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Kaya Mawa Lodge

Lake Malawi, Malawi

Bronze price level

Mango Opinion

Kaya Mawa Lodge is a sweet and well run owner operated gem on the shores of Lake Malawi. This is a great R&R stop at the end of an active safari for culturally interested travelers. The excellent fresh water snorkeling and scuba diving, biking around the island and visitng nearby villages are real highlights.

Likoma Island is the larger of two small islands situated in the far north of Lake Malawi, on the east of the Lake and very close to the Mozambique coastline. To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 square kilometers with one small dirt road and two vehicles, the local people survive largely by fishing, and rice & cassava farming. The island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves. The waters are crystal clear throughout the year and the diving and snorkeling is among the best in Lake Malawi.

Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the southwestern tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs. It consists of 12 stone and teak-framed thatched cottages set into a granite headland. Each cottage faces the lake and has a 7 by 6 foot mahogany four-poster bed, a shower, a sunken stone bathtub and a loo with a view. The view from the shower in the honeymoon suite defies description. All the cottages have private terraces with direct access to the water, and some can only be reached by walkways built over the lake.

The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity, but enough activities are on offer to keep guests busy. Scuba, snorkeling, swimming, sailing and visits to the local villages are part of the experience. Day trips to Mozambique can be arranged.


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