29/03/2023
Matema beach is a brown sanded lake side shore that is located on the northern tip Of Lake Nyasa, in a town (also district) called Kyela in Tanzania. 'Brown sanded' because, unlike most sandy beaches in the country which are white in colour, the sand at Matema beach is brown and notably heavier in weight. It is also one of the cleanest and tranquil beaches in the country, particularly because of is remote location.
Matema beach is bordered on the south-western side (right side when facing the lake) by several creeks, where some of the rivers in the region meet the lake, however, the beach goes on for as long as you can cross the first few creeks. On the north eastern side (left side when facing the lake) is a mountain range where some go hiking in. However, this is not actually a mountain but rather the walls of the rift valley of which the lake itself is situated in.
The lake Nyasa, kyela and Matema beach are all situated inside the rift valley, another beautiful feature of the place. If you are keen enough on your journey into the Kyela area, you would notice at some point there is a constant though not too steep descent where you may even be able to catch a glimpse of the lake. In fact Kyela (the town) lies less than 500m above sea level, very low if you consider altitudes of the surrounding areas. Because of this, Matema and Kyela in general have slightly elevated temperatures when compared to other nearby towns.
The beach is also home to several fishermen who would either be seen maintaining their boats and nets or out in the lake (depending on the time of day).
Location of Matema beach:
Matema beach is located a short distance outside Kyela town of Mbeya - Tanzania. The beach is remote but also frequented by a few people of Mbeya region visiting one of the only beaches in the area. It also lies on the northern most tip of Lake Nyasa with a few large hotels and safari camps located on it for convenience in accommodation.
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