Heading to the coast

After the excitements of your self drive safari, you might like to consider a few days of complete relaxation on the African coast or on one of the islands. Many of our clients choose to make an indulgent beach stay the wonderful finale to their safari holiday. Your journey to the coast will be simple and stress free. We come and meet you at the end of your self drive safari, pick up the vehicle from you and then take you to the airport for your flight. On arrival at your destination, you will again be met by a member of staff from your hotel who will take you back, sometimes by land, sometimes by sea!

Just as we have carefully researched the African lodges that we use, we have also explored the coast and the islands so that all our recommendations come from our first hand experience of them. We have unearthed some spectacular places to stay and we are able to present you with a whole host of possibilities, depending on your personal requirements, how much you want to do and what budget you are working with.

Fascinating islands and blissful beaches

There are so many options for a really great stay on the coast with accommodation to suit every taste. You might be looking for an exclusive Seychellian retreat with opulent accommodation and your own private plunge pool. Maybe you’d prefer a boutique hotel on the Kenyan coast with world class big game fishing. Perhaps you are enticed by the shabby chic of a Tanzanian Crusoe-style beach hotel or maybe the excitement and contrasts of Zanzibar (left) or Lamu with alluring dhow trips and a plethora of watersports.

We have plenty of recommendations and here are just some of our favourites

An intriguing island off the Kenyan coast

The island of Lamu sits in the warm Indian Ocean off the coast of northern Kenya. It exudes enormous charm and has a really lovely, unsophisticated feel. Here you find elegant, Islamic townhouses and beautiful Arabic courtyards surrounded by scruffy, narrow alleyways and crumbling walls with peeling paint. The ubiquitous donkeys, who wander the streets at will, brush past intricately carved wooden doors and stone stairways that seem to hint at a former grandeur.

A short dhow trip away is Shela Beach. Its smart, beachfront houses and wonderful golden sands contrast hugely with the shabby appeal and the bustle and vigour of Lamu Town. Just across the sea from Lamu is Manda Bay (left), whose gorgeous private bandas are set right on the beach, only a few yards from the water. It’s a super place to relax yet there’s also plenty to entertain the more energetic! Local materials and stylish local furniture adorn this beach paradise. The food is delicious, the beach is pristine and the service is second to none.

A thriving eco-system

With over 400 species of fish, Mafia Island Marine Park is a unique marine eco-system with assorted wildlife and a rich variety of vegetation. Lagoons and inland bays provide a safe environment for diving and snorkelling. There are palms, baobabs and fruit trees fringing the water and traditional boats out at sea. There are several great options of places to stay here and all of our recommended hotels combine unpretentious luxury with fantastic food and great service. From your base, you can go out onto the stunning coral reef or explore the rest of the island and its intriguing villages.

Freshwater preferred?

Then you might like to consider a few days on Lake Malawi. It is a truly superlative beach destination. The lake is enormous at 365 miles long and 52 miles wide (hence its sobriquet ‘Calendar Lake’) and many people prefer this freshwater, tideless, inland sea to the coast. In fact, when you see it, it is hard to believe that it is not the ocean. Lake Malawi is reckoned to have the largest number of fish species in the world, many of which are endemic not only to the lake but, incredibly, to specific bays. Fish eagles, white-breasted cormorants and hamerkops are abundant. Pied kingfishers and various weavers also thrive here. It is a rich environment and if you enjoy diving and snorkelling, you will surely be enticed by the lake’s warm waters and its colourful inhabitants.

We could elaborate forever on all the wonderful places we have recommended to people in the past. For example, going slightly further afield, there is a clutch of super islands off the coast of Mozambique that many of our clients have loved. For a bigger detour home, a great number of people have relished the exclusivity, style and tranquillity of the Seychelles.

Please feel free to call us and we will put together some ideas for you. Once we know the kinds of places you are interested in staying, we can even provide you with individual hotel and lodge brochures.