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The Quirimbas Islands seen from the International Space Station

433 · The Wider World

Quirimbas Archipelago

Coral islands and historic island settlements connect a coastal environment with the maritime history of East Africa.

PhotographNASA / ISS Expedition 66 · Public domain

Summary

The Quirimbas Archipelago is a group of islands off northern Mozambique. Coral shores, marine habitats and historic island settlements connect the natural environment with the maritime history of East Africa.

Its significance lies in that combination. Island buildings and coastal life reveal traces of ocean exchange within a landscape whose ecological richness is equally compelling.

401–500 · The Wider World

The essentials

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Allow time

5 days as an initial allowance, excluding approach travel

Choose a base

A verified northern Mozambique arrangement

Getting there

The usual mainland gateway is Pemba, with onward boat or air transfers depending on the island. Security restrictions affect the wider Cabo Delgado region.

Plan ahead

FCDO advises against all travel to most of Cabo Delgado. Check the mapped advice for the island and entire transfer route before considering a booking; old resort information may no longer reflect access.

Practical notes updated 30 September 2026. Visitor information and sources

Mozambique · Nature
Country guidesMozambique
Open my 100Record a visit

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Check current Cabo Delgado and Mozambique advice before considering travel or booking island connections.

The Quirimbas Islands seen from the air
The Quirimbas IslandsPhoto: NASA Johnson Space Centre · Public domain

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

The Quirimbas Islands [kiˈɾĩbɐʃ] lie in the western Indian Ocean off northeastern Mozambique in the Mozambique Channel, close to Pemba, the capital of the province of Cabo Delgado. The archipelago consists of about 32 islands, including Ibo, Matemo, Medjumbe, Quirimba, Metundo, Quisiva, Vamizi Island and Rolas Island extending north toward the border with Tanzania's Mtwara region.

Abridged background from Quirimbas Islands, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

A street on Ibo Island
Ibo Island, MozambiquePhoto: F Mira from Lisbon, Portugal · CC BY-SA 2.0
A woman on Ibo Island
Ilha do Ibo, MoçambiquePhoto: Rosino · CC BY-SA 2.0

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Check travel advice first

FCDO advises against travel to Cabo Delgado, with different categories for specified areas. Check the complete current advice. Read current FCDO advice. Source checked 23 September 2026; conditions can change.

Physical demands
Boat transfers, beach landings and limited island services; current regional security is a primary constraint.
The consequential detail
Check current Cabo Delgado and Mozambique advice before considering travel or booking island connections.
Add to my travel workbenchResearch access requirements

Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Mozambique.

A place in the world
Quirimbas Archipelago location mapQuirimbas Archipelago location map

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Map: Natural Earth
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In pictures.

Quirimbas’s coral islands connect historic settlements with the maritime routes of East Africa.

The Quirimbas Islands seen from the International Space StationPhoto: NASA / ISS Expedition 66, Public domain
A street on Ibo IslandPhoto: F Mira from Lisbon, Portugal, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Quirimbas Islands seen from the airPhoto: NASA Johnson Space Centre, Public domain
A woman on Ibo IslandPhoto: Rosino, CC BY-SA 2.0
A former warehouse on Ibo Island, Mozambique, now accommodates the Quirimbas National Park office and a carpentry schoolPhoto: David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada, CC BY 2.0
A resident walking on Ibo IslandPhoto: Rosino, CC BY-SA 2.0
A fisherman aboard a dhow in the QuirimbasPhoto: Travel Local, CC BY 2.0
QNP showing district borders and main tourist establishment locationsPhoto: Snazerali, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

Explore more places in the same country.

The coast of Mozambique seen from the International Space Station

428 · Mozambique

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Islands, dunes, seagrass and clear shallows create an exceptional coastal landscape with important marine habitats.

Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Read · Wikipedia

Quirimbas Archipelago: background reading

Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Books · WorldCat

Find books about Quirimbas Archipelago

Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Maps · OpenStreetMap

Explore the local map

Inspect the surrounding area.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.
Visitor information behind these practical notes