Chale Island Resort - Ukunda

Private island resort on the Kenyan coast with exclusive access to a 10000 m² white sand bay

Accommodation

Chale Island Resort offers Swahili-inspired rooms with direct sea views, each equipped with a Swahili-style bed and an en-suite bathroom. The luxury penthouse suites feature expansive ocean views and private Jacuzzis, while the Ocean View Bandas provide private verandas overlooking the sea. All rooms at The Sands at Chale Island include air conditioning and are set discreetly around the island for privacy.

Dining

The resort's main restaurant serves traditional Kenyan cuisine mixed with Italian and Oriental dishes, while Katika Ziwa specializes in seafood. An on-site Samaki Sushi Bar offers fresh, sustainably caught seafood, and an Italian trattoria serves pizza and pasta. The Mkoko sunset deck, perched on stilts over the water, opens at 5pm with a mixologist menu and canapés.

Wellness & Spa

The Maisha Poa Spa offers a wide range of treatments including body scrubs, wraps, facials, and massages across nine open-air treatment rooms. Two of these treatment rooms are located over the lake, providing a serene environment for couples' packages. Yoga classes are held in a natural setting, and the spa also provides manicure, pedicure, and waxing services.

Activities & Nature

Guests can join guided snorkeling at Zebra Reef, where tropical fish, octopus, and sea snakes are common sightings. The resort offers mangrove kayaking, reef walks at low tide with the resident marine biologist, and guided canoe trips around the island. Families of colobus monkeys and nesting green turtles are regularly observed on the property, and the dive school provides scuba tasters in the pool.

Sustainability & Community

Chale Island Resort runs dedicated environmental initiatives to protect local wildlife, including a no lobster policy due to low stocks. The kitchen sources ingredients locally to support surrounding communities and reduce food miles. The resort also engages in conservation of colobus monkeys and green turtle nesting sites, with a marine biologist on staff for education and guided walks.

• Location: Private island off Ukunda, accessed by tractor or boat
• Rooms: Swahili-inspired bandas and suites with sea views, private Jacuzzis
• Dining: 6 outlets including Katika Ziwa seafood, Samaki Sushi Bar, Italian trattoria
• Spa: Maisha Poa Spa with 9 open-air treatment rooms including two over the lake
• Activities: Guided snorkeling at Zebra Reef, mangrove kayaking, reef walks with marine biologist
• Sustainability: Turtle conservation, no lobster policy, locally sourced ingredients