In 1796 the explorer Mungo Park glided past Mopti, probably pretty unimpressed, for it was only a small Bozo fishing village spread over three islands. It was far behind the developed metropolises of Djenne to the south or Timbuktu to the north. Things only began to change in 1893 when the French, in colonizing mode, moved their commercial activities from Djenne to Mopti. Since then it has continued to grow and prosper.

Located at the confluence of Mali's two major rivers, the Niger and the Bani, Mopti is today the most important urban and commercial centre in the Niger Inland Delta. The River Niger, called Joliba in Bambara, runs for 2600 miles through West Africa. Just outside Mopti it stretches to four miles wide as it carves its way towards the Sahara Desert. Over 100,000 people live permanently in Mopti, and it's estimated that an equal number of travelling market men pass through every year. The population is a mix of mainly Bozo and Peul, with Bambara, Songhay and Tuareg communities also settled around the busiest port in the region.

The entrance to the city is quite dramatic. Originally Mopti was just three islands scattered across a marshland. Now, landfill and dykes have connected those islands and a 12km causeway crosses great expanses of paddy fields into the city. All roads lead to the port.

Crowded and bustling, the port is best observed from the vantage point of Bar Bozo. Sipping a cold beer, you can watch the river traffic pass by your table and the sunset paint the sky a blazing orange. The bar sits at the southern entry to the port and is named after the original inhabitants of Mopti, the Bozo fishermen. These fishermen still set up seasonal camps along the banks of the River Niger, and bring great quantities of fresh and smoked fish to Mopti. The Bozo reputation for knowing the river is widespread. Even in Bamako, a Malian will tell you, "Never get in a boat if it's not run by a Bozo."

Huge wooden vessels, capable of carrying up to 150 tons of cargo, pass by, loaded with dried fish, massive piles of firewood and giant slabs of salt from Timbuktu. Passenger boats motor by continually. On the biggest, the captain sits at the front, steering like a bus driver while passengers fill the rows of wooden benches inside and cover the roof as well. In the midst of the madness a small pirogue glides by with a single passenger seated in a plastic string chair, like the Queen of Sheba surveying all her riches.

To reach Bar Bozo you drive through a major crush of humanity, certain that your car will never make it without hitting something or someone. Women sit on the narrow roadsides, selling piles of tomatoes, carrots, spices, henna and bananas. Other women work behind little charcoal burners supporting deep pans of sizzling hot oil. They nonchalantly drop fresh fish into the bubbling liquid, serving it up on small scraps of paper to their roadside customers. Everyone is oblivious to the traffic snailing past, from small motorcycles to 18-wheeler trucks.

The port is the centre for all commercial activity, as well as a jump-off point for travel to the north by pinasse (the local wooden boat) on the river, or to the east by road, via Sevare, to Dogon country. Swarming with locals, the streets are also filled with tourists, often many of them dressed inappropriately. Mopti, like the rest of Mali, is predominantly Muslim. Its women prefer conservative attire and are well-covered, though in the brightest colours imaginable. They often look twice at foreign women passing by in shorts or miniskirts.

Mali's is a tolerant Islam, which gathers at the Grande Mosque in the old quarter of town called Komoguel. The mosque is a smaller replica of the Grande Mosque in Djenne, but definitely not quite as grand. Its banco surface (made from the local earth blocks) hugs the minarets that can be seen above the trees and skyline from almost anywhere in the city. Mopti's houses and compound walls are also banco, blending in with the colours of the ground. Even the commercial buildings, some as high as four stories, have taken on earth tones through years of accumulated dust.

The weekly Thursday market is as colourful as the others around the country, and as active, but it's almost anticlimacticafter the busyness of the port. That's why an afternoon and evening spent in Bar Bozo, drinking, eating fresh capitaine (Nile Perch) brochettes, and watching the endless stream of boats and people pass, following the rhythm of the river, is a great way to see Mopti.

Mopti Factfile

Getting There and Around

Air Mali, three European and several African airlines fly into Bamako. It can also be reached by train and road from neighbouring countries. A yellow fever certificate and a visa are required for entry - the latter only available through Mali consulates in France, Belgium and the USA.

There are three Air Mali flights a week to Sévaré (for Mopti). From Sévaré there are buses, báchées (pick-ups) and taxi brousses (Peugeot taxis) to Mopti and around. During the wet season (approximately August-January), three four-class passenger steamers ply the river, while nearby towns as far as Timbuktu can be reached in pinasses most of the year. Privately run bus services link the towns but need to be booked in advance.

Where to Stay

The cheapest accommodation is in a private house, usually a mat on a roof terrace, though this is illegal. You can pitch a tent in the Campement Hotel Mopti grounds or risk a bed (and more) at the Hotel Bar Mali, a haunt of thieves and prostitutes (though the beer's cheap). The mid-range Campement Hotel Mopti serves European food, has a variety of rooms and is where guides tend to gather. The Kananga Hotel next to the river in New Town is one of the best in Mali - aircon and cable TV included. Some visitors, however, prefer to sleep in Sévaré, just 12km down the road. Here the Oasis, Sévaré, Débo and Le Bozo hotels, Mankante B&B and the Auberge Teranga are all of a reasonably good standard - the Débo having baths, not just showers. They all have restaurants and are convenient for the airport and buses to other centres.

Eating

Street food, such as nuts, fried plantain, cakes and brochettes, is readily available, particularly near the harbour, taxi ranks and campement. Gargottes (basic eating houses) in those areas offer omelettes, bread, pastries, tea and coffee. The Restaurant Regal's rice, meat and fish dishes are popular.

The Sequi, Resto, Venice and Baro Muso eating houses cater primarily for locals. The outdoor riverside location of Bar le Bozo and its value-for-money menu make it popular, but beware mosquitoes. Grilled chicken at the Tam Tam (next to Hotel Mopti) is pretty fair. The Campement Hotel provides reasonable fare, while the Hotel Bar Mali's basic menu is pocket-friendly.

Worth Knowing

Get your passport stamped (possibly for a "fee") at the police station next to the campement - but don't tell them if you're sleeping in a private house. There are two banks, one in the town centre and one on the waterfront, where the service is slow and they often refuse to accept anything but French francs. Kids will pester you to buy souvenirs or take their guided tours of the town. There'll be a few con artists among them. If you're looking for tours to the Dogon Country (or elsewhere), several travel agencies can arrange cruiser rentals and English-, French-, Dutch- and German-speaking guides.

Cristina Kessler is a freelance writer who has lived in eight African countries, including Mali. She is the author of three children's books.

Published in Travel Africa Edition Sixteen: Summer 2001 Text is subject to Worldwide Copyright (c)