Chale Island - South Coast

For those looking for a romatic gateaway, Chale Island is a small island south of Galu Beach and about 600 meters from the mainland and 10 km south of Diani on the Kenya coast.

Measuring 1,2 km long and 0,8 km wide with north-south orientation, Chale Island is divided into two parts: the hotel, main beach and immediate surrounds and the forest and wildlife (reserve). Wildlife abounds throughout the island:- troops of monkeys and baboons, nocturnal bush babies, many species of birdlife, small antelope, butterflies, to name but a few…

In addition the island is boasts the natural phenomenon of inland mangrove lakes to the West and open ocean to the East. The beach itself is protected by the coral reef (some 200 metres off-shore) meaning that conditions for swimming and snorkelling are ideal.

The only hotel located on the island is “The Sands At Chale Island”, and the only people on the island are the hotel guests and staff.

The Sands at Chale is also the only resort in Kenya with water bungalows.

The Sands at Chale opened on 1st December 2006 and offers 7 categories of rooms to cater to the individual preferences and needs of the guests. There are a total of 50 rooms, bandas and suites comprising:

-16 Tower Rooms in the two tower buildings,
-2 Penthouses on top of the two tower buildings,
-9 Standard Bandas,
-14 Superior Bandas,
-6 Chale Bandas,
-1 Water Bungalow Junior Suite,
-1 Waterbungalow Suite,
-1 Honeymoon Suite.

Chale Island is an ideal Indian Ocean Island beach destination for romantic getaways. Chale has a “lovers corner” on the northern side, which is famous spot for exchanging wedding vows. The island’s hotel provides a private setting overlooking the blue waters off the Indian Ocean.

Chale Marine Park offers a perfect place to explore the underworld for divers and snorkelers. If you have time, you can go island hoping to Lamu, which needs to be organized prior to your arrival.

Chale Island offers sulphur-rich muddy swamps that are believed to appease and heal a wide array of skin ailments, and to make one’s skin healthier. From a wildlife perspective, it is home to Colobus monkeys and baboons that budge in groups from and to the island during low tide. Other wildlife resident on the island are elephant shrew, bush squirrel, turtles, the bushy-tailedm mongoose, bush pig, and suni antelope.

Everything is low key at Chale because of the fragile nature of the reserve, and there is no power between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. This is when one can snooze on the capacious four-poster with flowing mosquito nets, on one’s flowering terrace, and enjoy the soft caress of ocean breezes.

The most interesting culture that is maintained is of the Digo people. The Digo elders visit the island’s sacred site to perform sacred rites and rituals whenever the community needs special help from their supreme being.