Matemwe Beach Village

Resort Pictures

Matemwe Beach is a small guesthouse which is located out on its own on a long stretch of classic palm-lined white sand beach on the North East coast of Zanzibar Island

Matemwe Beach Village is a supremely cosy guest lodge located on the northeast coast of Zanzibar It s within excellent proximity to Mnemba Island which offers some of the best diving off mainland Zanzibar

Accommodation

Our star room is the Asali suite which is made for honeymooners with one double bed and is separate from the rest of the lodge It houses its own plunge pool and comes complete with two dedicated staff to cater for your every need

We try hard to make the rooms that little bit special and you will find various little touches around the place

The lodge is a relatively simple affair set amongst the line of palms that backs the beach along this coast

The simple makuti-thatched lodge and bungalows are situated along a glorious strip of palm-fringed beach All rooms are provided with cheery sunhats beach baskets khi-kois local sarongs and umbrellas - everything needed for a lazy day at the beach

Seven of these are located at the front of the grounds just far enough from the beach to give protection against the wind which sometimes buffets the coastline but close enough to afford a scenic view of the ocean They have good views of the ocean from their verandas

The remaining rooms are situated slightly further back towards the tropical vegetation All rooms are constructed from stone and makuti thatching Some are detached while others are in groups of two or three All rooms are comfortably furnished to a Zanzibar theme They have ceiling fans and two of the rooms have air conditioning All the beds have mosquito nets for your protection

Dining

The lodge is centred around a single large open-sided space looking onto the beach which serves at the lounge bar and restaurant As we are a little place far away from supermarkets we use a lot of fresh products provided by people within the community Our menus are small but good and change daily for every meal Favourites amongst our guests are the grilled fillet of fish with a passion fruit sauce chicken kebabs with a chilli garlic dressing There s also a cosy pub in which to chill and enjoy local beers fresh fruit juices or cocktails

The restaurant is situated in the main thatched lodge area Such is the pleasant vibe at Matemwe that guests often move their tables together If you want a particularly romantic evening you can dine on the beach only two couples a night though while sitting on reed matting and cushions

Activities Facilities

Just off-shore from the guesthouse is the world-famous Mnemba Atoll whose circling reef has some of the best diving in East Africa

The lounging area is slightly raised up and consists of an array of floor cushions and low tables It s pretty cool As one of our guests put it This is the most chilled chill-out spot I have ever found but that could probably be said of a number of places up and down this coast There are books and games with which to entertain yourself when taking a break from the beach and sun

Mnemba is a circular reef with aquarium conditions on the inside and some good wall-diving on the outer Diving here is a year-round event with reasonably good conditions to be found on the atoll under almost all weather conditions and visibilities of 20 to 40 metres are the norm We regularly see turtles and dolphins here and are often lucky enough to see or even get a tow from whale sharks and pilot whales

We have a full 5 star IDC PADI dive school at the lodge We are able to offer the full range of PADI certificate courses as well as try dives and snorkelling trips for the non-divers and now that we have a swimming pool we are able to offer the complete course when staying at Matemwe For PADI open-water courses we are happy to take a referral certificate from those of you who want to do the theory and pool work before you come

There s also plenty to keep non-divers occupied If you ever tire of lazing about on the beach you can take a cruise in a dhow snorkel in the lagoon bicycle along the beach or wander about the local village There s always someone to play cards with in the pub and lots of socialising in the evenings This is really a great place to just unwind and relax

On full-moon nights guests are invited to view the rising of the moon from the beach where they enjoy sparkling wine compliments of the lodge These and other little touches really makes for a memorable experience

Other activities include beach walks reviving early-morning ocean swims snorkeling sailing fishing excursions Dolphin watching games room dhow cruises and bicycling

Many of our guests come here primarily for the diving at Mnemba Others come here to relax after having climbed Kilimanjaro or having been out on safari in the Serengeti In other words we tend to get a nice mix of professional outdoor types who get on well together and create a nice atmosphere around the place

The atmosphere at Matemwe is chilled and laid-back but this does not mean you wait half an hour for a beer - our staff are friendly and attentive - as another guest put it I wish we could take your smiles home with us

If you re looking for excellent value for money a great stretch of beach and superb diving or a romantic wedding venue Matemwe Beach Village is a fantastic choice We can highly recommend it for just about any traveler to Zanzibar

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