Chumbe Island Lodge

Chumbe Island Lodge is a perfect example of responsible tourism. There are seven ingeniously designed bandas tucked into the vegetation and overlooking the beach. Upstairs, the bedrooms have rickety wooden floors, low beds with expansive mosquito nets and open sides to the sea. Lying in your bed at night you can hear the waves on the beach below and see the stars twinkling above. On the ground floor is an ingenious bathroom and small living room with comfy hammocks and chairs. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that each banda has been designed to catch and filter its own rainwater.

The main lodge has the same ingenious design and houses a small education room, dining room and lounge. There are lots of guides at the lodge, all of whom come from local fishing villages. They will guide you on nature walks and snorkel trips. Alternatively, you might just want to snooze on the beach. With all the profits from the lodge returning straight into the local communities Chumbe is a remarkable and unique lodge on Zanzibar.

OUR RATING: First Class