I had never heard of Chale up until last year,  but once I heard about it I could not wait to visit. Chale is a small island (about 1km from north to south and 400m from east to west) located about 600 m from the mainland and 10km from Diani. The Sands At Chale is the only hotel in the Island, and the hotel guests and staff are its only inhabitants. If you want to take a virtual tour of the island you can watch this video.

I took way too many photos during my short (only 2 nights) stay and they’re too many to share in a single post so I will do a two part post.

I travelled to Chale from Diani. I expected that we would travel via boat from Diani so I was a bit disappointed yet intrigued to find out that we would be driving. It is about 30-40 min drive from Diani, the road is unpaved so it is not the most comfortable ride. At the end of the road there is a little guard’s station. This is where I was dropped off by the taxi and the guard there radioed the hotel to notify them of my arrival.

 The Sands at Chale Island_aerial view

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The Sands at Chale Island_view from mainlandThe view as you approach Chale

 

The Sands at Chale Island_boat

 

The level of the tide determines the mode of transport to the hotel. During the high tide you will go there via boat and during the low tide via tractor.  I arrived when the tide was high so I finally got my boat ride. This was all very exciting for me; certainly a unique experience.

The Sands at Chale Island_to mainland

 

The Sands at Chale Island_tractorThe tractor

 

The Sands at Chale Island_jetty Jetty

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Two thirds of Chale Island is an ancient mangrove forest, which boasts the tallest mangrove trees in East Africa.

The Sands at Chale Island_mangroove

 

The minute you step onto the island you will feel like you have been transported into some extraordinary place. That was my immediate reaction I suppose because my phone lost network. Network coverage on the island is patchy but thankfully not completely absent.

I was ushered into the reception and the manager Andreas sat down with me and gave me a rundown of what to expect on the island. The biggest surprise was Chale time. It is not an official time zone but clocks in Chale run an hour ahead of those in the mainland i.e GMT+4. I asked why this is so and I was told it is so as to give guests more time to spend on the beach.

The Sands at Chale Island_receptionClocks at reception showing time on Chale

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The Sands at Chale Island_reception (2)

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From the reception I was then directed to my banda (swahili for shed or hut). The banda is thatched and there is a fan hanging from the high ceiling. There is also an AC unit to keep you cool in the tropical Coastal weather. My room was very spacious and the décor was similar to that of their sister property The Sands at Nomad. The one thing I took exception to was the curtains around my bed, the yellow was hideous and white could have suited the simple décor so much better.

The Sands at Chale Island_front of bandaFront of banda

 

The Sands at Chale Island_bedMy Bed

 

The Sands at Chale Island_banda

 

The bathroom was very much a his and hers affair. There are two separate sinks and a large shower. The toiletries provided are the same as those at Sands at Nomad. I was not a huge fan of the shower, the water never became hot, it was always lukewarm. However, given the warm weather this was not a big deal.

Sands at Chale bathroom1

 

There is a glass door facing the front of the banda and if you feel the need for some extra privacy there are curtains you can draw. The banda is was very secluded. If you like prancing around in the nude then you need not worry about being spotted by a fellow guest. There is a wall around the front of the banda and at the back the foliage provides enough privacy.

The Sands at Chale Island_front wall

 

There is also an outdoor shower which is perfect for cooling down especially during the day.

The Sands at Chale Island_outdoor shower

 

The Sands at Chale Island_outdoor shower1

 

At the back of the banda there is a veranda with a Swahili style day bed, it was the perfect spot to laze about.  From the banda, the beach is literally at your doorstep. All you have to do is go down some steps and it is right there.

The Sands at Chale Island_verandah

 

The Sands at Chale Island_view of back of cottage

 

The Sands at Chale Island_ view of beach from cottageView of beach from cottage

 

If you want to explore during low tide you need to wear appropriate footwear. Pasty the sandy section it is very rocky and the coral can cut your feet. The beach is pristine as it is cleaned daily, there is no unsightly sea weed.

The Sands at Chale Island_c033-2Image Source

 

The Sands at Chale Island_beach at daytime

 

The Sands at Chale Island_view of beach1

 

The Sands at Chale Island_beach 2

 

There is no safe in the room but there is a community safe at the reception. The hotel advises all guests to store their valuables there; you get unlimited access to it during the day.

Power on the island is provided by a generator. In order to conserve energy it is switched off every day 10:30 am to 6pm Chale time. This also means that you cannot have a hot shower or use the air conditioning during that time. If you want to charge any of your devices you can do at the reception. The good thing is Chale does not get as hot as Mombasa so AC during the day is not a necessity. There is free wi-fi available but only at the reception and restaurant.

I had departed from Diani before having lunch therefore I was starving. There is tea time every day at 4pm with a wide variety of teas; you could call it tea heaven. To accompany your tea you can choose to either have bread or cake, both are provided.  This was enough to tide me over until dinner

The Sands at Chale Island_restaurant at daytimeThe Restaurant during the day

 

Thankfully my banda was very close to the restaurant. I have a horrible sense of direction and I got lost more than once. It would be nice if they could provide maps for guests. I have to say that the food was a bit of a disappointment. Having just come from Sands at nomad (the sister property) where the food had been nothing but amazing I had expected  Chale to be at par if not better.

The Sands at Chale Island_restaurant

 

The Sands at Chale Island_restaurant1The Restaurant in the evening

 

I had no complaints about breakfast; the set up was similar to that at Sands at Nomad.  There was a wide array of fruits and for drinks on offer was coffee, tea, water, yoghurt and juice . If you wanted anything cooked there was a chef at hand. All cold buffet items are kept in refrigerated cabinets which I liked.

If you have a sweet tooth then you’re better off staying away from the fresh juice I found it to be undrinkable. All the juice tasted sour. I do not know how they managed this because by nature the fruits they use to make the juice are sweet. I was told that most of the guests prefer it this way. The only time I served myself some I had to add some honey to it.  They should really consider offering their guests both sweetened and unsweetened juice.

Due to Chale time all meal times are earlier than usual so do keep that mind especially at breakfast. The waiters were attentive but unfortunately the service was very slow.

Lunch and dinner were a la carte, there was no main menu to choose from instead you’d be provided with a short menu specifically for that meal. The menu changed daily so I have no complaints about the variety.

The Sands at Chale_meals 2

 

If you are a fan of pasta you would probably enjoy dining at the restaurant there was always a pasta option in the menu. One thing I liked is that there was always a Kenyan option on the menu. There is a carafe of water available with every meal but if you order any other drinks you will be charged extra. There was a selection of fresh salads, dressing and desserts at the buffet.

 

The Sands at Chale_meals

 

The waiters were attentive and helpful but the service was a tad bit slow.

Guests are advised not to leave any food in their rooms and I learnt the reason for this first-hand the next morning. I had been lying outside on the daybed when I heard some commotion. Next thing I know there was a baboon watching me. I quickly went into my room and watched it from the safety of my bed. I could see it peeking through the glass doors presumably looking for food, its cheeks stuffed with fruits. Later on I learnt that the troop on the island is friendly and harmless except for this one female who steals food from the kitchen.

The Sands at Chale Island_rogue aboon

 

The Sands at Chale Island_rogue baboon 2

 

Have you been to The Sands at Chale? How was your experience?

Disclosure: The management at Sands at Chale were gracious enough to host me; however all opinions are mine

 

How to get there:

The resort is 12 km away from Diani Beach and 65 km from Moi Airport. There is no public transport available so you have to take a taxi from either Ukunda or Diani.

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16 Comments

  1. March 15, 2015 at 10:32 pm — Reply

    Beautiful, looks like the perfect place to really get away for a relaxing vacation.

  2. March 16, 2015 at 8:50 am — Reply

    Oh it is extremely beautiful there. Not sure if l would stay there though, the thought of running into a monkey or anything would not make me relax enough, I am a huge chicken :-). I also think l would have preferred the tractor ride…lovely pictures as usual.

    • March 22, 2015 at 12:33 pm — Reply

      LOL. The monkeys are pretty harmless, they actually are not too bothered by the guests, they tend to stay in the forest.

  3. March 16, 2015 at 8:49 pm — Reply

    Very gorgeous place to visit, judging after the images I want to go there as quick as possible.
    I always loved a small island with white sand and if I can find even monkey there, is awesome.

  4. March 18, 2015 at 7:45 am — Reply

    What an amazing place!

  5. March 19, 2015 at 2:13 pm — Reply

    Oh my goodness this looks like the perfect stay. Look at that pristine sandy beach. I would be right at home in becoming a total beach bum 🙂

    • March 22, 2015 at 12:32 pm — Reply

      I would be too if I didn’t have a life to go back to.

  6. March 20, 2015 at 1:42 pm — Reply

    Stunning pictures!!!

  7. March 20, 2015 at 6:19 pm — Reply

    To be honest, I’ve never heard of this Island before. It looks absolutely wonderful. I would be the happiest if I could spend there a weekend! And this amazing foooood!!

  8. March 20, 2015 at 11:50 pm — Reply

    Hi Rachel, It’s a beautiful island and a charming resort. I found it fascinating that a tractor is one transportation option to cross to the island. I agree with your opinion about the yellow curtain. I’ll vote for white myself. I appreciate you honest review. It looks like the resort definitely has a lot of potential. I hope they will take your construction criticism to heart and make the necessary improvements.
    I have voted for you, my dear. You have a wonderful travel blog and I wish from the bottom of my heart the you win.

    • March 22, 2015 at 12:31 pm — Reply

      Thank you for voting Marisol. I hope they do too especially about the food.

  9. March 21, 2015 at 6:11 pm — Reply

    Take me there NOW! I’m so in need of a vacation and I could definitely use a day to just read and nap out on that daybed. The beach is gorgeous. Too bad the food wasn’t that great, but this resort looks amazing. By the way, I totally agree with you about the yellow bed curtains.

  10. March 24, 2015 at 10:30 am — Reply

    Gorgeous! Now that the rains have hit in Nairobi, I’m hoping to make it down to the coast in April. This looks like the ideal place to stay a few nights.

    • March 24, 2015 at 12:48 pm — Reply

      Awesome! I’m jealous now.

  11. March 27, 2015 at 9:48 am — Reply

    Wow…what a beautiful resort. I don’t think I’d want to leave that Swahili style day bed. It looks like a great way to relax and getaway. I love the views and whole vibe. Pretty neat to have baboons visit you. The food looks delicious too.

  12. […] As promised here is part two of my review of The Sands at Chale. If you missed part one you can check it out here. […]

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