Likoma Island
Travelers come to this island in Lake Malawi for a slow stay built around St. Peter's Cathedral, swimming and village life reached mainly by boat.
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Likoma Island is a small island in Lake Malawi, part of Malawi's Northern Region and close to the border with Mozambique. Its best-known landmark is St. Peter's Cathedral, an Anglican church built by the Universities' Mission to Central Africa in the early 1900s. The island has long been a mission center, and its churches and schools still show that past.
The lake is the main draw. Visitors swim, rest on quiet beaches and watch fishing boats work the water. Getting there takes planning: the island is reached mainly by lake ferry or charter flight, and facilities are basic compared with the larger lakeshore towns. The trip suits travelers who want a slow stay and simple comforts more than a busy itinerary. The dry season, roughly May to October, is the most comfortable time to visit. Plan at least two or three nights, and more if you want time to swim, rest and take boat trips at an easy pace.
Likoma Island in five
- Check the lake ferry before you bookLikoma has no road link, so a lake ferry or a charter flight sets your dates. Confirm sailing days with the operator at Monkey Bay, the usual mainland port, and allow a spare day for delays.Getting around
- Carry enough kwacha in cashMalawi's currency is the kwacha (MWK). Do not count on ATMs or card payments on the island, so bring the cash you need from the mainland.Money and costs
- Ask a travel clinic about malaria and bilharziaMalaria is present in the lake region. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is found in Lake Malawi, so ask your lodge which water is safe and avoid wading in the shallows near villages.
- Check your visa before you leave homeEntry rules depend on your passport and change over time, so check the Malawi entry requirements for your nationality before you book flights or boats.Visas and entry
- Buy insurance that covers evacuationMedical care on the island may be basic, and a serious injury can mean a boat or flight to the mainland. Check that your policy covers medical evacuation from a remote island.Travel insurance
Things to do in Likoma Island
See all attractions in Likoma Island
Need to know
- Currency
- Kwacha (MWK)
- Entry
- Visa rules depend on passport; check before you travel
- Emergency
- Ask your lodge for police and clinic numbers before you travel
- Tipping
- Customary in lodges and restaurants
- Time
- UTC+2, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRainy season
- FebruaryRainy, humid
- MarchRainy season
- AprilRains ending
- MayDry, cooling
- JuneDry, cool nights
- JulyCool, dry
- AugustDry, warm
- SeptemberDry, heat building
- OctoberHot, dry
- NovemberRains start
- DecemberRainy season
Right now in Likoma Island
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
26
- Feels like
- 30°
- Humidity
- 77%
- Wind
- 2 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 55%
Likoma Island
12:05 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today33°24°55%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 33°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 55%.
- Wed32°26°92%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 92%.
- Thu32°26°82%Thursday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 82%.
- Fri33°26°71%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 33°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 71%.
- Sat33°26°19%Saturday: Cloudy. High 33°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 19%.
- Sun33°26°6%Sunday: Cloudy. High 33°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 6%.
Updated 10:33 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 1,734 MWK
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Chizumulu IslandBy boat; ask your lodge for timesA smaller island nearby, reached by boat from Likoma.
- Mozambique shoreBy boat; check with the lodgeThe lake's far shore across the border; carry your passport and check visa rules first.
- Monkey BayFerry route; check sailing times with the operatorThe usual mainland ferry port; a return trip is a long day, so plan it around the sailing.
Before you go to Likoma Island
Rules for Likoma Island, checked
- Check visa rules for your passport before you travel, since they change, and confirm them on the official Malawi immigration pages.
- Do not swim in Lake Malawi without asking locally first, because bilharzia is present and lodges know which spots are safe.
- Cover your shoulders and knees inside St. Peter's Cathedral, which is an active church.
- Ask before you photograph villagers or fishermen.
Plan around Likoma Island
Regions, entry rules, transport and money for a Malawi trip
Read the guideGetting aroundFerries, flights and getting to the lake
Read the guideMoney and costsKwacha, cash and what to carry to the island
Read the guideVisas and entryEntry requirements by nationality
Read the guideWhere to stayLodges and guesthouses for a stay on the island
Read the guideLikoma Island FAQ
Is Likoma Island worth visiting?
Yes for lake views, quiet nights and the cathedral, if you accept slow travel and limited services. It is a poor choice for a short trip with a fixed schedule.
How do you get to Likoma Island?
By lake ferry from the mainland port of Monkey Bay, or by charter flight to the island's small airstrip. Sailing and flight times change, so confirm them with the operator before you book.
How many days do you need on Likoma Island?
Two to three nights covers the cathedral, the village and a walk or boat trip. Ferry times set the minimum, so add a spare day if you travel by boat.
When is the best time to visit Likoma Island?
May to October is the dry season, with the least rain and cooler nights from June to August. November to April is the rainy season, when rain can disrupt boat and flight schedules.
Is there a hotel on Likoma Island?
There are lodges and guesthouses rather than large hotels, so book ahead and ask what is included in the rate.