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Chapwani Pvt Island

Chapwani is a small hotel on a private island surrounded by white sandy beaches only ten minutes away by boat from the Zanzibar capital Stone Town, a fascinating and enchanting city offering a wealth of colours, fragrances and flavours, a place to savour both by day and by night.

At Chapwani you can enjoy the many services and features available for your relaxation, as well as a high level of privacy.

Chapwani Private Island has facilities to accommodate a maximum of 20 guests, having 10 bedrooms in total, all with a stunning view of the white, coral beach.

Chapwani Island

The island is situated just over a mile from the coast to the north-west of Stone Town. It can be reached comfortably within 15 minutes from Stone Town by one of our boats.

It is a coral island nearly a kilometre long and some 100 metres wide. The island is surrounded by small coves, sandy bays and crystal blue waters, and is perfect for snorkelling, windsurfing and diving at the many interesting locations near the island.

At one end of the island a large white sandbank emerges from the sea at low tide. From here one can swim at all tide times.

The southern end of the island has a number of small sandy coves but is covered by thick vegetation. The large herd of some 60 suni, a type of miniature antelope native to Zanzibar, hide here during the heat of the day in the thick undergrowth, to emerge in the evening in the open. They are also shy but are now used to the presence of humans on the island and can be seen easily on Chapwani.

In recent months, two fish eagles have made their home on the island and can often be seen fishing off the shore or perched on a large baobab.

One of the trees at the southern end of the island is also home to a large flock of fruit bats (over 1,000) that sleep in the safety of the island during the day and leave in large swarms at dusk towards the mainland, returning only shortly before dawn to their resting place.

Along the south-west coast of the island runs the sea wall, protecting the small but fascinating British seamen's graveyard. This is a historic monument of great interest and beauty and the graves through their inscriptions tell the stories of tall ships, battles with Arab slaving dhows during the slave wars and the sinking of HMS Pegasus, with the first shot to be fired in the First World War.

From here the long sandy beach stretches for over 500 yards all the way to the northern tip of the island. The sand is fine and white and perfect for swimming for some 8 hours out of 12. At low tide, the coral reef surrounding the island is uncovered, revealing crevices and pools in the coral, full of multi-coloured small shore life. Shoals of flying fish can often be seen off the island and dolphins regularly pass close by the shore.

In the early morning a flock of white egrets and other sea birds gather at the northern tip of the island. An early morning dip in this spot is an unforgettable experience, the birds dive in the water all around you, totally oblivious to your presence.

The two little coves at the north of the island provide perfect privacy and must be one of the most idyllic spots in the whole of Zanzibar to spend a day on the beach in total isolation.

Moving round the island to the north-eastern coast of Chapwani, we come to a natural pool, emptied at each low tide through a small gap in the coral but refilled with fresh sea water with each tide. This is another idyllic spot to swim and sunbathe.

The trees above the pool are often the resting place of a dozen black herons. We ask guests not to use this beach when the birds are on the island, as we are trying to do everything to encourage their permanent presence.

The remainder of the north-east coast is lined with rugged coral broken by only a couple of small isolated coves suitable for swimming only at high tide.

At night the lights of Stone Town sparkle in the distance and the stars above are breathtaking. Dinner can be organised for you in an isolated spot on the island.

Flights to Zanzibar from Nairobi

Current fares with Kenya Airways NBO-ZNZ return US$345

Visa fee in Zanzibar US$50

Zanzibar Airport Departure Tax US$20