Now, the main tourist draws and centers for the local economy are the unspoiled reefs and mangrove lagoons filled with the likes of red snapper, barracuda, and other tropical fish. There has been very little island development since the Portuguese ended their 500-year stint. When it comes to food, Portuguese culture shines highlights include paozinho (a type of roll), cassava-leaf pesto, and dishes spiced with piri-piri pepper sauce. Arab influences are still evident in dhows (handmade wooden sailboats) now used for island-hopping and in silver filigree jewelry crafted by generations of skilled artists. Part of the Quirimbas Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, the island shifted from Arab to Portuguese rule until Mozambique gained independence in 1975. Intrigued yet? Ibo Island in northern Mozambique may have a storied past, but it is still largely undiscovered by much of the modern world. Photo Lord Howe Island, Australia via ShutterstockĪrab trading posts. Due to its near-virgin forest and biodiversity that rivals the Galapagos, Lord Howe is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and 75 percent of the island is preserved.
It's also Australia's top bird-watching destination, with breeding grounds for colonies of endemic rare birds such as the Providence Petrel and the flightless Lord Howe Island Woodhen.
The isolated volcanic island is located at the crossroads of five major ocean currents, and as home to the world's southernmost barrier coral reef, it's a diver's haven, boasting more than 90 species of coral and 500 species of tropical fish. It's a short bike ride across this seven-mile-long island, so you'll have plenty of time for snorkeling at Erscott's Hole or hand-feeding large fish at Ned's Beach. With no cell-phone reception and a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit (for the few allowed cars), Lord Howe Island, off the eastern coast of New South Wales, epitomizes island time in Australia.
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