Description
Manda Bay lies on the north western tip of Manda Island, in the Indian Ocean on the Kenyan coast. The lodge offers beautiful beach front accommodation, informal pampering and barefoot luxury. The bandas (cottages) are set in amongst coconut palms, acacia and tamarind trees overlooking the sandy beaches and bay. The spacious cottages are designed in keeping with the local landscape, with large wooden beds, luxurious mosquito nets and ensuite bathrooms. There are lovely swing beds infront of the bandas, just perfect to relax and watch the dhows sail past.
Manda is well known for its excellent cuisine, water sports and deep sea fishing for Marlin and Sailfish. Aside from watching the ebb and flow of the tides, Manda Bay is only a 20 minute boat ride to Lamu - the oldest Swahili town of Islamic Culture dating back to the 13th Century and a world Heritage Site. The Manda Settlement, the oldest Ruins recorded on the East African Coast, is situated within walking distance of the lodge and surrounded by 100 year old baobab trees. With no threat to the wildlife, bush buck and Cape Buffalo graze in the pastures on the Manda Estate next to the private airfield.
Manda offers scenic flights in light aircraft which fly low over areas on the main land across the bay. These areas are stunningly beautiful stretches of uninhabited land where large herds of Buffalo, Hartebeast, Zebra and Eland exist undisturbed. The bush country here is spotted with an occasional natual sweet water lake full of Hippo and attracts other rarer species like the lesser Kudu and Hirola Hartebeast.
Guide price
£3,765 Per person
£3,765 per person for 7 nights based on 2 people sharing a Cottage on a full board basis including international flights, air taxes and transfers.
Accommodation
There are sixteen cottages with a choice of double or twin beds, surrounded by large flowing mosquito nets and cooled by overhead fans inside the nets. Eleven of these rooms are on the beachfront, and five are behind and above the first five beachfront rooms. The cottages are spacious and comfortable with their own bathrooms; they are specially sited to catch the cooling sea breezes and all have verandas. Each room has a small fridge to keep your drinks cool.
Childcare
Children of all ages are most welcome at Manda Bay. The coast of Kenya is a wonderful place for a family holiday with calm, safe waters, endlesss activities and plenty of cultural interaction. It is possible to tailor food requirements to children's tastes and arrange for earlier meal times if required.
Facilities
Manda Bay has a stunning infinity pool surrounded with numerous lamu beds, loungers, and hammocks. Manda Bay is well known for its water sports centre and has an extensive toy box with instructors to help show you how to use them all. One of the most popular activities is snorkelling to see the myriad of coloured fish living in the coral right next to the lodge.
The main emphasis is on water based activities - there are numerous boats to sail, water skiing, donutting, wake boarding
Activities
Guests can be as active or relaxed as they chose but there is lots on offer at Manda Bay. From the watersports centre you can waterski, wake board, kneed board, bannana boat, sail, windsurf or take a snorkel to explore the coral reefs surrounding the bay.The fishing – both reef and deep sea – in the Lamu / Kiwayu waters is famous worldwide both for its variety and for the quantity of sport fish caught.
From Manda Bay's private airstrip you can take scenic flights across this stunning region.
When to travel
The coast is generally hot and humid, with average temperatures of 28°C, rising to about 35°C around March. June and July can be quite windy which is good for sailing. Long rains come late March to May and short rains in October and November. Christmas and New Year are generally considered the peak season and the weather is lovely then with constant sunshine and gentle off shore breezes. If you want clear seas for diving then make your trip after August and September.
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Location and directions
Manda Island, Kenya
Manda Bay is situated on the north western peninsular of Manda Island, one of the many unspoiled, idyllic islands within the Lamu archipelago. In the Indian Ocean on the north Kenyan coast, Manda Bay is only accessible by boat.
How to get there
8-hour 30-minute international flight to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. There are 3 scheduled flights from Nairobi to Lamu each day, taking approximately 1-hour 30-minutes. On arriving at Lamu airport there is a 20-minute boat ride to the lodge. Alternatively, charter a flight directly from Nairobi to Manda's private airstrip.
