It is not every day that a private island can boast the value-for-money experience that Fanjove does. A tiny wisp of an isle curled around a coral reef south of Dar es Salaam, Fanjove has everything you could want from a private island: from shiny-white beaches and warm water to a forested interior ringing with birdsong. Exclusive, stylish and with only six individual suites, this lodge is ideal for privacy-seeking travellers, honeymooners and bush-and-beach-getaways – offshore lie dazzling reefs with 20-metre / 66-foot visibility, pods of curious bottle-nosed and spinner dolphins, and ephemeral sandbanks that are perfect for a lunchtime picnic. Look out for endangered green turtles and migrating humpback whales.

Fanjove is the sort of destination where you are encouraged to do as little or as much as the mood takes you. You can snorkel or kayak straight off the beach join a sunset dhow cruise, go on a scuba-dive adventure or just enjoy a slow walk around the island. Apart from the friendly staff from nearby Songosongo Island, there is no one else on Fanjove except you and your fellow guests; an old lighthouse and a passing fisherman or two are the few reminders of the outside world.

The lodge’s designers worked in tandem with ecologists to create elegant, comfortable accommodation that leaves the barest of footprints on the landscape. Your suite is solar-powered and made from traditional building materials; much of the water is harvested from rain and desalinated from the surrounding Indian Ocean. The ambience is relaxed, quiet and stylish, perfect for couples looking for a beach vacation in Africa.

Highlights

• Classic, great-value private island experience off Tanzania
• Ideal for post-safari holidays and honeymoons
• Small and intimate with only six suites
• Complimentary snorkelling and kayaking from the beach
• Eco-friendly lodge with light footprint, rainwater harvesting and solar power
• Great bird watching from November to March

Activities

• BIRD WATCHING
• BOAT EXCURSIONS
• CANOEING
• FISHING
• KAYAKING
• SAILING
• SCUBA DIVING
• SNORKELLING
• WHALE WATCHING

Rooms

Fanjove Room

Each room is open at its front to capitalise on the uninterrupted ocean views. The whole property has been designed to minimize its environmental footprint. Solar power is employed for all the rooms, and the buildings use traditional, natural materials – sustainable wood, Mukti (palm leaves) and thatch.  Simple, stylish comfortable, and completely in keeping with the unpretentious Fanjove vibe, the accommodation provides the perfect base from which to explore the island, shores and seas.

Facilities

The main lodge is a simple and spacious affair, built in the traditional style: its open sides let in the sea breeze as the makuti thatched roof rustles. There are comfortable seating areas inside while most dining takes place outside.

There is plenty to occupy oneself: the snorkelling gear and kayaks are free to use; scuba dives can be arranged; and nature walks and sailing cruises can be enjoyed.

Excursions to see dolphins are offered, and passionate birdwatchers should time their visit between November and March when many passage migrants pass the island.

Dining

Some meals are served indoors when the weather dictates but most of the time you will be sitting outside on the beach, the sultry sea air and balmy breeze sharpening the appetite. Dining is at individual tables, allowing you quality time with your partner. You could even tuck into a freshly grilled fish lunch on a tidal sandbank, the ultimate in exclusive dining.

Breakfast begins with fruit salad, followed by toast, pancakes and eggs cooked to order. Seafood with a local twist is often served up for lunch and dinner – the fish soup is served in a coconut shell, for example – and you will find an Italian influence in the cuisine, too. Bottled water is supplied in your suite.