ACCOMMODATION on the LAKE

 

Lodge name                                   Palm Beach Leisure Resort                

Owners                                        Danie & Rita Britz

Contact details                               PO Box 46, Mangochi

                                                                             Cell:                  0994 43050

                                                                             Home:              01593184

                                                                             Office:            01594564

                                                                             Email:   palmbeach&Africa-online.net

 

Price                                           Camping $5 p.p.

Hotel Acc $20 p.p.

Facilities

Bar, Restaurant, laundry service, shop, Barge trips, sailing, sunset cruises, and cold water showers.

 

Personal rating

The lodge is slightly run down, and poor maintenance has resulted in a potentially fantastic lodge turning into one that would be classified as below standards.  However the owners are extremely hospitable and generous.

 

 

 

Lodge name                                   K-Lodge (Nkope mission area)

Owners                                 Greg and Lindsey Penfold

Contact details                          N/A

Price                                   $12.50 incl. coffee

 

Facilities

Putt-Putt course, Full menu, Beach & indoor Bar, DSTV, Pool, Nudist sundeck, Conference centre, Great snorkelling, Currently building a campsite, good road access, no bilharzias in the area, no resident crocodiles, but a large number of hippos, clinic close by, spacious, honey moon suite, the lodge is known for its serious parties, hot water showers.

 

Personal rating

A fantastic lodge situated right on the water.  The lodge offers clean comfortable accommodation for a very reasonable price.  Definitely going to turn into one of the tourist hot spots as the lodge develops.

 

 

Lodge name                                   Fat Monkey’s      

Owners                                                               Boris

Contact details                                            Fat Moneys – cape Maclear

P.O. Box 72 Monkey Bay- Malawi

Phone: (2659) 948501

Email: Borisjosaya@yahoo.com

www.fatmonkeys.com

 

Price                                                           $9 Twin Bedroom with fan

                                                                   $7 Twin bedroom without fan

                                                                   $2 p.p Camping

                                                                   $4 Dorm

 

Facilities 

Restaurant, Bar, Kayaking, island boat trips, sun set booze cruise, hiking, village walk, bird watching, diving, DSTV, cold water showers.

 

Personal rating

The famous Fat Monkeys backpacker lodge is generally the first stop for the uninitiated or budget traveller.  The property is clean and well looked after.  Accommodation is basic and cheap with mosquito netting on all windows.  This is definitely one of most popular spots in Malawi and is a must visit for all travellers.  The sunsets from the private beach are truly amazing.  Security is excellent and all other facilities are in top condition.

 

 

Information on surrounding area

Danforth yachting situated in the western corner of Cape Maclear, run a luxury lodge and yacht.  The owners can have extensive knowledge on the lake, and are in passions of the only nautical charts of the lake.  They are more than happy to provide you with a wealth of information.  Cape Maclear is home to a number of resorts and dive schools.  Kayak Africa is also based here, and once again they can provide you with more invaluable knowledge about the lake and surrounding areas.  They also run tours on the lake, but they tend to expensive for the budget traveller, but apparently you get the type of service you expect when paying such prices.  Monkey bay is the closet major village where all basics can be brought.

 

DANFORTH YACHTING:

PO Box 2319, Lilongwe, Malawi

(+265) 9 960077

(+265) 9960707 fax

Danforth@malawi.net

www.danforthyachting.com

 

KAYAK AFRICA:

www.kayakafrica.net

clive@kayakafrica.co.za

 

 

Lodge name                                   Kambiri Lodge   

Owners                                                               JJ & Min

Contact details                                                 P.O. Box 16, Salima, Malawi

                                                                           Tel: +265 (0)1 263 052                                                                                                                   Fax: +265 (0)1 263 152

                                                                   Cell: 09936358

                                                                   Email: Kambiri@africa-online.net

 

Price                                                           $80

51 en suite double rooms, all with fans

                                                                   and TV’s.

                                                                  

          

Facilities 

Restaurant, Bar, hot showers, conference centre,  visits to the tropical fish and crocodile farm, 20Km to Salima.

 

Personal rating

Senga bay is not worth the stop unless you have a lot of time on your hands.  The lodge itself is pleasant, and having a beer with the owners is truly a unique experience.  We believe that the kayaker or traveller will benefit more from spending more time in other areas of Malawi.

 

Lodge name                                   Sani Beach Resort   

Owners                                                               N/A

Contact details                                                 N/A

 

Price                                                           $2 p.p. camping,, $3 p.p dorms

$5 p.p. Bungalows

                                               

          

Facilities 

Restaurant, bar, hot showers

 

Personal rating

Sani beach resort is currently very run down, and compared to most of the other lodges visited it is way below par.  Like Senga bay, this is an area of Malawi which can be skipped out.  Unfortunately the owners where not present during our stay, thus we could not establish what the future held for Sani beach resort.

 

Lodge name                                   Sani Beach Resort   

Owners                                                               N/A

Contact details                                                  N/A

 

Price                                                           $2 p.p. camping,, $3 p.p dorms

$5 p.p. Bungalows

                                               

          

Facilities 

Restaurant, bar, hot showers

 

Personal rating

Sani beach resort is currently very run down, and compared to most of the other lodges visited it is way below par.  Like Senga bay, this is an area of Malawi which can be skipped out.  Unfortunately the owners where not present during our stay, thus we could not establish what the future held for Sani beach resort.

 

Lodge name                                   Ngala Beach lodge   

Owners                                                               Craig and Dianna Barlow

Contact details                                                  ngala@malawi.net

 

Price                                                           $4 p.p. camping

                                                                   $20 p.p Chalet and bathroom

                                                                              

 

Facilities 

Restaurant, bar, hot showers, lounge, DSTV, beach-bar, water-sports

 

Personal rating

This is a fantastic luxury lodge offering some of the best accommodation and facilities in Malawi.  The owners are great, and full of useful information.  The lodge is situated is a scenic part of the Lake, with amazing views.

 

 

Lodge name                                   Kande Beach resort   

Owners                                                               Dave and Andy

Contact details                                                  N/A

 

Price                                                           $4 p.p camping

                                                                   $20 p.p Chalets with bathroom

                                                                  

          

 

Facilities 

Restaurant, bar, hot showers, island, water-sports, library

 

Personal rating

Yet another amazing campsite along the lakeshore, and definitely a favourite amongst the team.  It is a legendary stop for over-landers, and has an incredible beach with an island within swimming distance.  There are yachts, boats and kayaks for rent, and it is extremely busy and has a great vibe.      

Lodge name                                   Mayoka Village  

Owners                                                               Gary & Catherine

Contact details                                                  N/A

 

Price                                                           $2 Camping p.p

                                                                   $3 p.p Chalet

                                                                  

 

Facilities 

Restaurant, bar, hot showers, water-sports, sunset cruises, sun-tanning deck

 

Personal rating

Mayoka is one of the most popular resorts in Malawi, frequented by foreigners and back-packers.  There is a great vibe and party atmosphere, with an excellent restaurant and bar.  Parties go on through the night, and during the day it is a very relaxed and chilled-out ambience.  The owners are extremely friendly and a good source of information.  Nkhata bay is probably the most scenic of Malawi’s lakeshore towns, and has even been described as “Caribbean”.     

 

 

Lodge name                                    Usisya Backpackers                   

Owners                                                               Chris

Contact details                                                     N/A

 

Price                                                            $1.50 p.p camping  

                                                                   $5 p.p bungalows

          

 

Facilities

Bar, private beach, cold-showers                                                         

 

Personal rating

A quaint backpackers situated outside the town of Usisya, with very few travellers passing through due to its inaccessibility.  It has a toilet with an awesome view over the lake.  We would definitely recommend a stop-over here.  Roads are only accessible during the dry season.  There is a ferry between Usisya and Nkhata Bay once a week. 

 

Lodge name                                   Chitimba Beach Campsite                 

Owners                                                               Roy, Adila, and John

Contact details                                                     chitimba_beach@yahoo.co.uk

 

Price                                                           $12per chalet with shower and toilet   

                                                                    $10 per A-Frame room

                                                                   $3 p.p camping

          

 

Facilities

Bar, private beach, hot-showers, DSTV, hot-spring, abseiling, rock-swinging, guided walks to Livingstonia                                                           

 

Personal rating

This is a very popular campsite, especially with over-landers.  There is a lively bar atmosphere and good food available all day.  The owners are great and the campsite in good condition.  This is definitely a favourite amongst the paddlers.

 

 

Lodge name                                   Mufwa Lakeside Centre                  

Owners                                                               N/A

Contact details                                                     N/A

 

Price                                                            $4 per double room         

                                                                   $2.50 p.p camping

                                                                  

          

 

Facilities

Bar, DSTV, cold showers

 

Personal rating

This is an extremely run-down and derelict resort that looks more like a prison.  There is nothing good to recommend about this place and its best to just keep paddling.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Silwood Rd., Rondebosch 7700

 

 

 

Cape Town, South Africa

Cell: 072 6011948 (Kevin Flanagan) or 082 4649678 (Charles Denison)

Fax: 021-685 1672 or e-Mail Us