 2009 the bank ATM now give cash advances up 15000 Mkw on international visa debit and credit cards with a four digit pin.
Law and order
Nkhata Bay has a police station. Robberies of tourists have occurred at Nkhata Bay, but are rare.Medical
There is a hospital in Nkhata Bay, and in October 2006 it received a donation from the National Bank of MalawiNational Bank of Malawi
National Bank of Malawi ', is a commercial bank in Malawi. The bank is one of the eleven banks licensed by the Reserve Bank of Malawi, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
. AllAfrica have reported that parts of the Nkhata Bay area are not receiving appropriate AIDS treatment.
Tourism
Nkhata Bay is described by Lonely PlanetLonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
as "Caribbeanesque" and a "lush tropical indent". There are several guesthouses and lodges for tourists in Nkhata Bay. In February 2005, the Malawian government announced plans to build ecolodges as a way of increasing ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
in the Nkhata Bay area. The diving school in Nkhata Bay offers the "cheapest diving course in the world" according to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
. Nkhata Bay tourism has a long history. It has been part of the overland backpackers route between east africa and cape town but the number of backpackers have dropped considerably in recent years. Political issues in Zimbabwe has revised the overland backpacking route so that many people now go through Zambia or the Mozambique coast. The Heart Hotel was a local owned establishment in the local village where very low budget backpackers could get a room and breakfast for well under one US dollar. Nkhata Bay became a place where people could rest on a long trip and spend very little money. With the opening of Njajay Lodge the scene changed a little. The town along with backpackers culture shifted to catering to a traveler with more money to spend. While the village now has many places to stay the problem has become attracting people who now often travel though other countries or more easier accessed beaches in Malawi. Another shift that has reduced the amount of foreign visitors to Nkhata Bay is the increasing number of people traveling Africa by overland truck rather than independent backpackers travel. Overland trucks to do not come to Nkhata Bay but instead choose the beaches on Chinteche to the south. As a result many of the local artists have moved their craft stalls to the Nkhata Bay/Chinteche road junction. This along with huge increases in international parcel rates from Malawi have made it increasing difficult for the talented local artist to make a living. Many artists now set up stalls directly outside of overland truck camps around Malawi understanding that backpackers can no longer afford to send famous Malawi chief chairs and masks home.
Marriage
In March 2000, 73-year-old man from Nkhata and a 22 year-old woman married, in what BBC NewsBBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported as "Malawi's surprise wedding of the year"
Crocodile attack
In December 2002, a businessman, Mac Bosco Chawinga, was dragged in to Lake MalawiLake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
at Nkhata Bay by a crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
; Chawinga managed to escape by biting the crocodile on the nose. The crocodile then released him, and Chawinga managed to return to the shore, although he had received severe injuries to his legs and arms. The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reported that, according to "wildlife experts", Chawinga is the first person to survive after "using such an audacious tactic".