Tigres Island

Tigres Island, off the coast of Namibe Province in Angola, is an island that was formerly home to a small fishing settlement and is now largely abandoned. The site is known for the ruins of concrete buildings and a derelict harbor area that testify to its former occupation.

Visitors see empty streets, collapsed structures and coastal desert landscape where a fishing village once operated; there are no regular services on the island. The abandonment followed changes to the coastal channel that left the settlement without reliable access to the sea.

The island was occupied during the 20th century as a local fishing base and was abandoned in the mid-20th century when hydrological changes isolated it and made the settlement unsustainable.

Tigres Island sits off the southwestern coast of Angola in Namibe Province near the town of Namibe (formerly Moçâmedes). Access is by boat and the site lies within a coastal desert environment.

• Ruins and safety: The former settlement was largely abandoned after the island became cut off from the mainland; decaying buildings are visible but unsafe to enter.

• Plan boat access from the port town of Namibe (Moçâmedes) and only travel on days with calm seas-the channel and coastal conditions can be rough and local skippers know safe landing options.
• Visit in the morning to avoid onshore afternoon winds and to get the clearest light for photographing the abandoned village; be prepared that there are no visitor facilities on the island and landing may be limited.