There is no road in. You come to Fundu Lagoon by boat, along the mangrove-fringed southwest coast of Pemba Island in the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania. Eighteen canvas tents under makuti thatch climb a forested hillside above the Indian Ocean. What draws them together is the water, and what draws travellers is what lies beneath it. Visibility on the reefs offshore runs from 20 to 40 metres, among the clearest on this stretch of coast.
Visibility on the reefs offshore runs from 20 to 40 metres.
Pemba sits north of the busier island of Unguja, and the deep channel between them keeps its reefs steep and its currents strong. From the lodge’s own centre, Dive 710, divers work coral walls and drift dives. A short boat ride away the Misali Island marine conservation area opens up, ringed by reefs where green and hawksbill turtles come ashore to nest. This is diving that rewards those who travel for it.
Ellis Flyte, a former fashion designer, first came to Pemba meaning to build a holiday home, and the idea grew into something larger. The retreat she opened she still owns today, with Brian Henson and the London twins Marcus and Alex Lewis. Some 150 villagers built it over nine months in local wood and thatch, down to the chairs. Some of the chairs were made from salvaged wood off old dhows.
Some of the chairs were made from salvaged wood off old dhows.
The result is rustic and unhurried rather than polished, a place that opens to the sea and cools itself on ceiling fans and the channel breeze, with no air conditioning and no television, all of it by design. Vervet monkeys move through the canopy and turn up on the decks at first light. After dark the calls of bush babies carry from the forest behind the beach, and the days keep the slow measure of the coast.
Wooden walkways and sandy paths thread the rooms through indigenous forest, following the natural line of hillside and shore down to a long jetty running out over the water. Its bar is the first thing visible on the approach and the gathering point at sundown. Above it, a curved infinity pool overlooks the sea, with a yoga platform set into the hillside. In a quiet corner of the forest, the Fundu Fusion Spa blends the lodge’s own infusions for its treatments, so even the oils belong to the place.
The days here follow the tide. At high water guests swim from the white-sand beach; at low tide the reef is exposed for miles, and shorebirds work the pools left behind. Beyond diving and snorkelling, the mornings might begin with a boat trip out to spinner dolphins and end on a sunset dhow cruise, with mangrove kayaking, deep-sea fishing and waterskiing in between. From July to September, humpback whales migrate through the Pemba Channel, passing close on their long journey north.
From July to September, humpback whales migrate through the Pemba Channel.
The kitchen draws on Arabic, Indian, Swahili and colonial influences, built around the daily catch and Pemba’s spices, and served from an open-sided restaurant that faces the sea from every table. Dinner moves readily to the sand, for a beach barbecue or a private candlelit table, and one of four bars, the pool bar and the jetty bar among them, is never far. Meals, soft drinks, local beers and a daily bottle of house wine all come included, part of the lodge’s easy rhythm.
Three traditional villages lie within walking distance, and guided visits offer a look at daily island life. Further afield, the Kidike Flying Fox Sanctuary shelters the endemic Pemba flying fox, and there is the rainforest of Ngezi to explore, along with spice plantations and the jungle-reclaimed ruins of Jambangome, one of the island’s first settlements. No children under twelve stay here, which keeps the mood quiet and suits couples, honeymooners and divers who come for the water rather than the company.
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accommodation
Eighteen canvas tents under makuti thatch, set on raised wooden decks along the beach and hillside. Categories run from Hillside and Beachfront rooms to Suites and Superior Suites, the larger of which add private plunge pools and separate lounge areas. All have double or twin beds, mosquito nets, ceiling and standing fans, and en-suite hot-water bathrooms. No air conditioning or television.
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activities
Diving and snorkelling on Pemba's coral walls through the lodge's Dive 710 centre, including night snorkelling and boat trips to the Misali Island marine conservation area. Also spinner-dolphin trips, sunset dhow cruises, mangrove kayaking, deep-sea fishing and waterskiing. On land: guided village visits, spice-farm tours and forest excursions across Pemba.
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conservation
Fundu Lagoon was built by local villagers and is staffed largely from neighbouring communities. The lodge supports the surrounding community, and provides emergency boat transport for medical cases. Solar power runs the site, and a share of guest marine-park fees supports management of the Misali Island conservation area and its surrounding community.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
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Zanzibar & Pemba
Fundu is on Pemba, the quieter northern island of the archipelago, and there is no road in. You fly to Pemba by a short domestic flight from Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, then reach the lodge by boat along the mangrove-fringed south-west coast.
We build the flights and the boat transfer in so the connections line up. If you would prefer to fly privately, we can charter a Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC-12 to Pemba, timed to your international arrival. Luggage on the small aircraft is soft bags only with a weight limit of around 15 to 20kg depending on the airline, which we confirm with you before you pack.
Yes. Zanzibar and Pemba lie at sea level, well below 1,800 metres, and current UK guidance from TravelHealthPro lists the islands as a malaria area, so this is not a malaria-free beach stop. Risk is lower than it once was, but the mosquitoes that matter feed after dark, so cover up in the evening, use the repellent and nets provided, and antimalarial tablets remain the real protection.
Health advice can change from year to year, so we always ask you to confirm the current position with a travel clinic or your doctor before you travel, and to take the usual care against bites after dark.
The coast is hot and humid for most of the year, typically in the high twenties to low thirties, with the long rains of April and May the wettest and stickiest stretch to avoid.
Pack very light, breathable clothing, swimwear and sandals, with a light cover-up for time off the beach and modest dress for Stone Town and the villages. Bring strong sunscreen, a hat and insect repellent for the evenings.
Yes, this is diving that people travel for. Pemba sits north of the busier main island, and the deep channel between them keeps its reefs steep and its currents strong, with visibility offshore running from twenty to forty metres, among the clearest on this coast. From the lodge's own Dive 710 centre you work coral walls and drift dives, and a short boat ride reaches the Misali Island marine conservation area, where green and hawksbill turtles nest.
Come in the cool, dry Kusi season from June to October for the calmest seas, with Pemba's walls at their clearest in August and September. The long rains of April and May bring rough water and many closures, so we plan around them.
Fundu is a deliberately rustic, unplugged, water-focused lodge, boat-access only and with no air conditioning or television, so it suits couples and keen divers more than young families.
Tell us the children's ages and what you are after, and we will say honestly whether it fits or point you to a more family-oriented lodge on the islands.
Fundu is deliberately low-tech, with no televisions in the rooms and a slow, unhurried feel by design. Any wifi is limited and best expected in the main areas rather than the tents, though Pemba does have some mobile coverage.
It is a place to unplug more than to work. If you need to stay reliably reachable, tell us and we will confirm what the lodge currently offers before you travel.
rated five stars by our clients
our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
