FLIGHTS TO PEMBA: If you are picking up your SA Airlink OR LAM flight tickets at Johannesburg International Airport, please have your reference number available and redeem your tickets at the SA AIRLINK OR LAM check in counter.
If there are any problems with your check in or with your tickets, please contact
Jo-Anna Collard in our central reservations office based in Cape Town, South Africa on +27 82 418 8802 OR +27 72 522 0119.
IF TRAVELING VIA MAPUTO ON LAM: It is approximately an hours flight from Johannesburg to Maputo.
Whilst on board ensure you receive and complete a Mozambique entry form.
On arrival in Maputo you must disembark form the plane taking all your hand luggage with you. Your luggage in the hold remains on board.
You must cross the tarmac following the signs “transito”.
On entry into the terminal, you must queue up to receive your boarding card for the next leg of the journey. Ensure you have the stub from your boarding card from Johannesburg to Maputo to give to the LAM staff. You may not be in the same seat for the next leg of the journey.
Whilst in the queue your passport and completed landing card will probably be collected by an official and taken to passport control.
Once you have your new boarding card proceed round the corner to passport control. Here you must pay US$25 – US$35 per person in cash for your visa (SA residents do not need visas). We would advise on small notes. You will probably have to wait a while whilst the visa is processed.
Once your passport has been returned to you, you go through the door marked “transito/transfers” and you will be guided back to the plane.
Departing from Pemba: please have US$3 – US$5 per person available for ‘stamp duty’ when passing through security after check in.
ARRIVING IN PEMBA AND TRANSFERS TO IBO ISLAND: You will arrive at Pemba International Airport in the Cabo Delgado province of northern Mozambique – the gateway to the Quirimbas Archipelago.
You will disembark the plane and walk across to the small Pemba arrivals room. If you are booked on a direct flight to Pemba (i.e. not via Maputo) you will need to clear customs, and immigration formalities before leaving the arrivals area. If you have flown via Maputo you will normally have cleared formalities there. [If you are flying via Maputo you may have to clear immigration or customs before proceeding to Pemba. Follow notes above]
Please do note that should customs officials suggest that your luggage or paper work is not in order it could indicate that they are hoping for some form of ‘extra’ payment. Stay calm and do not part with any cash. You have rights as a tourist to import your goods temporarily so stand your ground in a firm but polite way.
Once you have collected your luggage and cleared formalities you will be met by a representative of Ibo Island Lodge who should be holding an Ibo Island Lodge sign board: His name is Oscar Soares and his contact number is +258 82 661 9500.
In the unlikely event that you are not met, please call Jo-Anna Collard directly (based in head office in South Africa) on + 27 21 702 0285.
Depending on the time of your air transfer to Ibo Island, the Ibo Island Lodge Representative will either escort you directly to the plane or to the waiting room for your flight to Ibo Island. In the event that there is no immediate connection, you will have the choice of transferring to the Pemba Beach Hotel in their bus for refreshments, or do an optional city tour of Pemba if time allows.
*All transfers, day facilities, city tours, drinks or meals ordered in Pemba or at the hotel are to your own account and must be settled before departure to Ibo Island.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING AIR TRANSFERS TO THE ISLANDS: NB: Please note that there is a strict restriction of 15 kg per person of SOFT luggage including hand luggage. If this is not adhered to, the pilot may be forced to leave the bags behind.
In an effort to keep the cost of the air transfers reasonable, the lodges in the region co-operate to share daily schedules where ever possible. The rate you have been quoted is therefore ‘a seat in a plane rate’ rather than a charter rate, which means that guests fit into the combined lodge requirements of each day as opposed to a private plane charter. Private charters are available on request at the time of booking Ibo Island Lodge, but are more expensive.
The final flight schedules to the islands are usually only confirmed on the day of travel, and therefore you must understand that occasionally there are changes in these times or situations where you may have to be transferred to the Pemba Beach Hotel to wait for a later re-schedule.
The Quirimbas Archipelago is a remote and special destination and we do everything within our control to transfer our guests to Ibo Island as quickly as possible upon arrival in Pemba.
Should you wish to charter your own plane or helicopter to Ibo Island, this is possible but needs to be booked at the time of confirming your lodge booking.
All flights affords guests a chance to take a scenic flight over some of the Quirimbas Archipelago and it is breathtakingly beautiful and always a highlight.
*Any increases concerning flight transfers will be passed on to the guest as these are beyond Ibo Island Lodges control.
* All flights are subject to standard aviation safety laws and weather conditions.
The air strip at Ibo Island is a grass strip in good condition, and you will be met by a member of the lodge team. If for any reason there is no one there to meet you (unlikely), please wait for a vehicle to arrive to collect you. It is a 40 min walk to the lodge, so please rather wait.
RELAX: Spending time on Ibo is a chance to unwind and embrace a culture and lifestyle that hasn’t changed for hundreds of years. On Ibo we feel calm and carefree and we would like you to make yourselves really at home at the lodge. Relax, unwind and soak up the history, romance and culture of one of the most fascinating islands in Africa.
LOCATION:
Ibo Island Lodge is situated on the Indian Ocean paradise of Ibo Island just 71 nm from mainland Pemba City, northern Mozambique.
Ibo airstrip details: S 12 20.8’ / E 040 36. 14’
Length: 950m, width: 60m, radial: 014 Surface: grass, elevation: sea level, radio freq: 124.1 Runway: 18/36
VISAS AND PASSPORTS:
Important Note: This information is intended to guide you only - please check with your nearest Mozambican consulate, embassy or Mozambican diplomatic mission for up to date information.
Immigration clearance is available at either Maputo or Pemba airport in Mozambique and visas can be issued on arrival.
International visitors require a visa for Mozambique which is purchased on arrival in Mozambique and paid for in US$ cash - currently US$30 but this is subject to change. An additional US$2.50 stamp duty applies for entrance and exit, so we advise clients should be in possession of between US$30 and US$40 cash.
South African passport holders do not require a visa to enter Mozambique.
For entrance back into South Africa, two empty pages are needed in passports (front and back pages both blank).
It is advised that you carry certified copies your passport and all travel documents, and always have either your passport or these copies with you.
Furthermore when departing Pemba you will be asked to open your luggage and your bags will be searched by an official. Please do not be alarmed, it is standard procedure.
ENTRANCE FEES & TAXES: Clients will be asked to pay the following taxes at Ibo Island Lodge on check in or check out:
Quirimbas National Park Entry Fee: US$8 per person (once off payment to the first Quirimbas lodge/hotel you visit)
Ibo Development Tax: US$4 per person
COMMUNICATIONS:
In keeping with the seclusion of Ibo we have by choice not installed TV at the lodge. There is cell phone coverage in most parts of the outside areas of the lodge. If you need to make or receive cell calls you can generally get good reception on the front verandas, in some areas of the gardens and also in front of the lodge on the sea wall. If you are having difficulty with coverage please don’t hesitate to ask a member of management for assistance.
LOCAL GREETINGS:
Ibo is a living, breathing vibrant island. Staying at the lodge gives you the opportunity to be as much of a part of the islands rhythm and community as you feel comfortable with. Days start very early here for the local people - even by African standards! You will hear the sounds of an Ibo lifestyle getting going early in the morning; cockerels crowing, the occasional dog barking and the birds striking up a dawn chorus. Happy children are usually out to play or swim before school starts.
Greeting one another (loudly!) as you pass by is also an important part of the local culture:
You would say ‘Salama’ (the other party then says ‘Salama’ back to you)
You then say ‘Salama Sana’ and they repeat ‘Salama Sana’ back to you.
AFTER DARK: Ibo comes alive at night. It tends to be cooler then and so people are often out and about socialising. Particularly in good moonlight it’s not uncommon to find people working and visiting and tending to their fishing nets and small root vegetable gardens. You may hear a full spectrum of different Ibo night sounds: laughing, drumming, singing, and fishermen calling to one another across the water.
On weekends the town celebrates at the Ibo disco. Music and dancing until late is a much loved recreational activity on Ibo along with supporting the Ibo Island football league. Football matches are often played on Saturday or Sunday afternoons at the main pitch near the star fort. Ibo has several teams in which the lodge staffing are well represented. If you would like to watch (or play!) ask one of the guides.
LANGUAGES:
Portuguese is the official language in addition to many African languages.
MONEY:
Official Currency: Metical (MT) =100 centavos.
US Dollars are widely accepted. There are goods to buy on Ibo Island, so please take USD cash with you for any additional goods you wish to purchase.
There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currency but the import and export of local currency is not allowed. Travellers Cheques cannot be changed in Pemba. Please note that there is no Bureau de Change at the airport.
CREDIT CARDS: NO credit card facilities are available at Ibo Island Lodge. US$ OR local currency ONLY is accepted for settling of all extras.
It is usually possible to use your credit card in Pemba.
There is no cash point on Ibo. We advise guests to withdraw as much money as they think they will need in Pemba. There is a cash point at the airport however it may not always be functioning. There are numerous banks in the town center which is just a short taxi ride away. We recommend BCI for safety as the cash point is inside and not on the street.
EARLY MORNINGS AND RESTAURANT TIMES: For those of you who like to rise early, sunrise on Ibo is beautiful and the bird life is usually particularly spectacular in the bay in the first few hours of the day. For those who relish sleeping late, or wish to lie in and relax, that’s perfectly fine too.
Tea and coffee will be brought to your room at the time you have requested it, and your guide will confirm this with you the night before. We aim to be as personal and flexible as possible on Ibo.
Breakfast is usually served in the garden restaurant between 0h7.30 and 0h9.30
Lunch is usually served in the garden restaurant or at the beach at 13h00
The best spot for sundowners is undoubtedly on the roof terrace and these can start flowing whenever you wish. The sun sets at approximately 17h15 and we strongly recommend you are on the roof for ringside seats.
Dinner is usually served at 19h30.
If you have any specific requests regarding meal timing please discuss these with your guides and management.
ACTIVITIES: Please see the full list of activities. Many of the sea based activities are tide dependent. Your guides will discuss the options with you on a daily basis. You can be as busy or as relaxed as you wish.
WATER:
Water is precious on Ibo. Most households have a well from which water is drawn. Its entirely tide dependent as to how much water there is in the wells. The lodge has built large capacity rainwater storage tanks so as to not impact on the communities water supplies, and during the rainy season all of our rain water is captured and stored for use throughout the year.
TOWELS:
Ibo Island Lodge has the only running water on the island and it is a hugely precious commodity for all. We aim for you to be as comfortable as possible, but we ask you to help us conserve our water regarding your towels. If you do require clean bathroom towels please leave them on the floor of your bathroom. If you are happy to reuse them again, then please simply hang them up.
Pool towels are available and you should find them in your wardrobe of your room. We ask you to help us conserve water and energy by drying them in the sun. If you require fresh pool towels please ask a member of the team.
Beach towels are available for you for the beach excursion.
ELECTRICITY AND GENERATOR: Power at Ibo Island lodge is supplied by two generators. Power is available at certain times of the day and hours are subject to change according to weather and lodge requirements. Generator times as well as a full lodge briefing are given during guest check in by management.
Fuel requirements of our generator make a large eco impact on the footprint of the lodge. We aim to conserve as much energy as possible without impacting on your comfort. Energy is usually available between:
07h00 and 09h30 in the morning.
Between 09h30 and 17h00 it will generally be switched off in an effort to conserve energy and in keeping with the peaceful atmosphere of Ibo Island.
Evening generator times are generally 17h15 until 03h30 the following morning.
Air conditioner power is available between 17h15 and 23h00, after which we switch over to a smaller generator which will power your fan and lights.
GUEST AMENITIES:
Ibo Island Lodge has a range of bathroom amenities that enable us to recycle the containers.
You will also find a gown to use whilst you are our guests on Ibo. These items are very difficult for us to replace on the island, so please do not remove them from your room when you check out! We do hope you will enjoy them whilst you are in residence at the lodge!
SECURITY AND EMERGENCIES: Ibo is usually a very peaceful, calm and crime free island. As part of our tourism plan we aim to keep it this way. Please do not tempt fate by leaving valuable belongings outside on your verandas at night or visible in you rooms. We do have night guards who walk around the property at night.
If for any reason you need assistance during the night please call out for the guard or ring the bell situated at the gate entrance to the main Bela Vista property.
The guard will fetch the manager or guide on duty immediately.
FIRE:
In the case of a fire you will hear the continuous ringing of a bell. Please evacuate your room immediately and assemble on the sea wall opposite the lodge. If you discover a fire please alert others by ringing the bell affixed to the wall outside the main entrance to the Bela Vista house. There are fire extinguishers placed in all the rooms and also throughout the lodge.
SWIMMING POOLS: Our swimming pools are a maximum of 1.2 meters in an attempt to reduce our water requirements. They are therefore NOT suitable for diving and all use of these pools is entirely at your own risk. All children must be supervised at all times by parents. Please keep the gates closed at all times to the gardens in order that no local Ibo children enter the pool areas.
Pools towels will be supplied to you in your wardrobes. If you wish to swim in the bay at the front of the lodge at high tide please ask a member of staff for a beach towel.
RECYCLING AND REMOVING RUBBISH ON IBO:
Being an island with very little infrastructure, litter and rubbish disposal generated by the community and the lodge is one of our major challenges. If you are willing we ask you to assist us with this by taking any of your own plastic or clean recyclable litter off the island when you depart so that it can be properly recycled or disposed of on the mainland.
TIPPING:
We have worked hard at the training required to deliver the service at Ibo Island Lodge. If you have been happy with the service and would like to leave a tip for the staff, please pass on the tip to the management when settling your bill. They will secure it in an envelope and all of the tips are split equally twice monthly throughout the entire staffing.
CLIMATE: SUMMER: October - March
WINTER: April - September
The average temperature for Mozambique is a balmy 28ºC all year round. The climate varies slightly according to the regions of the country. The coast experiences a sub-tropical climate while the northern parts of the county are tropical. Generally, the hot rainy season is from December to March. The average temperature at this time along the coast is 30º C (89º F). Inland, temperatures are slightly cooler, but conditions are more humid. In the dry season, April to November, temperatures along the coast average 27ºC (80ºF).
You are advised to pack a high factor sunscreen.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
In the event of a medical emergency, medical repatriation off Ibo Island to the nearest appropriate medical facility is included in the Ibo Island Lodge rate and is supplied by our emergency insurance service provider.
If you need medical care whilst in Mozambique, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by transfer.
It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country.
WHAT TO PACK:
Most people make the mistake of taking along too much clothing. Pack comfortable, casual and semi-casual clothes. Please also avoid clothing resembling military / army uniform (i.e. army jackets, caps, and trousers). Please dress appropriately when visiting Ibo Islands old stone town, markets, and surrounding villages.
This list below is purely a guideline!
1 pair of walking/running shoes, a pair of ‘rocky’ type sandal or reef shoes (essential for the Quirimbas Archipelago), smart/casual trousers for evenings, shorts, shirts/T-shirts, light cotton long sleeved shirts, cotton skirt / wrap skirt/sarong for the ladies (it is a predominantly Muslim culture), fleece/warmer jacket for cooler evenings. Swimming costume/bikini, sun protection: hats/cap, suntan lotion high factor/sun block, lip balm, sunglasses, spectacles (some people have trouble with contact lenses whilst traveling), pen for immigration formalities, notebook and reading material for plane travel.
PRECAUSTIONS AGAINST MALARIA AND YELLOW FEVER:
All travellers to malaria-risk areas must take precautions against this dangerous disease. Please visit your health care provider 4-6 weeks before travelling.
Travelers entering Mozambique from any of the 43 countries where yellow fever is known to exist must present a valid certification of vaccine against this disease. To view all Countries where yellow fever exist please visit:
www.travel-images.com/health-yellow-fever-areas.html
There is an effective vaccine against yellow fever. Ask your doctor at least 10-14 days prior to travel to be vaccinated against yellow fever.
CONSERVATION: Most countries are members of CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Please do NOT purchase products made from ivory and skins. These may be confiscated by customs. Please be aware that the purchase of any wooden carvings places a strain on forest resources, and the removal of coral and shells is destructive to the reefs.
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM:
Ibo Island Lodge offers a destination for guests seeking a remote tropical island and cultural experience in one of the last undiscovered places in Africa. As the first tourism investor on Ibo the company believes that it is critical that the local communities benefit from tourism development in the region which is based on sustainable and fair trade tourism. This is quality, low impact and ethical tourism where each guest’s visit make’s a difference to the communities involved.
Ibo Island has a community of approximately 3000 people. The lodge directly employs approx 38permanent staff. Each of these staff members can support up to a further 20 people made up of extended family. Therefore Ibo Island Lodge directly affects approx 800 people’s lives on Ibo. In addition, as many third party services, are sourced from Ibo Island itself, this directly affects approx another 20 to 30 individuals. With this in mind Ibo Island Lodge positively affects as much as 50% of the islands population.
There are many challenges in managing community relations on an island like Ibo, as well as managing the various community expectations that tourism presents. We ask you to be respectful of the people of Ibo’s culture and history and if you have any questions about interacting and communicating on Ibo please do not hesitate to talk to the management staffing. We hope that you enjoy immersing yourself in the wonderful, tranquil and forgotten island of Ibo.
COMMUNITY TOURISM:
Ibo Island Lodge is a community fair trade tourism lodge. As the pioneer tourism investment on the island we believe that it is critical that the local communities on Ibo benefit from the lodge development. One of our central aims was to provide a long term and sustainable means of generating an income and to demonstrate the clear benefits of tourism to the whole community. We were also determined to provide training, mentorship and education and so one of the first things we built was the Ibo Island Lodge community school, which during 2005 and 2006 was staffed by a full time English teacher, and free of charge to any community member and staff member wishing to improve their English.
In addition we were determined to source our lodge staffing from within these communities as much as possible. Most of the Ibo Island Lodge staff were selected from within our construction team. After putting in grueling days of work in the hot sun building, plastering, and back breaking heavy labor, they eagerly dropped tools and picked up their books to attend our school – often working late into the night with an inspiring dedication.
Ibo has been isolated for many years and the secondary school only opened in 2007. A lack of literacy and education is just one of our major challenges. For many years children who showed the potential and assuming their families had the means to cover the transportation, fees and boarding, it required leaving Ibo to go to school. Many young educated people from Ibo simply cannot return - due to a lack of opportunity. Those who stay on Ibo invariably take up traditional lifestyles such as fishing, trading and working in the mashambas (gardens).
One of the most rewarding aspects of this project is being involved in the positive change and development on Ibo. For the first time in many years Ibo is full of young people who are working and undergoing training in a range of skills from English literacy, hospitality, guiding, market gardening, cuisine, and of course heritage rehabilitation and construction. There is an atmosphere of hope and excitement and they see a clear future for themselves on the island.
It’s an extremely inspiring and exciting time to be on Ibo Island.
IBO ISLAND MONTESSORI SCHOOL:
Educational levels are typically low in Mozambique, especially in the North. On Ibo there is just one primary school that works three shifts a day in order to cater for the needs of children as well as adults. There are currently no other facilities for preschool children and Ibo toddlers normally grow up on the streets, with often just a slightly older brother or sister to keep an eye on them.
In conjunction with our Project Coordinator, Winnie De Roover we have started a pilot class. Teaching is done in English, a language that is foreign to the local children but vital for tourism development. We currently have 13 pupils and attract voluntary kindergarten teachers. The aim is to extend the training to identified adult learners who can then become teachers so that a larger part of the community’s children can benefit from the system. The school also aims to be an eco friendly initiative in which young children are taught to respect Ibo’s natural resources, the unique eco-system in which the island is situated, and where the basics of personal hygiene, recycling and waste management are addressed.
Malnutrition is one of the challenges on Ibo. Hence we provide all our pupils with a nutritional snack and aim to extend this to a nutritional lunch to ensure our pupils are getting correct nutrition.
Another way of building local capacity in the Ibo community will consist of training local carpenters and parents to make educational materials and toys. The aim is to not only provide our own school with materials, but to develop a business idea for the local community and market the educational materials and toys for them to the NGO’s involved with education projects in the region. The school is open from 8 till 12h on weekdays.
The school is operated on a volunteer basis and self financed. If you would like to make a donation or assist with the supply of materials for the school please speak to the management.
REHABILITATING IBO ISLAND LODGE
Ibo Island Lodge has been rehabilitated and built by over 120 men and women from Ibo who all received intensive training and mentorship from temporarily imported skilled builders, and artisans. If you look around the island, you cannot fail to notice that many of the historical and magnificent buildings need attention and rehabilitation. Having completed the Ibo Island Lodge project, the people of Ibo now have the necessary skills and confidence to tackle this work, and future investors should not need to import people with these skills.
At our opening in December 2006 many of them were using their English for the first time and we are extremely proud of all that we have achieved in such a short time frame with our staffing. We have a very small team of staffing sourced outside of Mozambique who are employed in a mentorship capacity to help and support with the ongoing training.
If there is anything that needs our attention or anything any of the team can do to make your stay more special please do not hesitate to ask.
REHABILITATING IN A TRADITIONAL MANNER:
In this rehabilitation we wanted to incorporate as much of the original buildings, and features and traditional methods as possible - no matter how quirky! In addition Ibo has been zoned for World Heritage Status and guidelines state that all buildings should be rehabilitated with as much sensitivity to the traditional feature as possible.
Most of the Ibo buildings were originally constructed out of lime and coral stone - which are very challenging materials to work with. Lime has also been used in the traditional manner of white washing both inside and out as modern paints are not compatible to lime plastering and simple do not stick. It is the lime that gives that ‘multi-layered different shades of cream / beige / off white’ finish throughout the lodge. It is not possible to get a consistent texture, colour or feel, and it is challenging to work with – but it is how Ibo would have been all those years ago and we have stuck true to it.
There is an incredible amount of water and salt contained in the walls and floors and from time to time these rear their heads and make an appearance! This is all perfectly normal in buildings of this age on Ibo and we have learnt to live with it. Maintenance in the times before us was a documented ongoing task in the archives and it’s the same now at Ibo Island Lodge!
Everything that you will see in the lodge including our beds and most of the furniture, all the upholstery and the curtaining and cushions was made on Ibo as part of the training program. Most of the doors and beams are original and when they were too old to be used we asked our carpenters to make us ‘new’ ones in the traditional Ibo raised panel design. For those of you that are interested, our carpentry workshop and training is ongoing.
Those with a sharp eye for detail will notice that there is not a straight, square or symmetrical line or wall throughout the properties – which has made for some extremely heated and difficult decisions on carpentry designs and fitting doors and windows! Many challenges later Ibo Island Lodge is operational.
It has been developed with much courage, passion and vision by all, and we hope you will enjoy staying here as much as we have loved creating it!
