Fundu Lagoon

wonderfully remote and unusually authentic

Fundu Lagoon is located on Pemba Island off the Tanzania Coast.

This property is independently owned by twins Marcus and Alex Lewis and Ellis Flyte, all of whom are from London. When they first built the place way back in 2003, Pemba Island was virtually off the map, it was a very brave and ambitious undertaking. The fact that it remains one of only a handful of decent lodges on the island is a testament to how difficult it is to do business here. They really have done remarkably well.

Approaching from the ocean it is immediately apparent that the lodge is set on a very large plot. Mooring at the end of the very impressive jetty, we first encounter a very pleasant bar out above the water.

The remainder of the lodge is hidden amongst luxuriant tropical forest at the back of the beach. Stylish public areas are shaggy chic, open-sided under thatch. Lounge and dining areas are arranged on various levels and there is a games and television room tucked away beyond.

Further up the slope there is a lovely swimming pool area, with a two-layered infinity pool and another very pleasant bar, as well as a small spa.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Fundu Lagoon is in a total of eighteen rooms, all of which are tented. They come in four different specifications, from cheapest to dearest are …

– Hillside

– Standard

– Beachfront Standard

– Beachfront Suite

– Beachfront Superior Suite. 

As you go up the scale they gain larger decks, private plunge pools and separate lounge areas.

Activities

Fundu Lagoon provides access to the following activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the usual room rate …

– Island picnics

– Snorkelling

– Diving

– Sailing

– Kayaking

Pemba Island tends to feature relatively rarely in trips, since the allure of Zanzibar is too great for most first time visitors to resist. That is what keeps the place so blissfully quiet.

The usual stay duration is 4-6 nights.

Seasonality

The climate on Pemba Island is tropical, with predominantly hot, humid and sunny conditions.

There is rain on most days of the year, usually taking the form of light showers. During the Nov-Dec and Mar-May rainy seasons these can turn into heavy and persistent downpours.

There can also be very strong winds during the May-Jun early dry season period.

The best times down on the coast are therefore considered to be Jul-Oct and Jan-Mar, when there is usually slightly less rain and wind.

Unfortunately these best periods happen to coincide with the two peak seasons for visitor traffic, although that is far less of an issue here than on Zanzibar Island.

Getting around

The vast majority of visitors to Pemba Island arrive via the international airports at Dar es Salaam or Kilimanjaro, from where there are regular scheduled light aircraft services into the airstrip at Chake Chake.

Once in the area it is usual to travel around by guided overland and water transfers.

We always include all connecting transport in your trip unless you specifically ask us not to.

blissfully quiet due to the irresistible allure of Zanzibar