PEMBA AND THE REGION NORTH TO THE RIO ... - MozGuide

certainly the village is dilapidated but it still has some charming inhabitants (one João Batista
comes to mind) who, while quite old, are not yet ghosts. Also many of the old villas have now
been acquired by outsiders and are fast being turned into spanking new dwellings sometimes
sadly devoid of the charm that was lent by their previous authentic state of disrepair (man I
should have been an economist).
Getting to Ibo (12°20'S - 40°35'E).
From the south (Pemba):
If you are hardy and adventurous can get a sail boat (dhow) ‘lancha or barco a vela’ from
Bairro Paquite-Quete in Pemba or the less rugged could arrange a ski-boat transfer through
Kaskazini. There are also air transfers available on arrangement with one of the island
lodges and certainly if you have booked to stay, your hosts will have arranged this for you.
If using public transport note that the ‘chapas’ depart from Pemba town for Macomia and
possibly Quissanga at around 0430 and you could go either via the rough coastal road or via
Macomia (ask for Cruxamento Bilibiza or Mahate). Both routes will take from 5 to 7 hours
depending on the condition of the roads. Whether arriving by chapa or in your own 4x4
remember to head for Tandanhangue rather than Quissanga Praia as dhows can sail more
easily (an hour either side of high tide only) from Tandanhangue.
From the north: You can hire or take a dhow taxi from Mocímboa da Praia or from Pangane
to Ibo. Hiring a dhow from Pangane to Ibo will cost you about MtN1200 (US$60) but you
could get a lift on a boat going that way for about MtN350.
Ibo by Car.
Get to Quissanga either along the coastal 4x4 track through the Quirimbas National Park
(entrance fee of MtN200 per person and per vehicle payable) or go on the main tarred road
and then via Bilibiza, Mahate and Quissanga and ask for Tandanhangue. There is also
Quissanga Praia visible down the hill from Quissanga but this is not a good approach as it is
longer and there is a sand bar blocking the route that is only navigable at the highest point in
the tides. For Ibo’s daily, weekly and monthly tide-table look up:
http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/2713.html
Carry on through Tandanhangue village (fresh pão or bread rolls available here) and then
after a few hundred metres on a track raised above the Mangrove flats you will reach a little
island (at high tide) dominated by a huge baobab. Here there is a stockade run by a man
called Bakar where you can safely park your vehicle for MtN50 per day (arrange the price in
advance).
If staying at Ibo Island Lodge they will have made arrangements for you to be transferred in
their motorboat to Ibo, a 20-minute trip. If travelling independently note that locals pay around
MtN25 if they are hitching a ride on a dhow, but I doubt any mazungu (White person) could
get those rates unless they could negotiate in Portuguese. Travellers should expect to pay
from MtN50 -75 if they are joining a boat with other local travellers. To hire your own dhow
could cost from Mtn400 – 700 (return) depending on your negotiation skills and then the
captain will probably want to take extra paying passengers along anyway. In the rare event of
there being a motorboat available the rent will be from a thousand new “Mets” plus (return).
Remember that boats can only negotiate the shallow channels between the Mangroves close
to and at high tide and it is always best to arrive 2 hours before high tide as then there is often
a selection of boats waiting to cross to Ibo. If you miss the high tide and then insist on
crossing on an outgoing tide, the price and chances of spending an extended stop on a
desolate sandbank increase.
No point in trying to cross to Ibo from Quissanga Praia (beach), as journey time increases
dramatically and there is a nasty sandbank that you can only navigate close to high tide. Best
to use Tandanhangue and leave vehicles with Bakar in the stockade under the baobab on the
beach. Expect to pay MtN50 per day per vehicle for the guard, but negotiate this before
departure.
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