Ilha de Moçambique and Quirimbas Archipelago
(Originally published December 2010)
Ilha de Mocambique was the old capital of Portuguese East Africa. The small island is only 2km long and 300m wide and connected to the mainland by a 3.5km bridge. The island is clearly split into a stone town and a ‘makura’ (reed) town. The majority of the buildings are crumbling and only a few have been restored so far. In places, it seems like a ghost town but a restoration effort is under way and in a few years its popularity should soar… It certainly has all the credentials to be a huge draw. The island is surrounded by turquoise waters lapping up on the white sand and there’s a spectacular fort at the northern end that houses a chapel that is the oldest European settlement in the southern hemisphere dating from 1552.
I spent 3 nights here relaxing, walking around, swimming, taking photos, eating local seafood and generally enjoying not being anywhere near any form of transportation!
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| Ilha de Mocambique |
I left Ilha in Tuesday morning (early again at 4.30am!) and headed up to Pemba, the launch town for the Quirimbas Archipelego. The Quirimbas National Park was set up in 2002 to conserve and protect the rich marine life and fragile ecosystem of the 32 islands that make up the archipelago that stretches 400km from Pemba in the south up to the Tanzania border. It has recently come under threat from oil exploration and the discovery of potential offshore fields. Everyone on the coast and in the Cabo Delgado province is worried about the future as they depend on the rich but fragile coastal ecosystem, fishing and tourism (predominantly ecotourism as there are strict controls in place), however it’s hard to see how the government of a such a poor country will ignore the potential riches of black gold.
I was pretty lucky as the chapa from Ilha arrived at Namiola (where the road to Pemba branches north off the main Nampula – Ilha road) shortly before the Nampula – Pemba bus. If I’d have missed that my journey would have been considerably longer and more painful! The bus was heaving and the only seat available to me was the elevated hump next to the driver (which gets rather warm as it houses the engine!)… Got good views of the drive up though!
I arrived into Pemba and headed straight for the travel agent where I could organise a trip to the Quirimbas. I had decided to fly to Ilha do Ibo and avoid another day of travel by chapa and dhow (traditional sail canoe). I had hoped to fly to the Quirimbas the next day and get the Pemba – Dar Es Salaam flight on Sunday to have a couple of days on Zanzibar. Sadly I could only get to the islands on Thursday and to Dar on the following Wednesday. Having been to Zanzibar before it didn’t matter too much and I would simply spend a bit more time in Pemba and the Quirimbas.
On the coast it is so hot! The humidity is stifling. On a good day the breeze will make it bearable but if without it’s punishing. The only saving grace is that there is usually a pool or the turquoise ocean to throw oneself into!
On Thursday I flew from Pemba to Ilha do Ibo. I was in luck the flight was a cargo one and I got to fly further up the coast to Matemo and Medjumbe before getting dropped off at Ibo on the way back. I effectively got a scenic flight of a large part of the archipelago… And from the copilot seat!!
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| Quirimbas from the air |
Ilha do Ibo, similar to Ilha de Mocambique, has a scattering of old colonial buildings that make it very atmospheric and photogenic (over and above the turquoise waters). Ibo had been an Arab trading post for hundreds of years when the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century. The Portuguese decided to use it themselves once they defeated the Arabs and used it primarily for the export of gold, ivory and slaves. Ibo was the provincial capital until it was moved to Pemba in the early 20th century to accommodate bigger ships. From then Ibo faded into a backwater. It is more of a village in terms of scale though and is not connected to the mainland, you have to either fly or take a dhow to get there. I stayed on Ibo for 4 nights, one at Cinque Portas, a simple lodge with a fantastic pool and then 3 at the stunning Ibo Island Lodge.
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| Ibo |
. A couple of historical walking tours of the island with local guides which were informative and enjoyable. On one, I also met the local legend Joao Baptista, 85 years old and custodian of Ibo history having lived and worked here under colonial rule, civil war and democracy.
. Sunset from the Ibo fort, a stunning white, star shaped fort overlooking the entrance of the Ibo sailing channel
. Trip to a deserted sand bank, with snorkelling at a wreck en route and lunch next to the turquoise ocean
. Walking through the local villages on Ibo and Quirimba islands
. Sea kayaking trip to Quirimba island through the mangrove forest and the open sea.
. Drank lots of good coffee – Ibo Island coffee is similar to the coffee on Zanzibar and has a mild spiciness which is a legacy from the days of the Arabs.
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| Ibo Fort |
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| Ibo sunset |
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