“I have had the most amazing time. Far, far better than I expected. Everyone here is so very kind and helpful. Wonderful food. Paradise!”
Christine Richmond UK 15th Feb 07
At Diamond Beach Village we have six beach huts called bandas, traditionally designed with high windows, the sea breeze flows through making them the ideal retreat from the African sunshine.
The four double bandas have a double bed downstairs and a single bed mounted in the roof, each has a front porch, en suite shower, sink and flush toilet. All bandas are provided with sheets, mosquito nets and towels. Each has a mains plug with a British socket and all have electric lighting in the evening. Our very friendly room boy, Kombo, cleans daily and we offer a laundry service. The twin banda is larger with swing hammock outside and can sleep 2-4. The sixth ‘family’ banda is larger and divided into two, with swing bed outside, it sleeps between 3-6.
The floors and walls are made out of star palm which is woven locally, the roofs are a thatch of coconut palm. There is no fresh water on Manda Island so we re-use the water from the sinks and showers to water the garden.
We also have a treehouse to rent. It sleeps between two and six people, with wooden floors, branches coming through the walls and a large veranda on the first floor stretching right around the tree, where there is an open air bathroom with sink, shower and flush toilet. There is another bathroom on the ground floor.
It is an amazing experience to be lying in bed in a baobab tree watching the birds fly by with a view across the village over to the sand dunes of Lamu Island.
It really is a honeymooners' paradise.
"Diamond Beach has an open-air restaurant beside a beautiful white sand beach" Telegraph travel.
The restaurant seating area is shaded from the sun with large palm thatched umbrellas, conveniently situated with a fantastic view of the Indian Ocean. Our highly trained chef, Kazungu, prepares a variety of dishes from traditional Swahili cuisine to more conventional western and vegetarian foods. A must for breakfast is banana pancakes and fruit salad with fresh Kenyan coffee or chai tea made from local spices, or toast and eggs with home made papaya jam and passion curd. Lamu's best kept secret is its freshly caught sea food... Lobster, king prawns, mangrove crab, red snapper, tuna, squid, and much more are on the menu each day.
Our ‘yoga studio’ built for John Scott is now a chill out area for the guests, with swinging chairs and beds a library and games, it is very easy to spend the day reading, dozing off and drinking fresh fruit juices until its time for cocktails in the bar.
Our giant clam shells in the garden under the acacia trees act as bird baths and attract a colourful array of beautiful birds at both dawn and dusk. Sit and watch them play as you relax and enjoy your drinks. Or lie under the shade of the acacia trees on the swing beds and hammocks while listening to the lap of the Indian Ocean which is just a ten second walk away. At dusk, Diamond Beach enjoys the full view of some of the most breathtaking African sunsets. When night falls you can find your way back to your banda, lit by the shimmering light of a billion stars, over 180 degrees of perfectly clear sky. Or perhaps enjoy a moonlight swim where the shimmer of the phosphorescence is truly spectacular.
You are provided with paraffin lamps for the late evening, the well muffled generator gets switched off around 10pm.
“The most unspoilt place we have ever been to. A perfect place to chill out, be happy and just be. Thanks for making our yoga retreat so special.
Best wishes for a great future.”
Denise and Alex
