Ilha de Mozambique.
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Overview

Ilha de Mozambique (Mozambique Island) is an island in the Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique with a historical heritage that's among the best in Mozambique, and indeed in all of Africa. It was the capital of Mozambique for nearly four centuries under Portuguese colonization before the move to Lourenco Marques (now Maputo), and had been used as a major base for the Arab traders long before the arrival of the Portuguese. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The tiny, roughly 1 sq km island is connected by a concrete bridge with the mainland and is said to be crowded by 16000 inhabitants, most of them living in shacks with dismal sanitary conditions.

Get in

By plane The closest passenger airport is in Nampula, and it has flights from both other Mozambican and some other major African airports including Maputo, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

By car The island can easily be reached by road from Nampula. If you're driving follow the road towards Nacala, and turn off at the signpost for Ilha de Mozambique (which is in Monapo). It'll take around 2 hours and the road is good.

Get around

Ilha's is fairly tiny and you won't have any trouble walking around it - it's about a 20-minute walk from end to end, and only about 3 blocks wide. Gabriel's has bikes you can hire for the day.

See

Ilha's a mix of colonial Portuguese and old Swahili architecture. It basically divides into two halves - the old Stone Town in the north and the "Reed Town" in the south which is set down from the main streets.

Fort São Sebastião. Also worth a visit is the fort at the northern tip of the island, which contains the church of Nossa Senhora do Baluarte, almost certainly the oldest surviving European building in the Southern Hemisphere, dating back to 1522. Be sure you pay the right attendant, or you will have to pay the entrance fee twice: Ask for an entrance ticket, if you don't get one, don't pay.

Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte. Our Lady of Baluarte from 1522 is one of the oldest European structures in the Southern Hemisphere.

The museum. The museum is in the old Palácio dos Capitães-Generais, a big red building up in Stone Town. In the same building is a tourist information office that sells really good street maps and has all sorts of other information about the various restaurants and pensões on the island.

Capela de Santo António. In the Santo António fort, from the 16th century.

rua da Contra Costa. Street following the northern coast of the island and featuring a statue of Luís de Camões

Igreja da Misericórdia. And the Arte Sacra museum.

Igreja de N.S.ª da Saúde. And the small chapel of S. Francisco Xavier

Escola de Artes e Ofícios. Arts school.

Mesquita Grande. And the fishing harbor.

Do

Dive centre. There's a dive centre at the northern end of the island just down from the fort, but ask a lot of questions, and think twice if you aren't an experienced diver yourself. It's operated by the owner of the Case Caku guesthouse. They can also organize boat trips to other islands.

You can take boat trips or just laze on the beach. Swimming is, however, not advisable as the water is very dirty. If you're feeling adventurous, take a dhow over to the mainland at Chaga or Mossuril and explore along the coast there.

Buy

Some great souvenirs to purchase here literally come from the sea. On one hand there are shells and corals and objects made of them, on the other hand there are remains from the many shipwrecks from the waters around the island that have been flushed onto shore. In addition, there are also old Portuguese silver and bronze coins, from the colonial age.

Eat

There aren't that many restaurants on the island, with Reliquias and Escondidinho heading the list up in Stone Town. But you can find a number of local places serving fish and rice or xima. Establishments in Drink also serve food.

Reliquias. Interesting decor and exotic menu — try the matapa with coconut rice. The terrace is a beautiful place to enjoy the sunset.

The restaurant at Hotel Omuhipiti. Here you can eat well.

Drink

Esplanada do náuticos. A great place to have a beer and look at the sea in the evening.

Sleep

Camping. The cheapest option is the camp site on the mainland next to the bridge. Self catering is possible from the nearby shops..

Casa Luis. Laundry, cooking, air-condition etc. for pay. Very friendly owner. Located a bit outside from the main attractions in the Mud Town but just one minute from the green mosque

Casa Branca. A very popular place with three rooms (with bathroom) for rent in an atmospheric 300 year old house. It is said that some rooms have marvellous views. Advance bookings are advised.

Casa Oikos. Three rooms (with bathroom) for rent.

Casa Caku. Guesthouse with a garden. Two single rooms, two double rooms. Shared bathrooms. Breakfast.

Hotel Omuhi'piti. Now reopened following refurbishment and is the nicest (and only) hotel on the island. Air conditioned rooms. They also have a good and inexpensive restaurant.

Hotel Escondidinho. Tastefully renovated double storey building with 10 rooms, swimming pool, good restaurant (the restaurant manager speaks French too), Wi-Fi (better late in the evening).

The Quitanda´s Terrace Guest House. Is separated from the beach by a garden outside, has six exotic decorated suites, individually decorated, offering you every comfort in an air conditioned with king-size beds or twin size bed, private bathroom, and much space in an atmospheric 300 year old house. Advance bookings advised.