ILHA DE MOZAMBIQUE

ILHA DE MOZAMBIQUE IS LINKED TO THE MAINLAND BY A 3.5KM SINGLE LANE BRIDGE, ARRIVING AFTER DARK WE HAD TO REVERSE BACK ALONG IT TWICE FOR ON COMING TRAFFIC, SO I CAN ONLY ADVISE ARRIVE IN THE DAYLIGHT TO PRESERVE YOUR SANITY. ILHA WAS ONCE THE CAPITAL OF PORTUGUESE EAST AFRICA, AND IS STILL VERY MUCH A CITY OF TWO HALVES. A UNESCO-LISTED MAZE OF GRAND COLOURFUL PORTUGUESE COLONIAL BUILDINGS FACES THE INDIAN OCEAN ON ONE SIDE OF THE ISLAND, WHILST ON THE OTHER, A LIVELY MACUTI TOWN OF PALM THATCHED HOMES FEELS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND DISTINCTLY MORE SWAHILI, WITH SMOKE RISING FROM GRILLS IN THE STREET AND MUSIC GIVING IT RHYTHM. IN ALL HONESTY BEING IN ILHA FELT LIKE BEING IN BRAZIL, THE WAY THE LANGUAGE WAS SPOKEN AND THE FOOD HAD A DISTINCTLY BRAZILIAN FEEL. ILHA IS A RARE LAYERED BEAUTY THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH, ALONG WITH THE LOCAL KIDS WHO WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR ME BUYING THEM A FOOTBALL. I STAYED AT A SENSATIONAL AIRBNB, A CONVERTED WAREHOUSE THAT WAS PART OF THE 17TH CENTURY OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE, WITH A PRIME SUNSET VIEW AND BEACH ACCESS FOR SWIMMING. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THE VAST VILLA OSMANLI ENOUGH.