Pemba Island

Location: Pemba

Fundu Lagoon is situated on Pemba Island, which lies approximately 80km northeast of Zanzibar Island (Unguja) and is about the same distance from the Tanzanian mainland, situated directly east of the port of Tanga. Unlike Unguja, which is flat and sandy, Pemba’s terrain is hilly, fertile and heavily vegetated.

Accommodation

Fundu Lagoon is a remote and peaceful resort, only accessible by boat. Privately owned, it is run with a love for the natural environment that surrounds it and is the epitome of shabby chic.
Wooden walkways and sandy paths lead to sixteen Makuti thatched-tented room suites, all spacious with breath-taking views of the ocean.
Fundu Lagoon’s main areas are open-sided with thatch roofing. There are three bars, an excellent restaurant, a beautiful infinity pool, a calming spa and DIVE 710, the PADI dive centre.

Eco Policies

Eco-Design - The rooms at Fundu Lagoon were built around existing trees, avoiding felling and the wood used for construction is from sustainable sources.
The hotel can barely be seen from the approach across the lagoon by boat, until you are 100 metres away. It is built of wood and thatch and blends perfectly with the environment.

Energy - Water at this eco-friendly resort is solar heated, with 20 small tanks heated by 4 panels each. In addition the fuel consumption of the hotel has been reduced by up to 30% as a result of an update to the electricity supply system. Old generators are being replaced with a new more efficient model.
Charcoal use will stop completely, alternative ‘bio-brics’ produced close by on the mainland from biomass product such as coconut husks will be used instead.
All boat engines are regularly serviced to reduce unnecessary emissions and inboard diesel oat engines are being considered for next season.

Conservation - 25 trees have been planted at Fundu Lagoon this year which will start to offset carbon emissions that can not be reduced further, and this programme will be refined once the full results of the foot-printing exercise are known.

Ecological sustainability - Sewerage is dealt with safely in non-chemical soak-away pits and rainwater is from hotel boreholes only, the cleanliness of which is checked twice per year. Biodegradable soaps and shampoos are provided for guests and eco-friendly products are used in cleaning and washing.
Rubbish is separated, compacted, composted and burnt underground. Plastic bottles and metal bottle tops are provided to local NGO for recycling.

Community - 95 of our 115 staff are Pembans, this is a policy. Each employee supports an estimated average of 10 extended family members. Therefore up to 1,000 people benefit directly from the hotel. In addition to this, Fundu Lagoon’s policy is to buy locally and the resort has 17 Pemban suppliers of fish, fruit, rice and vegetables. 20 villagers supply fresh vegetables. The resort provides the land, water, tools, seeds and a professional agricultural 5-day training course.
A loan fund of $2000 is offered to staff for building houses, schooling for siblings, assisting sick relatives, etc. This year already 60 people have benefited from this.
Fundu Lagoon also provides villagers with a four-times per week boat “bus” service to the nearest town.
Child illiteracy in the area was 100%. In 12 months from September 2004, individual guest and private hotel donations had raised $12,000 towards the school fund. The fund was controlled by the hotel management to ensure efficient and effective spend.
A local foreman managed the construction using voluntary local labour and a VSO teacher trainer advised on teaching materials, which were made by Fundu employees, or brought by guests in response to a website request. The four teachers were given bicycles for transport, and uniforms were provided for pupils.
In January 2006 the school opened for 95 pupils. 5 new classrooms trebled the capacity in January 2007, at a cost of $9,000. At the same time, Fundu Lagoon have put $6,000 into healthcare, changing 12 children’s lives with corrective surgery, to enable them to attend school.
This education means that over 100 local families will have an opportunity to reduce their current levels of poverty.
In 2007 Fundu Lagoon sponsored ‘Chema Chema Cultural Group,’ an 18-person traditional Pemban drumming and dancing band who had rarely left their own village, to participate in the Zanzibar Annual Music Festival ‘Sauti Za Busara’ or Sounds of Wisdom, a festival bringing people together to celebrate the wealth and diversity of music in the Swahili region.
Pemba has a sensitive religious and political culture, due to little prior exposure to the developed world. The population is 98% Muslim. Letters outlining the cultural sensitivity are provided to guests on arrival at the hotel.
Female visitors are told to dress demurely when walking in areas outside the hotel and no topless bathing is permitted.
The hotel has an on-site mosque for staff and the local witch doctors are free to practice their ceremonies unaffected by the presence of the hotel.
Guests are encouraged to visit the local villages where they are welcomed with traditional Pemban hospitality – the resort has written guidelines about photography and behaviour with local people.
Misali Island features in local Islamic folklore so alcohol is excluded from picnic lunches.
To discourage begging, guests are asked to bring any gifts they bring to the hotel management, who pass them to the village headman to distribute to most needy families.

Facilities

- The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, bar snacks are available between meals and afternoon tea is available between 4pm and 6pm. Evening events such as Beach Barbecues, Cocktails and canapes and Swahili nights start at 8pm, weather permitting.
- There are 3 bars – the Jetty Bar, Main Bar and Pool Bar. There is a selection of house wine, local beers, cocktails and spirits included in the room rate and the mini bar in your room is stocked with soft drinks, water and beer, replenished daily. Other premium alcoholic beverages are also available at the bars for an additional fee.
- There is a TV and Games room, with Satellite television, darts and a pool table.
- Front office – For activity information and bookings
- Pool – Fundu Lagoon has a Cascading Infinity Pool with sun deck and bar. There is also a Spa treatment room.
- Fully equipped dive centre

Things To See And Do

Pemba offers today’s visitor a number of attractions including lovely beaches, world-class scuba diving and a number of historical sites. Ngezi Forest Reserve is a beautiful place to visit, as is Misali Island, which Captain Kidd is reputed to have used as a hide-out in the 17th century.
Activities available from Fundu Lagoon include:
- Village Treks to the 3 very traditional local villages in comfortable walking distance from the resort
- Cultural and City Tour to the interesting and lively capital of Pemba, Chake Chake
- Spice Tour of a shamba (farm) where you can see local spices growing in their natural environment
- Ngezi Forest and North Coast exploration
- Experience traditional Swahili henna hand or feet decorations
- Sunset Cruises, sailing in a traditional dhow
- Kayaking around the local mangrove forests, next to the jetty
- Snorkelling tours of the coral reefs just off the main beach of Misali
- Dolphin safaris
- Game Fishing
- Traditional Outrigger Canoe Fishing
- Private Sunset Cruises and Candle Light Beach Dinner
- Scuba diving and PADI courses

Room Description

The 8 Oceanview rooms (standard bungalows) are located on the hillside, enjoying privacy, panoramic views of the Ocean and a cooling breeze. Decks have recently been extended to accommodate 2 chairs and 2 sun loungers. There is also a fridge and safe in the room.

Guests staying in 1 of the 4 Beachside rooms (standard bungalows) can stroll straight from their bungalow onto the beach. Each bungalow has 2 sun loungers at the front, on the beach, as well as a small private deck. Each room has a fridge and safe.

The Beach Suite is situated right on the beach and has an extensive private deck with an elevated seating area for relaxing / reading and a plunge pool. There is a fridge and safe in the room and room attendant service from 8am – 6pm.

The Jungle Suite is slightly set back from the beach, in a private setting among the mangroves. The extensive private deck has an elevated seated area for relaxation / reading and a plunge pool. There is a fridge and safe in the room and room attendant service from 8am – 6pm.

The 4 Superior suites offer spacious (9m x 6m) deluxe accommodation incorporating a stylish bedroom and open plan lounge. The spacious outside deck area is perfect for intimate dining and guests have the option of cooling down in the huge plunge pool. The suites also feature a stone-walled bathroom with double sink and shower. There is a fridge and safe in the room and room attendant service from 8am – 6pm.

Prices & Booking Policies

Currency: US dollar (US$)
Prices and inclusions: Prices include full English breakfast, daily choice of dishes for lunch, 3 course dinner, in-house selection of wine, spirits and cocktails, beers, bottled water, soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee, unguided mangrove canoe safaris, Dhow sunset cruise (subject to availability), laundry and taxes.
Prices per person per night for 2 sharing an Ocean View room range from US$275-370, increasing to US$470 per night for Christmas and New Year 2008/9. Sole occupancy of an Ocean View room is available at a supplement of US$125-150 per night.
Beachside Rooms are available at an additional supplement of US$25-35 per person per night, based on the above 2 sharing and sole occupancy rates.
Prices per person per night for 2 sharing a Suite range from US$380-485 per night, increasing to US$585 over Christmas and New Year 2008/9. Sole occupancy is available at a supplement of US$190-220 per night.
Prices per person per night for 2 sharing a Superior Suite range from US$410-610 per night, increasing to US$710 over Christmas and New Year 2008/9. Sole occupancy is available at a supplement of US$190-220 per night.
Child prices: Fundu Lagoon is not suitable for children aged 0-12 years old.
Extra adult prices: Triple rooms can be arranged, with the third person paying 50% of the normal rate. Superior Suites are recommended if triple rooms are needed.
Special offers: Fundu Lagoon have special offers available for honeymooners. If you are a honeymooner, use the Enquiry button on this page to enquire about the honeymoon package at Fundu Lagoon.
Check-in / Check-out times: Check-in time is 2pm and check-out time is 11am. However, this is quite flexible as Fundu Lagoon try to have rooms available earlier for guests arriving earlier and try to allow late check-out where possible.
Opening dates: Fundu Lagoon is closed from 16th April – 14th June 2008. Bookings are currently being taken until 14th April 2009.
Restrictions: Children aged 12 or under are not accepted at Fundu Lagoon. There are no minimum night restrictions.
Deposit: A 10% deposit is required to secure your reservation. You will be invoiced for this invoice by ecobookers, on behalf of Fundu Lagoon. The deposit can be paid by credit card, debit card, PayPal or UK bank transfer. The remainder of your fee is then required 30 days prior to arrival. This can be paid by credit card with a 7.5% surcharge. Your booking will not be fully confirmed until these payments have been received.
Cancellation policy: The 10% booking deposit is non-refundable. For cancellations made 29-15 days prior to arrival, there is a cancellation fee of 30% of the full booking value. For cancellations 14 days prior to arrival, or no-shows, the full 100% accommodation fee will be forfeited.
Payment methods: Fundu Lagoon does accept Visa and MasterCard but a 7.5% surcharge applies for this service. You are therefore recommended to use hard currency (preferably US dollars) in a mixture of traveller’s cheques and cash.

Getting There And Around

The main means of visiting Pemba Island are by light aircraft or ferry (although ferries are unreliable). The only airport is Chake Chake at the center of the Island, and the main port used by the ferry service is Mkoani in the south-west. After arriving at the airport there is a vehicle ride to Mkoani Port on a newly built bitumen road which takes approximately 45 minutes. Fundu Lagoon then provide a private boat service (20-25 minutes) from Mkoani Port to Fundu Lagoon. There is no useable road access.

Transfers per person one way (porterage not included):
Pemba Island
- Airport/Fundu Lagoon – US$40 per person

Zanzibar Island
– Airport/Stone Town Hotel – US$20
- Port/Stone Town Hotel – US$10