Chapwani Island

Resort Pictures

Discover the real magic of Zanzibar dive into Chapwani Private Island tranquility

If you want to enjoy a corner of paradise in the island of spices Chapwani Private Island will hold you so spellbound that you won t be able to believe your own eyes

Chapwani is a small hotel on a private island surrounded by white sandy beaches only ten minutes away by boat from the capital Stone Town a fascinating and enchanting city offering a wealth of colours fragrances and flavours a place to savour both by day and by night

The Island The island is situated just over a mile from the coast to the North West of Stone Town It can be reached comfortably within 15 minutes from Stone Town by one of our boats

It is a coral island nearly a kilometre long and some 100 metres wide The island is surrounded by small coves sandy bays and crystal blue waters and is perfect for snorkelling windsurfing and diving at the many interesting locations near the island

At the Southern tip a large white sandbank emerges from the sea at low tide From here one can bathe at all times of the tide

The Southern end of the island has a number of small sandy coves but is covered by thick vegetation This is the home to a stray colobus monkey whose presence on the island no one can explain Shy and reclusive he is only occasionally seen swinging from one tree to another

The large herd of some 60 dik-diks miniature antelope native to Zanzibar hide here during the heat of the day in the thick undergrowth to emerge in the evening in the open They are also shy but are now used to the presence of humans on the island and can be seen easily seen on Chapwani

Over the last months two fish eagles have made their home on the island and can often be seen fishing off the shore or perched on a large baobab

One of the trees at the southern end of the island is also home to a large flock of fruit bats over 1 000 these sleep in the safety of the island during the day and leave in large swarms at dusk towards the mainland returning only shortly before dawn to their resting place

Along the South West Coast of the island runs the sea wall protecting the small but fascinating British seamen s graveyard This is a historic monument of great interest and beauty and the graves through their inscriptions tell the stories of tall ships battles with arab dows during the slave wars and the sinking of HMS Pegasus the first shot to be fired in the First World War

From here the long sandy beach stretches for over 500 yards all the way to the Northern tip of the island The sand is fine and white and perfect for swimming for some eight hours out of twelve At low tide the coral reef surrounding the island is uncovered revealing crevices and pools in the coral full of multi-coloured small shore life Shoals of flying fish can often be seen off the island and dolphins regularly pass close by the shore

In the early morning a flock of white egrets and other sea birds gather at the Northern tip of the island An early morning dip in this spot is an unforgettable experience the birds dive in the water all around you totally oblivious to your presence

The two little coves at the North of the island provide perfect privacy and must be one of the most idyllic spots in the whole of Zanzibar to spend a day on the beach in total isolation

Moving round the island to the North Eastern coast of Chapwani we come to a natural pool emptied at each low tide through a small gap in the coral but refilled with fresh sea water with each tide This is another idyllic spot to swim and sunbathe

The trees above the pool are often the resting place of a dozen black heron We ask guests not to use this beach when the birds are on the island we are trying to do everything to encourage their permanent presence

The remainder of the North East coast is lined with rugged coral broken by only a couple of small isolated coves suitable for swimming only at high tide

At night the island is superb The lights of Stonetown sparkle in the distance and the stars above are breathtaking Dinner can be organised for you in an isolated spot on the island

The Rooms There are only 10 rooms on the whole island situated in 5 separate bandas on the beach Each room has its own terrace and lounge beds on the beach in front of the room

The island has no natural water and all the water is brought by a pipe from the coast to meet the needs of guests Hot water is available all day long

The only power on the island comes from the generator situated on the opposite side of the island out of ear-shot

The rooms have current during the day but the generator is switched off at mid-night and each room has a lantern on the porch for use during the night Plugs in the room are continental European two pin plugs

The rooms are simply furnished with a four poster bed a mosquito net ceiling fan wardrobe and traditional Zanzibari writing desk A banana leaf shutter closes the room from the light outside whilst letting through a fresh breeze

It is almost never too hot in the rooms at night and sometimes bed covers are needed

There is no air conditioning in the rooms as given the power situation this would be impossible but nor is it needed

Each room has its own separate toilet and a large bathroom with wash basin and shower area

Activities The island is excellent for swimming and short excursions to nearby snorkelling sites can be arranged Our boatmen know the sites well and a great day can be guaranteed The diving near Stone Town is excellent for inexperienced divers although advanced divers may find it slightly tame

The best diving from the Zanzibar islands is off Pemba or the Southern island of Mafia which both offer sites of world renown However for the occasional diver there are some excellent sites in the waters off Chapwani and we can arrange diving with one of the well managed diving centres in town

The island has four canoes which can be used to explore the coast around the island There is a beach volley court on the island archery petanque balls and lots of other games to break up the day We also can arrange trips with the local fishermen and sailing on an N gelawa the small tri-marans which are the traditional coastal fishing and sailing vessels

The Restaurant and Bar The restaurant is on the waters edge on the North Eastern side of the island and is covered by a large Makuti roof The food is excellent and has a strong local flavour The menu is based around freshly caught fish and crustaceans when available The cuisine has a touch of Italian style as the Zanzibari cook was trained in an Italian Hotel The island whilst private does have an obligation to allow visitors given the presence of the historic monument Therefore there are sometimes outside guests at the restaurant at lunch times It should be noted that numbers are restricted and given the large size of the island total privacy is guaranteed

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Star Rating:
Distance from Airport:	60km

Resort Facilities