ATOL and ABTA Protected
39 years of Experience
Low deposits from £99pp*
Price-match promise*
WIFI
Air condition
Spa
Yoga
Snorkelling
Scuba Diving
Water Sports
Restaurant
Bar
Our travel experts are ready to curate the perfect experience for you. Enquire now to receive live availability and tailored pricing for your selected cabin and duration.
The Sultan Villa is the lodge’s largest accommodation and suits couples or honeymooners who want more space and additional service. At 70 sqm, it accommodates a maximum of two guests and has a king bed positioned towards the ocean. Customised furniture brings together African and Arabic influences.
The two 35 sqm Ocean View Villas face the sunrise side of the island and each has its own private veranda. Designed for a maximum of two adults, they have a king-size bed and a simple, nature-focused set-up.
The three 35 sqm Bay View Villas face the sunset side of the island and each has its own private veranda. They accommodate a maximum of two adults and share the same nature-focused design as the Ocean View Villas.
The Restaurant serves lunch and dinner with a focus on gourmet dishes, local flavours and seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding area. Sea urchin from Pongwe Bay and agar-agar seaweed from a nearby farm are among the local ingredients highlighted by the lodge.
Romantic Dinner Experience gives couples a more private alternative to the main restaurant. Dinner is arranged on a private ocean-view terrace decorated with local flowers, with personal butler service throughout the evening.
Massage treatments can be arranged inside the guest room or on its terrace. A professional local therapist uses aromatic oils and Zanzibar spices during the treatments.
Private meditation and yoga sessions can be arranged for guests who want to include some wellness time during their stay.
The changing tide is part of everyday life at The Island Pongwe. Depending on the water level, guests can cross between the lodge and the beach by canoe or walk across when conditions allow.
This experience combines traditional dhow sailing with snorkelling at the Pongwe reef directly in front of the lodge. Snorkelling equipment is provided, with a few stops close to the reef for time in the water.
This low-tide experience introduces guests to traditional fishing methods used around Pongwe. Activities can include spotting fish among seaweed, hand spearing, catching fish by hand and collecting and tasting sea urchins.
This full-day private dhow trip takes guests to Mnemba Atoll for swimming and snorkelling. The private boat format gives couples their own day on the water rather than joining a group excursion.
This half-day group trip travels by local dhow to Mnemba Atoll for snorkelling or diving. A professional PADI-certified team accompanies the experience, with diving available to both first-time and certified divers.
Free-use bicycles are available for guests who want to explore the area around Pongwe Bay independently. The hotel suggests riding in the morning or around sunset.
At low tide, guests can walk from The Island towards the seaweed farm in front of the lodge and see how local women harvest agar-agar seaweed. Once harvested, the agar-agar is dried and used in natural medicine, food and beauty products.
Sunset Shades is centred around the hotel’s Sunset Lounge Balcony, where guests can sit and watch the evening light over the horizon.
This experience combines a walk through Pongwe village with a visit to the local school. The surrounding community has strong links to fishing and seaweed farming.
Reception can arrange several established Zanzibar excursions through professional partners. Options listed by the hotel include Stone Town, a Spice Farm, Prison Island, Jozani Forest, Safari Blue and a Quad Adventure village tour.
The Exotic Experience Package is available for stays of at least four days and combines several of the lodge’s activities, dining and wellness experiences.
The Island Pongwe Lodge sits in Pongwe Bay on Zanzibar’s north-east coast, around 100 metres from the shoreline. It is 34 km from Stone Town, while the hotel states Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ) is 60 minutes away. Access between the coast and lodge changes with the tide, with guests using a canoe when required or walking when conditions allow.
Transfer details: 60 minutes from Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ); final access is by canoe or on foot depending on the tide.
Share your details and our travel curator will call you back to design your perfect escape.
Share your details and our travel curator will call you back to design your perfect escape.
ATOL and ABTA Protected
39 years of Experience
Low deposits from £99pp*
Price-match promise*
WIFI
Air condition
Spa
Yoga
Snorkelling
Scuba Diving
Water Sports
Restaurant
Bar
