The outer reef flat and the reef flat/slope is one of the most scenic I have ever seen anywhere. The coral cover is virtually 100% with large colonies closely packed together. The diversity of coral is also very big with almost all of the 200 species of Zanzibar present. The accommodation is excellent. I wish the Marine Park the best -it deserves it.
J.E.N. Veron, Chief Scientist, Australian Institute of Marine Sciences
This is paradise. Enjoyed the tranquility and the fact that there are a limited number of guests on the island - never crowded and one can always find a nook/cranny to be alone. The snorkelling was brilliant - fantastic house-reef with guides only too happy to show you the underwater wonders. We saw sting rays, turtles, sweet lips, butterfly fish, clown fish and fantastic coral. At low tide walked out around the rock pools and on the incoming tide were lucky to walk amongst small black tip reef sharks - feeding on other small fish. We enjoyed the simplicity of the units, yet everything just worked.
The food was excellent and all the staff went out of their way to make your stay memorable. The dinners were either set overlooking the ocean or on a sandy beach area with special candles to create a romantic atmosphere. When we left on the boat to go back to Stone Town - I had tears in my eyes - did not want to leave - Will be back.
Sue & Francois – Johannesburg , South Africa
It is our second time here and again it has been a splendid experience. The personnel were so gentle with children and again we were swimming with a gigantic sea turtle for a long time. Thank you for all. Jacob (5 years), Linda & Mads – Copenhagen , Denmark
Jambo! Salaam...My husband brought me here for my birthday. I have never experienced a paradise island such as this. The staff, service, food, bungalows are incredible not to mention the view, sea and snorkelling. This really is such an unforgettable experience and will be hard to leave. It is once in a lifetime that one gets to experience such a unique idea like this and would be so hard to go back to reality! The added bonus is knowing that this is all for the sake of education and the protection of the Marine Park . We can’t thank the staff of Chumbe enough. We’ll be forever grateful. Hope to see you very soon, inshallah! Zahra & Ales Soucek – UK
It is a truly memorable island. We had a fantastic 4 days and nights. The food was great as were the margaritas, but most of all the staff that made the stay so pleasurable. Thank you very much. Asante sana . Stephen & Yvette – UK
We spent 3 nights on Chumbe towards the end of our 2 week honeymoon in Tanzania . Chumbe Island is beautiful, the snorkelling was superb and we finally saw a turtle at the end of our last snorkel. All the staff, rangers, waiters, everyone were welcoming and so friendly and add to the warm feeling of Chumbe. The surprise meal in the beach banda on our last night was simply lovely – thank you! Asante sana ! Kate & Nick – Grigonadis
What an incredible idyllic place you have here. We have been to many places around the world and have seldom found a jewel such as this. Thank you for sharing it with us! Caleb & Sarah – New Zealand
Thank you so much to all the staff at Chumbe Island . It is a fantastic example of a sustainable holiday experience combined with wonderful wildlife watching opportunities. The coconut crabs are real characters and the richness of the sea life here is stunning, especially when seen during one of the snorkelling sessions. We wanted a couple of day of relaxation after our safari experience and we are leaving very happy! Thank you. Terry & Libby Townsherd – Copenhagen , Denmark
This is our second time at Chumbe. Whenever I put my feet down on this island the magic sweeps me off my feet. The friendly, relaxed, professional staff, the setting, the underwater world is just unbelievable. It’ll not be our last time. Silke & Michael –
Thank you so very much for an absolutely wonderful two weeks in which we rested and recuperated totally from modern life. Thank you all the friendliness and helpfulness where we needed “supplies” from Stone Town . Management was absolutely fantastic. It is good to know that the money we paid for staying here goes towards a worthy cause, run by worthy people. Andre & Hanneke Vai Niekeik – Windhoek , Namibia
What a fantastic place! Best snorkelling we have ever done, and really friendly staff and great service. We’ll send you some more visitors! Chris & Gill de Villier – South Africa
Chumbe Island is clearly one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. Amazing coral gardens, curious crabs, gentle turtles, romantic night skies... This is as close to paradise as you could imagine. Thanks to all who conceived and run this great project. Mariam & Thib – Paris
Hello lovely Chumbe team! Six days of one big dream due to your charming and lovely staff. All the people are great! Six days of snorkelling was really a great experience for us. We saw beautiful coral and several fish. The trumpet fish, the needle fish, and the turtles, the lion fish and Nemo! The forest walk, we learned a lot, sailing was also special, and the intertidal walk was amazing! Our lodge was a real experience and very clean, the last night on the beach made our stay very special. Thank you to you all. Danielle & Raymond Holland –
Congratulations on a wonderful project. It is the most fantastic peaceful hideaway. The food was superb and the staff so friendly and welcoming. If God created any where more perfect, he kept to himself! Nick & Sue Conlson –
Everything at Chumbe feels like peace and harmony. We’ll never forget our two days on the island, the fantastic snorkelling and the beautiful scenery. Staying at Chumbe is definitely a fantastic experience for eco-friendly people as well as for the others who can learn so much on the environmental issues. A special thank you to the very nice Chumbe staff and to the chef and his team for the delicious meals! All the best for the future. Sandie & Alexandre – Monaco , France
The most idyllic place one could dream, surrounded by magnificence of nature, her peacefulness and the beauty of all her children. Being here has taught us to slow down and appreciate what the world has to offer. I hope that Chumbe Island and its entire staff live long and prosper. The echo of the waves will stay with us forever. Mark & Tansy –
Today we end our 7th stay on Chumbe Island . And we promised to come back again. This year we made 11 snorkel trips. Mostly in clear water with all the beautiful fishes, corals and other underwater animals. It was a special experience and unforgettable. Shukurani sana to all the staff on Chumbe for their excellent work. We feel at home with friends when we stay here. Tutaonana tena. Willy, Barbara & Martin Leyendecker – Germany
This is truly an amazing place. If tourism was run along the same lines as Chumbe, the world would be a much a better place. We love our eco-hut and we want to build one at home! The fish and marine life were amazing. Snorkelling in England will just not be the same now. I wish you all the best with your education work. Thank you all for your kind hospitality. James & Caroline Rulipps – UK
I have never seen an island like Chumbe with an ecological system in total respect of the nature. This is an example for all around the world and I hope in Italy we will learn this lesson for our beautiful country that now risk to destroy all its treasure of nature. So this island is a wonderful example. The people that work here are kind like I never meet in the other places....I’ve visit a lot of places around the world but I’m falling in love with Chumbe. Gosome & friends – Rome, Italy
If I remarry? I’ll come back for my honeymoon. The sunset hut with a glass of wine and the two whales passing by was unbelievable! We bought the cook book and will try to redo the Chef John kitchen when we come home to Sweden . Asante sana . Marie & Sara Linnc – Stockholm , Sweden
We feel privileged to have been able to spend 4 nights on this unique and exquisite island. The snorkelling was absolutely sensational as well as the intertidal pools, forest walks, food, accommodation and service. Chumbe Island is an inspiration to all! May your conservation efforts grow with time! We hope we may return sooner than later. Thank you to the wonderful staff. Grace & Romy Peterson – South Africa
My wife and I have been lucky enough to travel quiet extensively over the last 20 years. In this time words like “ Paradise ” are often used frequently to describe locations that may not always be so. However this island comes particularly close to meeting the name. We were drawn to the island after researching the internet and the wonderful statements made about it having probably the best reef in East Africa – and we have not been disappointed. It is spectacular. Having spent 4 fantastic days and nights on the island we have had truly magnificent time. The staffs are wonderful, helpful and provide a level of service that many “High” class hotels in elsewhere in the word can learn a lot from. The food was perfect which considering the location was quiet a feat. In all, this is a truly amazing experience. Thanks, asante sana to all. Trevor & Sharon Gousmith – Colchester , England
We saw this little island on the internet and had to persist in finding a travel agent who could arrange for us to come – and we’re so glad we did! It has been an amazing end and a fantastic honeymoon. The food is some of the best we’ve had in Zanzibar and the conservation project is really special. We will take home great memories of our stay and will tell everyone we know to try to visit Chumbe at some point in their lives. Thank you. Anita & Eric Kiernan – Manchester , England
Thank you so much for creating and preserving a slice of heaven on earth. Chumbe should be considered the 8th wonder of the world because of its beauty and its ability to slow down the fast churning world around us. The peacefulness and the happiness of Chumbe including the wonderful staff and rangers are aspects I’ll forever cherish in my memory. Also the food was delicious and the snorkleling was the best I have ever experienced, I even touched a huge turtle. Asante sana . Tim Hirsch – USA
Wow! Chumbe has been ever more wonderful than we had imagined – the food, the snorkleling and the bungalow have all been amazing and the whole experience has been made every better by having thoughtful friendly staff just willing to spend time showing us around and spend a lot of time answering questions they have been asked a million of times before with a smile! Thank you so much and for helping me see a hawksbill turtle! Mike & Fliss Riste – Cambridge , England
Our visit to Chumbe Island was a dream come true. It is a true tropical paradise. Your mission to preserve this treasure is an inspiration. It has been the best working model of low impact and eco innovation. The snorkeling was magical, thank you so very much for your gracious care of our family and thanks specifically for “The best food in Africa .” Mary & Jim Morcun – (
We have waited eight years to come after reading it in the British newspaper – and it has exceeded even our highest expectations. We hope we can come here again soon. Thank you very much to everyone here. Asante sana . Mari & Christine – London , England
Last year, in the same time of the year, we discovered Chumbe. It was the two of us, taking a break from tough life in Darfur , Sudan . We simply loved it. This year we came back with a little difference growing in my belly. We are still in Darfur but not for long. We enjoyed the utter beauty of Chumbe, the delicious food, the certainty that we spent well our money for a good course. And with the certainty that we will come back as three one day soon, inshaallah. Thank you so much and all the best in your endeavor to preserve something so valuable. Francesca & Joachim – Italy and Austria
For everyone at Chumbe, thank you for sharing Chumbe with us. A special thanks to Doris and Khamis. This holiday memory will remain in our hearts for a long time. A true paradise, be proud of what you have accomplished. Pam & Jacqui – Cape Town , South Africa
What a great place to start a year with relaxing and think about life. A truly blissful and special place...amazing! Thank you so much for everything, all staff have been great, food is superb. Hope to be back soon. All the best for this fantastic project in the years to come. Jules & Ben – London
We’re really glad that we chose to include Chumbe as part of our Zanzibar visit; the snorkelling, food, and staff hospitality have all exceeded our expectations. This is a wonderful ecotourism and an inspiration for all African countries developing an ecotourism sector. I truly hope that the success and community support continues. We particularly appreciated the New Year’s Eve and the New Years day dinners under the stars. I will no longer say that the best snorkelling I’ve ever done was in Hawaii, Chumbe Island is my new standard! Thank you so much to all the Chumbe staff. Liana Bianchi & Danny Whitehead – USA and UK
Beautiful place, warm welcoming staff and very comfortable bungalows that respect the nature in such a harmony that we feel even better. In a world where money and profit is the rule, it is so good to spend some days in this privilege with you. Hope that we come back with our children in some few years and educate them as you do with local school children and abroad students. Carry on your work; it is so important for future generations. Stephen & Florance Tauzia
Asante sana !!! These 48 hours of our honeymoon have been absolutely tremendous. An island full of nature, both on and off. water, sun, cosy hangouts, and of course the wonderful bungalow. Your staff is so service minded and friendly. We’ll look forward to reading about your progress and we’ll be back in the future for an anniversary. Henrik Karlsson & Emilie Roden – Sweden
A huge “Thank you” for all. It’s incredible to find a place like Chumbe Island . All is beautiful, the staffs are lovely –bungalows are extraordinary. It was a dream and I definitely say “It is not the real life” Bye bye and we hope to see you soon! - Caroline & Amelier – honeymooners from France
Definitely too short! I could’ve spent weeks in this paradise. Never have I come across a holiday destination with such exceptional service and helpful staff. Juma and Khamis are very charming and helpful. Thank you so much! Godfrey – you’re doing a superb job! Hope to be back one day. Matt & Lara – UK and USA
We’re both exceptionally grateful for a fantastic stay on this beautiful island. The accommodation is incredible (especially considering its sustainability) the staff have constantly gone out of their way to help us and the food has been out of this world! Although we’re sad to leave, we look forward to coming back soon and spreading the magic of Chumbe. Thank you for everything. Ally & Matt – London , UK
Our expectations are overwhelmed, we had such a great experience, snorkeling in between the most colorful corals and their inhabitants, even the turtle was not shy swimming along with us. Thank you to all the really nice, friendly and helpful staff. We enjoyed so much our stay and Robinson’s house, last but not least it was a great location. Peter & Evelyn – Barcelona , Spain
This is a spectacular place for the conscious travelers, and reflective of its environmental principals to the core. Thank you to the staff for making our stay so relaxing. It has been a refreshing few days on our journey. Rebecca – Calgary , Canada & Lesotho
This place is magical and it has gorgeous scenery, awesome snorkeling, outrageous land crabs and fantastic staff – so friendly and willing to help. Amazing glowing planktons on late night swims. Thank you. Guy & Sandy Picker –
Thank you for another great and memorable time on Chumbe. This was our third time here and we have enjoyed it each time. On each occasion when we have visited here we have discovered new things about the island and staff. This time we discovered how multitalented the staffs here are. They not only provided a great service to all, informing us about marine life, providing delicious food etc. but also looked after my 80+ year old mother. Thank you again, we feel much honored to have rested here. Keep up the excellent work. Roy Trivedy & family –
Chumbe was an Oasis of peace and relaxation after our 9 day safari in Tanzania . We so appreciate Chumbe’s effort to protect the natural environment. You have done a splendid job, the coral reefs were pristine and beautiful, and park ranger Rashid did a perfect job teaching us about the island natural wonders. This is a beautiful place with wonderful staff. Thank you, dinner is yum yum! Thank the chef. Anne Billu & Alison Schultz –
Staying on this island has been a profound experience for me, it has really brought home to me the importance of each individual “foot print” on the earth. Every little thing we do has an impact on the environment. We have learnt so much just from seeing how you all live sustainably on this precious and fragile island, with such grace, humor and commitment to the eco islands. “Learn by doing”, “teach by being” is truly on Chumbe! Living in harmony with nature makes the humans so happy too. Jill & Jonny Yglesias – London , UK
We stayed 8 days and had a most wonderful time! We relaxed very much and enjoyed the time, no duties, and no hurry. The coral is so beautiful, every day we saw more things, fishes, turtles and dolphins. We could watch them all day. The people here are so friendly and so friendly we really love them. Lucy & Roger – Holland
We have had the most amazing 3 days and night on Chumbe Island . This is a very special and unique place. We have relaxed and enjoyed the snorkelling. The staff have been very attentive and helpful. The cuisine was excellent. Thank you all for making our stay here so relaxing. We hope to return. Cathy & David Gatrell – Buckinghamshire , UK
We had a truly wonderful stay – it was too short! We were treated like royalty, loved the island and the food was really delicious. Thank you so much and we’re looking forward to coming back already. Adam & Rebecca – UK
We love the tranquility, the ambience, the amazingly delicious food, and the friendly staff so much that we’re coming back… tomorrow!! Asante ! Mark & Michelle
We came here for the Eid Al Adha holiday. We have enjoyed a virtually perfect holiday. The principal reason for this has been the staff. Quite how this combination of charm, intelligence, humor and professionalism has been created is their secret, but it works. We’ve had a wonderful time and leave feeling so relaxed. Annie & Stephen – South Africa
These 5 days at Chumbe were more relaxing than 360 days at home. The food, the atmosphere and especially the warm hearted staff made this stay most enjoyable. And all this is pure, beautiful nature which deserves it to be treated like a little gem. Congratulations for this wonderful project. Lichile & Sandy – Luxembourg
We have had a wonderful time here at Chumbe and it is hard to tear ourselves away. The food has been amazing and we have looked forward to every meal. The snorkelling was beautiful – how fantastic to see turtles at 7am in the morning. Chumbe is an amazing project, good luck with it in the future. Before we arrived we thought the stars of the island would be the coconut crabs – they were brilliant but the real stars are the Chumbe staff. Thank you for your kindness and looking after us so well. Jack, Monica, Tom & Harry David –
Thank you for a very memorable experience. Our time on this island has been fantastic and opened our eyes to the eco friendly opportunities of holidays/tourism. Most of all thank you to all Chumbe staff on the island – your knowledge is magical and we have learned so much. Please continue all the hard work. Alex – UK
Excellent experience! We had a wonderful stay with you. Unfortunately it lasted 2 days, if we had known…. The whole project is fantastic, Thank you for doing for the animals and environment. There are still lots to see in the sea. Hopefully it will stay this way. The food was very good. We enjoyed it very much. Jasmin & Hans – Netherlands
This has been an amazing place to stay. I’m so glad we had the opportunity to start and finish our trip on Chumbe. All of the staff have been fantastic. I have learnt a lot about eco bungalows and rediscovered a love of exploring, Asante sana . Jane – Glasgow , UK
To the Chumbe team, our hearty thanks for saving and caring for this rich Island and reef resource so that we could enjoy a rest here to savor. Your care for us was complete as well – warm hospitality, fine food and wine, wonderful guides for snorkelling and walks on the shore and the forest. This is paradise found. Marian & Dick Baldy – USA
What a fabulous two day stay. Crabs, crabs, crabs and more crabs. A turtle! Many doves and other birds. Sunrise at the lighthouse. Thank you for a unique experience and good luck with your vital eco project. If ever you need a help of a chemist, please let me know. Jeff Hardy –
Thank you for such a friendly stay on your magical island. This is a place that brings out the best in everyone – through education and through giving visitors a renewed perspective on our lives! I’ll always remember Chumbe. Helen Hardy –
To all the staff at Chumbe Island , thank you very much for the most wonderful care and attention. This was the most amazing and interesting two days. The work that you’re all doing here to create and prepare this unique environment is very significant, and will be more and more acknowledged as such. This is really a fantastic project and I’ll be recommending it to others to come and visit. Thank you for all your experience and welcome. Carla –
Dear Chumbe Island team, thank you so much for a trip of a lifetime. This wonderful place has allowed us to escape from real life and enjoy a real Robinson Crusoe experience which we longed for. You are all very special people and your generosity has touched us. Good luck and God bless you all. Helen – UK
