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Frequently Asked Questions

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Where On Earth Am I

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.)

The Entrance Fee

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) and Ibo Development Tax: US$4 per person.

Signal

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.

Speaking

Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique. The people of Ibo are Kimwani speaking, 20 percent of the population of Ibo use Portuguese as their second language. All team members at Ibo Island Lodge are fluent in English. English on the island is a little more dispersed, and spoken with a traditional Ibo tongue. To greet a local, 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 The Sun Has Set

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.

How Do I Pay

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

There are no credit card facilities at Ibo Island Lodge. However, our in-house reservations consultants will be able to process all your credit card transactions at the Ibo Island Lodge Central Reservations in Cape Town.

Eating Up

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.

Water

Water is precious on Ibo. Most households have a well from which water is drawn. It is 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.

I have an emergency

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.

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.

Tipping Jars

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.