Location: | Mnemba Island | Rating: |  |
Mnemba is a very exclusive, privately owned island, situated two kilometres northeast of Zanzibar. The island is the Zanzibar travel destination for celebrities like Bill Gates and Naomi Campbell and was also voted to be one of the three most romantic places in the world. And, that doesn't begin to describe it.
Firstly you couldn't be any closer to the top scuba diving reefs in Zanzibar at Mnemba Atoll, which is home to numerous colourful marine life. Mnemba’s exclusiveness is assured as day visitors are not permitted and guests are kept to a maximum of 20. Thirdly, Mnemba has been declared a malaria-free zone, so you won't have to spend your holiday plastered in insect repellent.
Total tropical paradise, the architecture of the lodge offers rustic exclusivity and privacy unparalleled on the African coastline. Thatched dining and sitting/bar areas have beautiful open views of the beach and spectacular coral reefs beyond. Baskets of fresh fruit, fish, lobsters, crabs and prawns are sailed into Mnemba daily on traditional ngalawa outriggers, and prepared as exotic delicacies. Lunch is usually served on large wooden carved Zanzibar platters heaped with delicious mezze (fingerfood).
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Property AmenitiesInformal lounge with television
A small library
Bar
Watersports and dive centre
Palm-thatched en-suite bandas
Ceiling fans
Safe
Room service
Laundry
Dress code: Strictly sarongs and barefeet.
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Area AttractionsAccommodation at Mnemba Island Resort
The 10 beach bandas have been designed for you by thatching experts and tucked discretely in between the casuarina trees on either side of the lodge to ensure privacy. Natural materials such as wood and palm branches have been hand-woven to create the ultimate beach banda, the epitome of island elegance. The windows are open allowing the balmy breezes in. A palm-covered walkway leads from your banda to an en-suite bathroom, where an occasional ghost crab may make an appearance. The water for the shower comes from the island's well or rainwater and is heated by solar panels. There is a spacious outdoor veranda on which to mentally replay days spent diving among exotically coloured tropical fish on the magnificent Mnemba reefs.
The interiors are spacious and stylish. Huge beds have white cotton bedspreads and mosquito netting. The netting is apparently not necessary as the island has been declared malaria-free, but they're great for romantic ambiance. Besides this, the rooms are very simply furnished and don't have any of the facilities usually associated with top lodgings. This fits perfectly with the island theme. After all, would Robinson Crusoe have had air conditioning, mini-bars and televisions?
Dining at Mnemba Island Resort
Basket loads of tropical fruit and freshly caught seafood arrive by ngalawa outriggers. These are whipped into mouthwatering platters and served buffet style for lunch. Elegant feasts are served for dinner either in the open-air dining room or at tables lit by flickering hurricane lamps on the beach under the stars. If you prefer, your meals can be taken in the privacy of your beach cottage. Needless to say, the service at this lodge is highly professional.
In keeping with the tradition of CC Africa lodges, Pan-African cuisine is served. You'll also notice a slight Mediterranean and Moroccan influence. A typical meal may include West African-style curried corn and coriander soup with Naan bread; spicy chicken with grilled bananas and ginger chutney, roasted beef with caramelised onions and chilli with cumin potatoes and followed by homemade vanilla ice cream with macadamia nut praline and slow-roasted rum-soaked pineapple. Oh yum.
Breakfast consists of a variety of hot and cold options. Special diets are catered for with prior notice.
Mnemba Island Resort Activities:
The main lodge with dining room and lounge/bar is open plan, letting in those balmy island breezes. From here, you have good views of the beach and coral reefs beyond. You can watch television, play board games, read books from the library or watch a great selection of wildlife videos.
In the beach forest situated in the middle of the island, you'll find timid suni antelope and white forest vagrant butterflies. Amazingly, there are no snakes, mosquitoes, scorpions or snakes on the island. Birders can look out for the purple-branded sunbird, bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian oystercatcher, crab plover and paradise flycatcher. Along the shores, you'll see curlew sandpipers, sanderlings, ruddy turnstones and Mongolian sandplovers.
Other Activities:
? Diving and snorkeling at Mnemba Atoll
? Sailing, boating, windsurfing and kayaking
? Deep-sea fishing and birding
? Tours to Stone Town and the spice plantations can be arranged
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