Likoma Island

Likoma Island is an inhabited island in Lake Malawi administered as part of Malawi’s Northern Region. The island is home to a small town and an Anglican cathedral that is prominent on the skyline.

The Anglican St. Peter’s Cathedral and shoreline spots used for swimming, snorkeling and small-boat excursions. The island has local guesthouses and simple services concentrated around the harbor.

Anglican missionary activity established the cathedral and mission presence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the community has remained a lake-centred settlement since that period. The island economy is based on fishing, small-scale tourism and local services.

Likoma lies in the eastern part of Lake Malawi and is administered by Malawi, though it is close to Mozambique’s lakeshore. The island is accessible only by water and is a local transport node for ferries and dhows crossing the lake.

• Sovereignty: The island is part of Malawi despite lying close to Mozambique; administration and services are provided by Malawi's Northern Region.
• Access: Access is by boat from mainland ports on Lake Malawi; boat services are the primary transport link for passengers and goods.

What to See #

• St. Peter's Cathedral: St. Peter's Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral constructed by missionaries in the early 20th century, notable for its scale relative to the island and its role as an ecclesiastical centre for the surrounding lake communities.
• Likoma town: Likoma town and harbor area, which contains the island's main settlements, basic services and boat landings used by scheduled and charter ferries across Lake Malawi.