The name Likoma purportedly derives from the Nyanja phrase, likoma joko, meaning ‘oh, what a pleasant land’. And pleasant it is indeed. Encircled by powdery beaches, wild coves and sparkling waters, this remote isle — situated in the Mozambican waters of Lake Malawi but officially part of Malawi — is the kind of place you might wish to stay forever.
On Likoma, life moves at a slow pace, largely unencumbered by global influences and tourism. Arriving here is like stepping back in time. There are almost no vehicles and just a few bicycles, a couple of villages, one town, one unpaved road running the length of the 17sq-km island, a couple of backpacker outfits and one small luxury lodge on the south-western shore.