kiwayu - rustic beach heaven

our favourite kenyan retreat perfect for romantics

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White sand beaches: there are so many it’s hard to know where to start. True, but in our opinion there are none quite like this.

An Indian Ocean experience like no other, Kiwayu mixes authentic Africa and barefoot luxury perfectly. And we mean really perfectly. With no bling in sight, on the private island of Kiwayu, everything from the shells on the waterline to your own hammock in your shorefront cottage, is totally natural and made from local materials. Here you’ll fall sleep under a palm thatch roof to the sound of the sea, and wake to bright sunshine, fresh fruit and total relaxation. The real luxury here is the silence and sheer remoteness of it all.

kiwayu lagoons

Arriving by small plane on Kiwayu’s own private airstrip, you feel a million miles away from the bustling real world already. Here, eighteen traditional Swahili thatched bandas (that’s cottages to you and me) are spread over a huge stretch of naturally pristine white sand slipping into warm, light turquoise waters. Decked out with a super kingsize bed, local furniture built to blend in with the surrounding dunes, and highlighted with traditional bright woven fabrics, your cottage will instantly become your home. Pad along the soft sand to the dining and bar bandas when you fancy a refreshing drink or anything from mango to pizza or lobster, and the smiling staff (who will literally be your friend by the end of your stay) will pander to your every need.

Kiwayu beach

Activities mainly involve the island’s incredible wildlife – take a walking ‘safari’ with an expert guide who will show you where green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs, and if you’re there in September you might even get to see them hatch. Watch in amazement as the adorable baby turtles scuttle and flap into the sea. Wooden dhow trips will take you to neighbouring beaches, out to huge coral reefs for snorkelling, or to the UNESCO world heritage site of Lamu for the day. Try your hand at sailing, windsurfing, and deep sea fishing too: who knows, you may come home with a tuna or kingfish for the evening’s BBQ. If all this sounds a bit much, simply spend your days swinging in your own cushion-filled hammock in the shade of a coconut-heavy palm. Bliss.

Click here for our Ultimate Kenya Experience.