Isolated 600 meters away from the main land on the south coast of Kenya and 4 degrees south of the equator is Chale Island; a charming, romantic and exotic paradise (* and I mean paradise – heart shaped eyes!).
Our trip started with a charter flight from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Ukunda, south coast Mombasa. From there we drove roughly half an hour to the edge of the mainland where a boat was waiting to float us off to paradise. My heart literally skipped a beat upon landing on the shores of the island 10 minutes later.
The island, as advertised, is really a top spot for secluded getaways, honeymooners, snorkelers and divers (* and of course anyone looking for a little piece of heaven) and can be reached within 30 minutes drive from Diani Beach, an hour and a half drive from Mombasa and is only 70km away from the Tanzanian Border.
After a warm welcome at the reception (* where we were shocked to discover that we were actually an hour ahead of Mombasa), we were escorted to our rooms (* not for very long since we immediately changed and rushed down to the beach)!
Surrounded by powder white sands, the sparkling turquoise Indian Ocean, inland tidal mangrove forest lakes and an abundant coral reef, Chale Island is everything we imagined it to be – one of Kenya’s unique treasures (* a glittering jewel ** fluttering heart *** butterflies in my stomach **** if I could marry this island, I would).
Lack of seaweed pile-ups attract turtles that frequently lay their eggs in the bay (* we were truly lucky to witness and aid the small hatchlings to the water’s edge on one such gorgeous night barefoot on the beach under the endless galaxy of stars.)
A large part of the island is made up of an ancient mangrove forest which boasts the tallest mangroves in East Africa. Behind the island is the Gazi Bay, the outlet for the seasonal Mkurimuji River, that can be reached either by motorboat or kayak.
The Sands At Chale Island (* the only hotel on the island – WOW right?!!), is a perfect mix between modern luxury and traditional architecture. A contemporary mix of Swahili structures, Kenyan made Italian stucco Venezziano, Lamu furniture and objects of African art from all corners of the continent, the hotel preserves an elegance while reflecting the surrounding nature. Boasting six different types of accommodation, the rooms are built to blend into the natural environment, each with a unique view of the ocean and island.
And our stay for the next 7 days was a dream-like experience. From waking early to a lavish breakfast to spending the whole day sun tanning and swimming in gorgeously clear water, walking around the island to get spectacular views, traditional late afternoon chai, last dip before dinner, a generous buffet of richly spiced food and finally having a drink at the bar chatting to new friends was like walking on cloud nine. The staff was more than hospitable with lovely smiles and our vacation (* that unfortunately had to end) was perfect.
(* I could really go on and on advertising this island and it still wouldn’t do it justice).
karibu 