Fundu Lagoon

Fundu Lagoon is definitely Pemba's most luxurious hotel. Created by a team that includes international fashion designer Ellis Flyte, it's is an oasis of calm, sophisticated style in a stunning location. Just 16 individual rooms are dotted along the mangrove forest that lines the white sand beach. Each is designed like a 1920s safari tent, with cool, crisp linens, a hanging canvas wardrobe and a wooden writing desk. Each tent opens onto a private verandah with easy chairs, and steps leading down onto a personal sunlounger on the beach.

Fundu Lagoon's public spaces are trendy and contemporary, with polished wooden floors, earthenware vases and billowing canvas drapes. The food is international aEUR˜fusion' cuisine either in the restaurant, surrounded by jungle and looking out across the sea, or on the New England style jetty bar. In the evening, as the sun sets across the peaceful ocean, dolphins sometimes swim into the bay and around the jetty, their backs glistening in the golden sunset light.

One of the many excursions on offer is the trip to Misali island, just a speedboat ride away and the most perfect little desert island you'll ever see. Snorkelling here is straight off the beach and fantastic - Fundu also has a very high powered dive and watersports centre to explore the reefs of Pemba, the equal of any in the world.

Gemma Pitcher

Fundu is on Pemba Island, the sister island to Zanzibar lying across the Pemba Channel to the north. The hotel is situated on a remote and beautiful beach on the south western side of the island and is only accessible by boat.

There are sixteen rooms, consisting of designer tents, set under makuti (thatch) roofs on wooden decks and each with a view over the sea. The rooms are equipped with large double or twin beds, mosquito nets, ceiling and standing fans, and indoor and outdoor seating areas. Each has an ensuite bathroom with fresh hot water shower, toilet and basin. All of our rooms are fitted with a call button for service as required. The rooms are connected to the main buildings by wooden walkways or paths through indigenous forest. Some rooms are situated along the beachfront and the remaining on the hillside. All have amazing views, especially the ones on the hillside. Two of our rooms are beachside suites with its own private chill-out deck and plunge pool and there are a further two Superior Suites which are huge with lounge area and room attendant service.

Now listed as one of the top diving locations in the world, we also cater for the more energetic holiday-maker with a fully-equipped PADI diving Centre and a wide range of watersports including snorkeling, sailing, fishing, waterskiing and kayaking.