Details
Imagine a remote Mozambican island lost in time and almost forgotten to the outside world for nearly a century. Picture grand, majestic architecture, some lovingly restored to their former glory while others have fallen into crumbling, marvelous ruins.
Be whisked to an idyllic white sandbank beach and dive some of Africa’s richest coral reefs. Snorkel, sea kayak, swim, fish, massage and relax. Take a Quirimbas mobile island hopping dhow safari. Snack on cashew nuts and tropical fruit and feast on seafood of every description. Recline high on our mesmerizing roof top terrace overlooking the ocean and track the slow and steady dhows that drift across the blue horizon. Refresh your senses with a massage and indulge yourself with a frosty cocktail at one of the pools.
Mozambique accommodation at Ibo Island Lodge is award nominated and has been described as one of the most magical, atmospheric and unique lodges in Africa. The island is also one of the oldest and most romantic settlements in Africa and is nominated for World Heritage Status. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Ibo Island Lodge was built with the community, and today either directly or indirectly benefits a large portion of Ibo’s population. Here your visit really does make a difference. The mystery, the magic, the culture and beauty of Ibo Island beckons.
Accommodation
At Ibo Island Lodge they offer some of the most unique, authentic and luxurious accommodation in Mozambique. We are located on the prime waterfront site on Ibo Island in the Quirimba’s Archipelago. Three historic and magnificent mansions, each over one hundred and fifty years old, have been lovingly restored to their former glory and make up this Mozambique Hotel.
Fourteen rooms with their air-conditioning and ceiling fans to keep things cool in the balmy tropical weather. Each room is individually designed and features elegant pillars, meter thick coral and lime walls, lofty tall ceilings and solid teak beams. This is a great example of some of the best and most unique Mozambique Accommodation.
The heart of Ibo Island Lodge is upstairs on the Bela Vista roof deck restaurant where guests sip sundowners and after dinner drinks under spectacular stars. All restaurant’s face west for unbelievable sunsets and their talented chefs are renowned for their award-winning tasty menu and fresh seafood, usually accompanied by tropical orange sunsets and dreamy views over the bay.
Dining
At Ibo Island Lodge, a culinary splendour overcooks in our award nominated kitchen. Sublime desserts such as Ibo coffee éclairs, surf-fresh seafood platters, smoked sail fish, coconut and chilli traditional Ibo Island crab curry, crunchy green pawpaw salad and lobster thermidor are some of the highlights on our menu. Fruits of the ocean and other tropical dishes are all prepared by our local chefs, unhurried and from scratch.
Wellness & Beauty
Enjoy a massage in the comfort of your room, inspired by the culture of the local people on Ibo and using local traditions as passed down from mothers to daughters of Ibo. Body scrubs are prepared using Ibo coarse sea salt and locally grown zesty lemon grass. Good feelings saturate your body, all five senses refreshed! Don’t forget to also sample a traditional Mozambique Musiro facial. The painted mask is akin to a beautify facial or mud mask in the Western world. It is worn often by the Mwani women of Ibo and every day during the Muslim religious time of Ramadan. It’s common anytime to see Ibo women in the street or at the market with their faces painted an exotic white.
Activities
Ibo Island Lodge offers some of the broadest range of experiences in Mozambique set in an undeniably unique and tranquil island atmosphere. The flexibility of guest activities is what makes Ibo Island Lodge renowned. One day guests can be active and exploring with a wide range of guided land and marine experiences, and the next they can relax island style, with a massage and have a lazy day at the beach. It is the perfect island mix for guests wanting something authentic and more than just a typical beach holiday. It suits romantics, families and special interest groups alike.
Well trained guides offer unique special interest guided activities: Mobile Island hopping safaris, scuba diving and snorkelling, birding safaris, guided sea kayaking into the 2nd largest mangrove forest in Africa, castaway picnics to neighbouring islands, traditional dhow sailing, historical and cultural interactive experiences.
The Sand Bank Beach Experience – Complimentary
A motorized or sailing dhow excursion (depending on winds) takes you one of Ibo’s best kept secrets. A beautiful white sand bank beach totally surrounded by warm blue sea, where the luxury is in the seclusion of the setting. You may have some local fishermen pull up on the beach with their catch of the day, or another boat with guests from a neighbouring property, but there is enough space and photographic experiences for everyone. This is one of the most unique beach experiences in Africa, and is regarded as one of the must do’s in the Quirimbas Archipelago.
The Ibo of Yesterday Guided Historical Experience – Complimentary
A guided walking journey throughout Ibo Islands Stone Town and important historical buildings many that have been rehabilitated, and some that have fallen into decline. Visit the ancient fort of St Joao Baptista and learn more about the turbulent history that this beautiful fort has endured and see where traditional silversmiths still hand craft exquisite intricate jewelry using ancient Arab technique sand tools and found no-where else in the world. Guests can observe the craft in the making and purchase unique gifts to take home. Guided historical and cultural activities enable guests to immerse themselves in the unique culture of Ibo and a rare chance to understand this unchanged lifestyle.
Scuba Diving ( At an extra cost )
Ibo Island Lodge has a resident Padi Dive Instructor and offers scuba diving to accredited divers as well as PADI DSD’s, Open Water and Advanced dive training courses. You can book a series of dives as a guest at Ibo Island Lodge, or book a dedicated dive package or a mobile island hopping dive safari – one of the most unique dive and adventure experiences in Africa!
Ibo Island and her surrounds has some wonderful dive sites that recent guests have been raving about. Definitely the most superior diving at Ibo is at the light house. It is a long wall dive that covers an area of 1 square km. Starting at 7 m of depth there are large gardens of coral tables, soft corals, bucket corals, green tree corals and at the wall side it falls away to a coral bottom at 21m where divers are likely to see a good range of tropical fish. Highlights on the lighthouse dive are angel fish, massive napoleon wrasse, trumpet fish, damsel fishes, leaf fish, praying mantis shrimp, ribbon eels and garden eels. On the wall side there are overhangs where divers can see potato bass. In the caves on this dive you can also see white banded cleaner shrimp and ghost shrimps. Just off the wall sightings of green turtle are very common with hundreds of big eye travellis, five lined snappers, hump head snapper and southern fusilier. You may also be lucky enough to see dolphins on the dive and often on the way to and from the dive site by boat.
Dolphin Encounter Safari ( At an extra cost )
A wonderful adventure on board our magnificent solid teak 12 meter sailing dhows, scanning the horizon for dolphins (bottle-nose and humpback), turtles and humpback whales (in season), and if you are lucky, under snorkel and with the assistance of your guide leap into the warm azure Indian ocean to swim and snorkel amidst these wonderful creatures …. Just another magical once in a life time Mozambique experience!
Humpback Whales protect their calves in the calm waters surrounding Ibo. Excellent sightings are also possible from August to early November before they migrate.
Accessibility
You can easily connect to Ibo Island in northern Mozambique from South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Pemba, is in the Cabo Delgado Province and is the gateway to the Quirimbas Islands – just a short island hop away. There are daily flights from Johannesburg to Pemba and regular flights from Dar – Es – Salaam and Nairobi. At Pemba you will be met by a representative of Ibo Island Lodge who will either escort you directly to the next light aircraft to the island, or to the air-conditioned waiting room for your short flight to Ibo Island.
The light air craft transfer to Ibo is often the highlight. Flying low over the beautiful islands and clear turquoise waters where you can sometimes spot turtles and whales in season. Ibo Island waits hidden just approximately 25 minutes away.