Mozambique · Indian Ocean coast & islands
The Quirimbas Archipelago.
The Quirimbas are thirty-odd coral islands off the far north, and among the least developed island destinations in the Indian Ocean.
Ibo Island carries a layered Swahili, Portuguese and Arab history in its crumbling stone town, and the outer islands are as close to empty as this ocean gets. Diving here is superb and the logistics are more involved than the south.
The region's security situation in Cabo Delgado has affected access in recent years, and any itinerary here should be planned with current, specific advice rather than assumption.
How do you get to the Quirimbas Archipelago?
Fly to Pemba, in the far north of Mozambique, and then onward by light aircraft, helicopter or boat to the island you are staying on. Pemba has domestic flights from Maputo and regional connections.
Is it safe to travel to the Quirimbas?
The islands lie off Cabo Delgado province, where an insurgency on the mainland since 2017 has led several governments to advise against travel to parts of the province. Current official travel advice should be read before booking, and access to specific islands confirmed at the time.
What is special about Ibo Island?
Ibo was a trading post for centuries, and its old stone town, much of it roofless and overgrown, holds Portuguese forts, churches and merchants' houses. The star-shaped fort of São João Baptista houses Ibo's silversmiths, who still work in the traditional way. The island is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status.
What is Quirimbas National Park?
A park created in 2002 that covers the southern islands of the archipelago, their reefs and mangroves, and a large area of mainland forest and bush. The reefs are among the least disturbed in the western Indian Ocean.
How long should you spend in the Quirimbas?
Four to six nights, because the journey in is longer than to the southern islands. A night or two on Ibo is usually combined with an outer island.
What is there to see in the Quirimbas Archipelago?
What does the Quirimbas Archipelago pair well with?
- The Bazaruto ArchipelagoBazaruto is a national park of five islands with dunes, reefs and one of the last viable dugong populations in the western Indian Ocean.
- The southern coast and MaputoThe mainland coast south of Vilankulo is road-accessible from South Africa and quite different in character from the islands.
- Zanzibar and the coast, TanzaniaZanzibar is the standard finish to a Tanzanian safari — a Swahili archipelago with a World Heritage capital and a long history of its own.
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