Ibo Island Lodge

The Bela Vista lounge (a rooftop bar/restaurant) with its seating built into the wall, wooden deck and mesmerising sea views is a top spot for African sundowners. But below the elegance of a colonial past is conjured up in the white colonial buildings, the private dining room featuring an enormous solid teak banqueting table, the artefacts of a bygone era and the expansive colonial garden. If the sea isn’t enough you have the choice of three luxurious swimming pools including a lap pool.

There are a few different guest room options from sea to garden view but they all boast wide, shady verandahs, four poster beds, beautiful wooden furnishings, tall ceilings with solid teak beams and a quiet sense of barefoot luxury. For families or groups you can book Villa Paradiso, another grand colonial beauty. The villa has five en-suite rooms, its own rooftop bar and private swimming pool. It comes with a private butler and chef.

Here’s what is on offer. You can scuba dive along some of Africa’s richest coral reefs, snorkel from the shallows or off a traditional dhow, kayak, fish, enjoy a castaway beach picnic, go on a birding safari or a mangrove forest experience. For a dose of history and culture take an island tour and learn more about the past and some of the exciting projects happening such as the silversmiths working in the old fort. All these experiences can be arranged at reception. *Not all activities at Ibo Island Lodge are included in the price.