This Island is one of the most attractive of Mozambique! Declared biological heritage of humanity by UNESCO, it is attractive for its beautiful and unique natural corners, being representative of the entire marine ecosystem of Mozambique. Although, a list of things to do in Inhaca Island has a lot more than just natural wonders.
The island is a sanctuary for poets, dreamers, scientists and others who seek transcendental experiences with nature.
The island is home for more than 300 rare species of birds, including the unusual pica fish of the mangroves, butterflies. And several species of corals and mammals, such as dolphins, whales and dugongs.
The first inhabitants of the island were the Tsongas, Bantu people who populated the coast of the present bay of Maputo. The Nhaca dynasty, which provided long years for the régulos of the territory, gave its name to the island, which is still today populated and governed (symbolically) by its descendants (régulo Nhaca) .
Inhaca represents all the habitats / ecosystems / marine resources that exist in the whole country: mangroves and estuaries; marine botany (macroalgae, seagrass and phytoplankton); fisheries and fishing resources; sandy beaches and rocky platforms; intertidal zone; sublittoral zone (of the bay and the Indian Ocean); sea turtles and marine mammals. The island of Inhaca is a miniature model of the coast of Mozambique.
Get immersed and cover all the best things to do in Inhaca Island, with our taylor made or day tour, in the crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean beneath the magnificent African Sun. Visit to the famous tropical gardens of Inhaca Island. Excursions to the Museum of Marine Biology or the Inhaca Lighthouse, passing by Santa Maria and the island of the Portuguese.
Things to do in Inhaca Island:
1. Santa Maria Beach:
Located in the southern part of Inhaca. It’s an unforgettable excursion for those who visit the island and it could not be missing on our list of things to do in Inhaca Island. It constitutes a jaw-opening marine reserve, with enormous diversity of fauna and coral reefs; providing fantastic snorkeling experiences in its crystalline waters.
You can also make a walk along the deserted beach that gives access to a magnificent view of the peninsula of Machangulo, separated from the island.
2. Inhaca Lighthouse:
Built in the eastern part of the island, on the imposing Inhaca hill; its the largest lighthouse in the southern region of Mozambique and is one of the oldest lighthouses in the country. Its foundation was founded in 1894 to improve navigation safety along Maputo Bay.
Built in a hexagonal tower in concrete blocks, the 31-meter-high lighthouse provides a panoramic view of Inhaca Island, part of the Portuguese island, and the extensive water flow of the Indian Ocean.
For a more relaxing experience, a walk along the lighthouse beach allows you to discover the structure of the first lighthouse erected on the island and the remains one of the of old wrecks that have taken place throughout history.
3. Island of the Portuguese:
The island of the Portuguese is a small island located about 200 meters northwest of the island of Inhaca, at the entrance of Maputo Bay.
The island is uninhabited and therefore provides an intimate and silent environment, wrapped in a huge expanse of deserted beach and warm waters. It has a small lagoon where there is a formation of corals of great beauty and relatively protected.
Historically, this islet was important because it constituted a commercial warehouse, where the Europeans and the Africans made their exchanges, from the sixteenth century until the construction of the pier of Lourenço Marques, in the late nineteenth century.
4. Inhaca Maritime Biology Museum:
By car, by boat or even walking along the red barriers of Inhaca. The Inhaca Maritime Biology Museum is one of those experiences you will not want to miss. This is an attractive destination where you can meet a wide and diverse range of animal species, marine life and all kinds of plant species available throughout the island.
The Inhaca Maritime Biology Station, where the museum is located, is a center of excellence and an international reference for research on marine biodiversity.
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