Extraordinary Africa>Tanzania>Zanzibar and Stone Town>Mnemba
When you land on Mnemba Island, you’re often instructed to chuck your shoes and watch away, and ignore them for the rest of your visit. Who’d need them when Mnemba has such white sand and azure water that it almost looks like a cartoon of an island paradise? And this island is, of course, entirely private, with just one effortlessly luxurious lodge: the ultimate barefoot escape.
What’s Mnemba Island Lodge like?
Mnemba’s long had a name as Tanzania’s most discreet and exclusive beach lodge, but it’s the opposite of a glitzy resort hotel. Mnemba is low key luxury at its finest. Guest sleep in one of twelve bandas: thatched open-air structures with large ensuite bathrooms, a verandah complete with swinging chair for snoozing on during lazy afternoons and each with its own private butler on hand for any requests. One is a Family Banda for up to two adults and two children with two ensuite rooms (one large double and a slightly smaller twin). There’s no hum of air-conditioning here: you’re more likely to hear the chirruping of cicadas or the cooing of the colony of doves which live on the island. As for keeping cool- well, that’s what you have the sea breeze for. A short stroll down to the beach brings you to your own private beach lounge with bar area, sun loungers and an outdoor shower. Food is equally simple- whatever the fishermen have caught that day, seasonal tropical fruit and light lunchtime salads.
What can I do at Mnemba Island Lodge?
Mnemba Island often follows a safari in mainland Tanzania, and in many ways this is a natural extension of the safari experience, with a real focus on the island’s pristine natural surroundings. There’s fabulous diving and snorkelling on the offshore reef, excellent deep-sea fishing, and kayaks, paddleboards and Hobie cats with which to explore the implausibly blue water. Afterwards, there’s the Wellness Banda where you can have massages to make sure you’re really, properly, relaxed, or join in on one of the daily yoga classes. There’s also gentle sundowner cruises on Mnemba’s lovely dhow.
Feel-good factor at Mnemba Island Lodge:
Feel good factor: The ethos at Mnemba is very much about putting back into nature and the community: desalinated seawater is used on the island, local fishermen are sponsored to protect the offshore reefs, they help to support communities over on the main island of Zanzibar including offering local children conservation lessons, and there is an ongoing programme to protect the turtles that nest on the island. There is also a Discovery Centre where you can listen to talks on their conservation efforts on topics such as managing the coral nursery. The island also runs completely off solar power.
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