Mussulo is reached by boat from the pier at Capisoca, on the mainland about 15 km south of central Luanda. From Luanda, take the Samba road south towards the pier — the journey by road takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on Luanda's notorious traffic. Shared taxi rides or hired cars both make the trip.
At Capisoca, hire boats (speedboats and open launches) run continually on weekends and on demand during the week. The crossing takes roughly 20 minutes. Agree on a price before boarding — rates are set by informal negotiation and higher prices are sometimes quoted to obvious newcomers.
There is no road bridge to the island. Everything — people, food, building materials — arrives by water. This keeps Mussulo quieter than it might otherwise be, and also means that transport back to the mainland stops in the evening, so plan ahead if you are visiting for just a day.