Fumba Beach Lodge is a lovely retreat on the quieter south-western coast of Zanzibar. It's a small lodge with only 26 rooms, making it a nice alternative to some of the mega resorts that have sprung up on Zanzibar in more recent years. The beach on this side of the island sees far fewer visitors than the busy eastern and western coasts, though it's not quite as beautiful; it's notably rocky in places, and there isn't all that much of it when the tide comes in. Nevertheless, while the beach isn't picture perfect, we think this is a fair trade-off for the relative quiet that Fumba offers.
Located just 30 minutes southwest of Zanzibar’s capital, Stone Town, Fumba Beach Lodge is concealed well away from the busy tourist areas, making it the perfect venue for enjoying the peace and tranquillity for which the Swahili coast is famous.
Fumba Beach is one of our preferred options on Zanzibar. Despite the modest beachfront, it has a beautiful location on a quiet corner of the island and offers great facilities—pool, spa, stylish tapas bar, and lovely beach cottages. Understated luxury at its best.
Accommodation
The 26 beach cottages at Fumba Beach are scattered among a grove of baobab trees, where they benefit from lots of shade as well as a gentle sea breeze. There are twenty deluxe rooms, all fairly spacious, with private terraces overlooking the ocean. They have full en-suite bathrooms. Four luxury suites have their own roof terrace, larger bathroom with tub, and open-air shower.
Finally, there are two baobab suites, intended for honeymooners. These are similar in design to the luxury rooms, but they are larger and have lovely outdoor bathrooms built around ancient baobab trees.
Dining
Fumba Beach is usually booked half-board. Tasty cooked breakfasts are served each morning. An a la carte lunch menu is provided, while dinner is a multi-course affair, featuring plenty of fresh fish and local produce.
There's no single restaurant at Fumba Beach; rather meals can be served in a variety of places, whether on the beach or on your private terrace. It's a nice touch, ensuring each meal is a private, intimate experience.
There's a charming beach bar serving tapas and drinks, perched under a giant baobab tree and constructed entirely from a Zanzibari dhow boat.
Facilities
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Massage centre
- PADI dive centre
Activities
- R&R
- Diving (Fumba Beach has its own dive centre)
- Cultural tour of Stone Town
- Spice tour
- Various water sports
- Fishing
- Did we mention R&R?
Child Policy
Children of all ages welcome.
Environmental Policy
Fumba Beach is part of the Menai Bay conservation area, established by the WWF in 1998 to help promote sustainable farming methods. Eco-tourism plays an important role in this scheme and Fumba Beach is the first lodge to offer accommodation in the area and to support the programme.
