The Islands of Mozambique — Bazaruto, Quirimbas, Inhaca, and Ilha

Mozambique’s islands fall into four distinct groups: the Bazaruto Archipelago off Vilanculos (five islands, the main visitor destination), the Quirimbas Archipelago in the far north (31 remote islands, UNESCO Biosphere), Inhaca Island off Maputo (the easiest weekend escape from the capital), and the historic Island of Mozambique (a small coral island and UNESCO World Heritage Site that gave the country its name). They are not interchangeable — each is a different trip, a different price point, and a different reason to come.

Last reviewed: May 2026.

Why “Mozambique islands” can mean two things

Travellers searching for “Mozambique islands” run into a confusing fact: the same English phrase points at two different places.

• The islands of Mozambique (plural) — the country’s archipelagos and offshore islands. Mostly Bazaruto and the Quirimbas, plus Inhaca and a handful of smaller ones.
• The Island of Mozambique (singular, Ilha de Moçambique) — a specific 3-km coral island in northern Nampula province with a UNESCO-listed colonial old town. It was Portuguese Mozambique’s capital until 1898 and gave the country its name.

Both are worth your time. They’re a thousand kilometres apart and are completely different trips.

The Bazaruto Archipelago

The Bazaruto Archipelago is five islands — Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina, and Bangué — sitting 10–25 km off the coast of Vilanculos. White sand, turquoise water, towering dunes that reach 100 m, freshwater lakes inland, and seagrass beds offshore that hold the last viable population of dugongs in East Africa. It’s the place most international travellers come to see, and for most travellers, it should be. You won’t find Maldives-style over-water villas here — the big tidal range won’t allow them — but the dune-top beachfront suites are more private anyway, and you walk to your door instead of boating out to it.

Bazaruto Archipelago National Park was proclaimed in 1971 — one of the oldest in southern Africa — and extended in 2001 to its current form. The marine area is patrolled and entry fees fund conservation. It is, in practical terms, the reason these islands still look like this.

The five islands:

• Bazaruto — the largest. 10,700 hectares, 37 km long. Towering dunes, freshwater lakes, the namesake of the park.
• Benguerra — 2,399 hectares. Quieter than Bazaruto, dune forest, the seagrass channels where you find dugongs.
• Magaruque — 189 hectares. The closest island to Vilanculos, a shallow lagoon on the leeward side, soft sand, no resorts.
• Santa Carolina (Paradise Island) — 59 hectares. The 1950s “Paradise Island Hotel” ruins on one end. The most cinematic beach in the country.
• Bangué — 15 hectares. The smallest. A sandbar that disappears at high tide.

How you visit. Fly into Vilanculos (VNX) from Maputo or Johannesburg. From the bay, day trips by speed boat or dhow reach Magaruque in 25 minutes, Bazaruto and Benguerra in about an hour. We run a regular Bazaruto + Benguerra island day trip and longer overnights. For the full picture of what’s there and how it works, see our Vilanculos destination page.

The Quirimbas Archipelago

The Quirimbas Archipelago is Mozambique’s other island chain — 31 islands stretching 200 km south of Cape Delgado in the country’s far north. It’s wilder, more expensive, and harder to reach than Bazaruto, and that’s the point.

The headline facts (UNESCO MAB: Quirimbas):

• 31 islands in total.
• Quirimbas National Park — gazetted 2002, covers about 7,500 km² (25–30% marine).
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2018, recognised for exceptional biodiversity.
• 3,000 plant species, 447 bird species, 46 terrestrial mammals, 52 corals, 375 fish species within the protected area.

The named islands travellers visit:

• Ibo Island. A 16th-century Portuguese-Swahili settlement with crumbling colonial buildings, silversmiths working filigree, a fort and a mood unlike anywhere else in Mozambique. The cultural heart of the archipelago. (UNESCO Tentative List)
• Vamizi. Private-island lodge at the northern end. Honeymoon-only price points.
• Medjumbe. Tiny, perfect, expensive. About 1 km long.
• Quilálea. Private island, small, exclusive.
• Matemo, Quirimba. Larger inhabited islands with old Portuguese settlements.

How you visit. Fly to Pemba (POL), the provincial capital, usually via Maputo or Johannesburg. From Pemba, lodges arrange small-aircraft transfers to the private islands or boat transfers to Ibo. There is no overland road or public ferry option — this is fly-only.

A note on safety. The conflict in far-northern Cabo Delgado (since 2017) is hours away from Pemba and the southern Quirimbas resorts have continued to operate. The far-north islands close to Tanzania have not. Always check the current picture in our safety guide before booking.

Ilha de Moçambique — the Island of Mozambique

Ilha de Moçambique (the Island of Mozambique) is a 3-km long, 500-m wide coral island connected to the mainland by a 3.8-km bridge in northern Nampula province. It was the capital of Portuguese East Africa from 1507 until 1898, and gave the modern country its name. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, listed for the unbroken architectural unity of its town. (UNESCO World Heritage: Island of Mozambique)

Two halves to the island:

• Stone Town (the northern end). Coral-stone Portuguese-era buildings, the Fortress of São Sebastião (1558), the Palace and Chapel of São Paulo, the oldest European building still standing in the southern hemisphere. The streets feel medieval-Mediterranean, transplanted to the Indian Ocean.
• Macuti Town (the southern half). The traditional Swahili neighbourhood, palm-thatch (macuti) roofs, lived-in, busy. This is where most of the island’s 14,000 people live.

This is not a beach trip. The water is mostly tidal flats; you come for the history, the architecture, and one of the most atmospheric places in southern Africa. Pair it with the Quirimbas if you’re already up north.

Inhaca Island

Inhaca Island is a small island just off Maputo, in Maputo Bay. The capital’s weekend escape — accessible by ferry or a 30-minute small-plane flight from Maputo. Marine biology research station, a coral reef system protected as a national reserve, simple lodges, and the kind of fishing-village pace that disappears two hours from a capital city. Worth a couple of days if you’re spending time in Maputo and want a low-key island break.

Magaruque, Santa Carolina, and the smaller Bazaruto islands as standalones

You can also visit the smaller Bazaruto islands directly from Vilanculos as their own day trips:

• Magaruque Island day trip — closest, calmest, best for swimmers and snorkelers who want a relaxed pace.
• Santa Carolina day trip — most photogenic. The Paradise Island ruins. Longer boat ride.

Which island is right for which trip

A short matrix.

Still not sure?

The right island depends on your budget, your time, and what you’ve come to do. Send us a message on WhatsApp — tell us how long you have and what kind of trip you want, and we’ll tell you honestly whether Bazaruto, Quirimbas, or somewhere else fits.

For more, see our Vilanculos page, things to do in Vilanculos, the Bazaruto + Benguerra day trip, best time to visit, and safety guide.

Last reviewed: 25 May 2026. Sources: UNESCO Quirimbas Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO World Heritage: Island of Mozambique, ANAC: Quirimbas National Park, our own day-to-day operations from Vilanculos.