Fodor's Expert Review Ibo Island, Cabo Delgado Province

A nominated UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Quirimbas’ historic Ibo Island is fast becoming top of the pops with international travelers seeking a unique experience. This island, once a major slave source for the sugar plantations, is a historic melting pot of different cultures from Arabic to Christian, African to European, Chinese to Indian, with buildings that date back to the 16th century. Arab traders established it as a fortified trading post in 1600 AD, dealing in amber, slaves, ivory, turtle shell, and jet. They were followed by Portuguese and Muslim invaders. Don't miss the 18th-century Portuguese Fort of São João with its massive ancient cannons, restored with U.S. aid money, where local silversmiths fashion jewelry under the cool stone roof of the entrance using age-old methods. Absorb the gloom and terror of the damp cells of the 1791 St. John the Baptist chapel, where slaves were kept before being transported.