Beira is the second largest city and busiest port in Mozambique. It is a fusion of tropical Africa, continental and oriental life. The sprawling city is built on swampy ground at the mouth of the Pungwe River and is a hot and humid place, especially in summer - you should take anti-malaria precautions before coming here. The city owes its existence to the "Beira Corridor" which is a road and railway line constructed from the coast eastwards, providing Zimbabwe with its main outlet to the sea. Badly affected during the war years, the city centre is quickly catching up to its pre-war image and there is a thriving atmosphere of bars and cafés set against a mish-mash of architectural styles.