Miradouro da Lua is a set of cliffs 40 km south of Luanda, in the municipality of Belas, in Angola.
Over time, the erosion caused by wind and rain created the lunar landscape that we find today. Miradouro da Lua is a must-see tourist spot for anyone heading from Luanda to Barra do Cuanza or the beaches of Cabo Ledo.
This was the setting for the film "O Miradouro da Lua" by Portuguese director Jorge António, the first Portuguese-Angolan cinematographic co-production, shot in 1993 and which won the special prize for Realization at the Gramado Festival, Brazil.
Here, the craters were not caused by meteorites or asteroids from the far reaches of the universe. Who knows whether by invisible forces or by mere chance, all the winds and rains chose these few kilometers of cliff on the Angolan coast to carve one of the most beautiful natural works in the country. In addition to the geological structures, there are the colors of the exposed layers, which overlap in an increasing sense of accumulation of new moons. The composition of the different platforms varies, and with them a whole rainbow of earth colors is exposed: dark brown and light brown; vermilion and strong orange.
And if we want to elevate the poetics of these cliffs to the extreme, we can talk about the sunset. Buzzword or not, this place facing the ocean is particularly beautiful at the end of the day, when the slender red light deforms the lunar landscape even more. Like a complex game of Chinese shadows. Like the Moon (the real one), the Miradouro is a mirror of the sun that leaves us in an introspective way.
However, this mirror can be broken at any time. The accentuated natural erosion of this fragile geological system puts it at risk of implosion (end-of-life star type).
More than cinematic, this scenario is a place of inspiration, and of super easy access, on the side of the road that leaves Luanda towards the south. A little further ahead you will find the detour to the village of Parede, or Miradouro da Lua, where the fishermen who live there have long realized the potential of the place where they live. When visiting them, take the opportunity to buy fresh or dried fish. Guaranteed to have been caught in the sea that bathes our piece of the moon.
Miradouro da Lua is considered the most visited tourist attraction in Angola.
