If you want to experience a small piece of paradise then Mumbo Island needs to be on your bucket list. It lies 10kms offshore from Cape Maclear in the southern region of Lake Malawi and is approximately one square kilometre in size. In 1980 it was incorporated into the Lake Malawi National Park and Kayak Africa were awarded the concession in 1996. It is unspoilt, incredibly beautiful and guarantees privacy with a maximum of 14 people at any one time.
The trip to Cape Maclear from Blantyre was a good four and a half hours along busy roads. Regular occurrences of potholes and road shoulder erosion made overtaking tricky. Motorbike taxis, carrying one to two passengers, hug the edge of the road and no-one wears a helmet. The route took us through densely populated areas where village after village merge into each other. Locals sell their merchandise – be it clothing or fresh produce – alongside the road. Shops advertise a variety of services using extremely creative English names like “Bellyful Restaurant” and “Never Give Up Liquor Store”. The final part of the journey is on a very poor road that is half tar, half dirt so we were thankful that we were in the safe hands of our driver – Masa.
We celebrated our arrival at Kayak Africa on the shores of Lake Malawi with an ice-cold Green before catching the boat across to Mumbo Island. A word of advice – don’t be tempted to dip your toes into the water on the shore as you are bound to end up with bilharzia. Rather jump aboard and make use of one of the many umbrellas to keep the sun’s rays at bay. The boat trip took about 45 minutes before we got our first glimpse of this exceptional little island. We were given a super friendly welcome by Douglas, Patrick and Ashim. Under the guidance of Nora theywent out of their way to make sure our stay was extra special.
Accommodation
Home for the next three days was in a beautiful reed chalet perched high on a boulder overlooking the water. All five reed chalets are situated on their own private boulder on the tiny islet of “Jumbo”. A wooden bridge spans the water between the islet and Mumbo Island’s main beach. All chalets have a rustic charm and are built of reeds, timber, thatch and canvas. Mozi nets, made of a combination of netting and colourful Malawian fabric, add to the ambiance of the rooms. A hammock is available on each deck should you feel like an afternoon snooze. The “en-suite” bathrooms are reached by a wooden walkway. Each is equipped with a dry-composter toilet (long-drop) and bucket shower. You will need to give about 20 minutes notice before showering as the staff must heat up the water and bring it to you. The dining area, lounge and forest chalet are set back from the beach and blend seamlessly into the forest. Don’t bother taking a hairdryer as all electricity is solar powered.
Food
The food was plentiful and beautifully cooked by Patrick. All thoughts of eating mindfully whilst on holiday in Malawi were forgotten as we fought over the fresh rolls, apple crumpets, pancakes and freshly caught chambo – to name just a few. We never ran out of ice-cold Greens and Chills and never managed to miss afternoon tea and cake either!!
Activities
The water is beautiful, warm and clear so snorkeling is a must. We kayaked around the island each day with a bit of snorkeling along the way. The loungers on the beach are the perfect place to do a bit of sun tanning and reading. Nora is a brilliant masseur so I couldn’t resist indulging in an hour of blissful relaxation. We were not there long enough to indulge in diving. We did however get to meet Rob Assad who runs Cape Maclear SCUBA – something we will do when we return. The walks around the island meander through forests and boulders and are clearly signposted so there is no chance of getting lost. Sundowners on Pod Rock are a must.
If you planning a visit to Malawi make sure Mumbo Island is on your list of “Things to Do!”
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