Ibo Island Lodge, Mozambique: A Trip Back in Time to a Forgotten Place

We knew about the young couple who’d heard the siren call of the Quirimbas Islands – and ventured out to build a very special place called Ibo Island Lodge.

And, so, after safaris in Zambia and Chobe National Park, we flew out to Ibo Island in northern Mozambique. The lodge sounded like just the retreat for some special R&R.

It delivered that – plus a cornucopia of culture and history and unique island experiences we won’t easily forget!

Ibo Island Lodge

The lodge oozes character like no other place we’ve set down our suitcases in.

Each of the 14 rooms and suites is different.

But all rooms have beamed ceilings at least 20 feet high, polished gray stone floors, dark wood antiques, embroidered silk bedspreads, and brass-knobs and switches.

From the swinging daybed on our porch, framed by bougainvillea upon which butterflies alighted, we gazed out at mangroves and wooden dhows stuck in the sand at low tide.

Doves could be heard cooing in the distance.

And just outside the reception building, a huge tree supports over 100 round nests of village weaver birds. They hang from the branches like Christmas ornaments.

You can spend hours watching the yellow canary-like birds flying in and out of the nests and chirping in the leaves.

Must-do: Breakfast on the sandbar

Wining and dining

Back at the lodge, creative seafood lunch salads and candlelight dinners kept us happily stuffed. (Dessert always includes a different homemade ice-cream, perhaps vanilla one day, then banana the next.)

And Ibo Island Lodge’s rooftop bar is the best place on the island to watch the dramatic sunsets.

Ibo Island Lodge review: Bottom line?

You can’t expect a turn-key Four Seasons (or you’ll be disappointed).

Rattan rugs are weathered by age. Fruit bats in the tree by the lunch patio splatter splotches of purple on the chairs – but how lucky were we see to see the bats! Our shower eked out trickles of water. To plug in our electronics, the housekeeper kindly crawled under our bed to find a fixture. Expect dim lighting and almost non-existent WiFi (remember, we said you’re at the edge of the earth).

But there’s air-conditioning. And candles. And a sense of experiencing something authentic and singular that very few people get to experience.

And that, ultimately, is what makes this resort so special.

Read about another Mozambique resort we stayed at: Diamonds Mequfi Beach Resort exceeded all our expectations!

Ibo Island history and building the lodge

That was back in 1994, and they discovered islands surrounded by white beaches and turquoise seas as warm as the local people.

When they sailed into the ancient harbor of Ibo Island, they were immediately charmed by the island’s 16th century crumbling forts and ruins of once-grand houses – remnants of a lost city.

Ibo had remained forgotten to the outside world for almost a century, and they were virtually the first tourists. Smitten, they decided to renovate what was the governor’s mansion, eventually restoring three side-by-side coral and limestone buildings.

And that is how Kevin and Fiona Record became the owners of Ibo Island Lodge, the island’s first hotel in modern history.

The lodge opened its doors in 2006.

Get the full scoop on planning a luxury trip to Africa: See our Africa Travel Guide, complete with safari tips, what to do in Cape Town, etc.

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