For a spot of R&R after an East African safari, a stay at the private island resort Manda Bay is simply mandatory. Sorry – let’s start that again… On Manda Island – a short boat hop from Lamu Island – Manda Bay is a cluster of 22 thatched-roof cottages tucked between palm trees or on the beachfront. From the latter, you can jump straight in the water from your deck – the best way to wake up.
The vibe is all ‘no shoes, no news’. And no need for windowpanes, either – the tropical conditions mean cottages can be open-air all year round, with only curtains and mozzie net drapes between you and the sea breeze at night.
Spend restful days wandering barefoot along the beach to the sound of waves and palm fronds rustling, chilling on your veranda (the swing bed is just asking to be napped on) or wallowing in the pool. Maybe you do a couple of downward dogs in the yoga room – maybe a prolonged corpse pose on the lounger is quite enough.
Or you can pack your waking hours with a gluttony of activities: fishing, kayaking, sailing, kitesurfing when the wind blows, bird spotting or visiting Manda Island’s 9th-century ruins. You can easily pop over to historic Lamu Town or to Shela for lunch, too. Either way, you’ll likely wind up with sundowners around the beach bonfire. Dinners, three-course affairs, are usually served on the beach under the stars – think fresh-out- the-ocean tuna, crab and prawns, toes in the sand, sea breeze in your hair, the night sky more sparkly than Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond collection.
