Matema beach is a brown sanded lakeside shore that is located on the northern tip Of Lake Nyasa, ‘Brown sanded’ unlike most sandy beaches in the country which are white in color, the sand at Matema beach is brown and notably heavier in weight.
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 northeastern 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.
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.
How to get to Matema Beach
To reach Matema Beach, it is a 130-kilometer drive from Mbeya City, passing through the tarmac road to the Malawian border. The drive is exciting as the car roll through green scenery, made up of tea, banana, and tree farms on hillside areas.
A tour of rice and cocoa farms in Kyela, a waterfall on Mount Livingstone, and special cultural performances add more tourist attractiveness to the area. Kyla is a small African and agrarian township where agricultural products are sold and transported to other parts of Tanzania, mostly the commercial city of Dar es Salaam.
There are several guest houses, lodges, and hotels in Kyela, ideal for local and foreign tourists. From Kyela and Matema, a visitor can cross the Tanzanian border to Malawi through the Kasumulu border post or take a boat at Itungi port to another side of Lake Nyasa in Malawi.