Mnemba Island Lodge

a wonderfully understated paradise

AndBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge is located in the Matemwe area of Zanzibar Island.

The lodge itself is remarkably simple, a loose gathering of coral and thatch structures, not designed to impress but simply to support that sense of easy relaxation.

The hosting here is superb. Having met the managers, you are introduced to your private butler, who will attend to your every need, in the lounge and restaurant, back at your room and even out on the beach. Everything is done with a gentle, easy-going subtlety that makes you feel immediately at home and relaxed.

The idea behind Mnemba is simple barefoot luxury. You can literally take your shoes off soon as you arrive and not put them back on again until you leave. There is no dress code, little in the way of anything that will distract you from achieving a state of pure and enduring relaxation. The island has been doing this since 1987, so is something of a pioneer in this regard.

Coming up from the beach, we first pass through the very well-equipped watersports centre and the rather pricey gift-shop.

From there we reach the main bar and lounge building, open-sided under thatch, but beautifully decorated with comfy armchairs and interesting collectables and reading material. The bar is very well stocked with premium brands, most of which are included.

Beyond that, another even simpler structure contains the dining area, with views back out onto that wonderful beach.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at AndBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge is in just 12 lovely beachfront bandas, each quite widely spaced around the western end of the island and with a private beach bivouac out front.

The rooms themselves are surprisingly outdoorsy and feel quite shaggy, being constructed almost entirely of timber and makuti palm-thatch.

A large open-sided verandah contains a comfy seating area and is a lovely place to hang out during the day.

The master bedroom contains a very large bed surrounded by a lavish mosquito net. There are fans but no air-con, the main ventilation usually being provided by the ocean breeze.

Each room also has its own section of beach, with a small banda.

Activities

AndBeyond Mnemba Island Lodge provides access to the following activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the usual room rate …

• Snorkelling
• Diving
• Kite-surfing
• Wind-surfing
• Sailing
• Kayaking
• Turtle nesting

Of all the diverse beach locations that can be added to a safari in East Africa, Zanzibar is by far the most popular and therefore tends to feature in a high proportion of trips.
The usual stay duration is 3-7 nights.

Seasonality

The climate on Zanzibar 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.

Getting around

The majority of visitors to Zanzibar Island arrive via the international airport just southeast of Stone Town.
People including Zanzibar at the front end of their trip may arrive into Dar es Salaam over on the mainland, from where it is a short hop by light aircraft to the island.
Once on the island it is usual to travel around by guided overland transfers. Self-drive is most definitely not recommended.

by far the most popular beach location in East Africa