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- Visit Ibo while it’s still in a time warp
- 40 minute boat transfer
- Portuguese claimed the island from the Arabs in 1754
- Once the 2nd largest export town for salves & ivory in Mozambique
- One of the few pentagonal forts found along the Swahili coast
- On the return to Guludo the boat will stop off at a deserted sand bank for a picnic and swim
- $120 per person
An island stopped in time; a throw back to a time of colonialism, slaves, exploitation and silversmiths.
Ibo Island has a chequered, yet fascinating past. As you walk through the ancient Portuguese town, it doesn’t take much to imagine how this derelict city was once a fashionable hotspot in its heyday, from the mid 1700s on. The grand Portuguese villas, with intricate ironwork, high ceilings and large verandas are now crumbling and slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Just a stone’s through from the city centre is the famous pentagonal fort of St Jao Baptista. Originally built for defence, the fort was soon utilised for the abominable slave trade. The fort now tells the tragic story of the countless lives lost and exploited; the foundations to the lavish Portuguese city. However, the fort also shows hope for Ibo’s future with old and young silversmiths using the same ancient Arabic techniques as their forefathers to make and sell jewellery to the growing number of visitors to the island. The hope lies in the responsible and respectful development of the island so history doesn’t repeat itself with tourism taking the place of slavery as the exploiter.
