Ibo Island Lodge

a fabulous place for intrepid travellers

Ibo Island Lodge is located in the very remote Cabo Delgado area to the northeast of Mozambique.

This region experienced some very serious security issues from around 2020 onwards, which forced most of the remote lodges to close. This property has been able to stay open, thanks to it being located within a substantial settlement, which deters raiders. The ongoing situation is ensuring that this coastline remains frontier territory for tourism and all the cooler for it.

The lodge is operated by English expats Kevin and Fiona Record, who have been pioneering tourism into this remote area since1993 and who continue to be hands-on, with a driving passion for the place and its people.

The hotel is contained within sensitively restored buildings and centred around a swimming pool garden.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Ibo Island Lodge is in 14 rooms, all with classic high ceilings, authentic decor and air-conditioning, some of which are ranged around an internal garden with further rooms in the adjacent Villa Paradiso.

Activities

Ibo Island Lodge provides access to the following activities, not all of which are usually included in the room rate …

• Tours of the historic town
• Cultural visits
• Birding and nature walks
• Spa treatments
• Diving (not included)
• Snorkelling
• Kayaking
• Swimming with dolphins
• Sailing
• Day trips to remote islands

Cabo Delgado is the coolest and most remote beach areas on the Indian Ocean coastline of Africa. For more intrepid travellers, it can work well in combination with safari in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Malawi.

The usual stay duration is 5-10 nights.

Seasonality

The Cabo Delgado area is at its best during the May-Nov dry season, but there are good reasons to visit during other months.

Getting there

Getting here costs both time and money, so you really need to appreciate the remoteness to make it worthwhile.

Access is usually by air from Johannesburg into the main airport at Pemba Town. It is also sometimes possible to arrive from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, to the north.

From Pemba Town it is a 20 minute helicopter ride to the island.

something of a mission to get to