Ibo was elevated to the category of village in 1761 after the detaching of the province of Mozambique from the Portuguese State of India in 1752, thus becoming the first capital of Cabo Delgado.
Its government was installed in 1763, and comprised a municipal council and court. Ibo saw its economic apogee at the time of the slave trade, whose abolition spelt a slow economic decline that was consummated, politically, with the transfer of the last divisions of the administration of Cabo Delgado to Pemba (then called Port Amelia) in 1929.
The Qurimbas archipelago consists of about 32 islands, including Ibo, Matemo, Medjumbe, Quirimba, Metundo, Quisiva, Vamizi Island and Rolas Island all going up to the Tanzanian border. The Quirimbas National Park, spanning an area of 7,500 square kilometres, includes the 11 most southerly islands, which are partly surrounded by mangroves. The park was established in 2002 as a protected area
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Ibo Island Fort
Built in 1781 and last restored in 1953, the Fort of São João Baptista do Ibo is the second largest fortification of Mozambique. Star-shaped and located next to the sea, the fortress has interior buildings, able to house about 300 men, and a chapel, as well as 15 iron cannon.
Today the fort is home to several of Ibo’s legendary silversmiths, who work on fine sliver jewellery in rooms underneath the fort’s battlements, but it’s history is violent and bloody as a slave trading station.
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Ibo Island Lodge
We finished our tour of the island here with a drinks stop and a swim
Located on a waterfront site, Ibo Island Lodge is located in three original mansions, each over a hundred years old. The fourteen suites, all individually designed to stay authentic to Ibo’s history and original architecture, offer spacious bathrooms, air-conditioning and ceiling fans. The wide verandas are furnished with hand-crafted furniture and comfortable cushions.
The lodge features three swimming pools set in tropical gardens, an air-conditioned area and a private dining room, as well as a roof terrace restaurant with an open-air lounge area for after-dinner drinks under the stars. Freshly grown vegetables, fruits and herbs, and locally caught seafood are combined to create healthy, delicious meals. Guests are offered an array of adventures, including water sports, fishing and outings to interact with the local islanders.
It is not cheap to stay here at 650 Euros for one night in a double room (includes all meals!)
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The Boyzz get ready to drive the Zodiac back to the Discoverer