The Sands at Chale Island

The Sands at Chale Island is a private beach hotel located on a small island 10km south of Diani just 600 meters from the mainland of Kenya. The island extends to 15 acres,  mostly covered with indigenous ancient forest, and it sits within a secluded white sand bay, protected by a vibrant coral reef. The island also features an inland tidal mangrove lake.

Accommodation & Facilities
The Sands at Chale Island has 56 rooms and three suites, each built from a contemporary mix of Swahili structures, with Italian stucco, Lamu furniture, and objects of African art and mahogany. The rooms have been carefully built into the forest in a way intended to preserve the natural environment, and give an authentically Kenyan feel. The rooms all have air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, and verandahs or terraces. Some rooms are sea facing, with direct access to the Galan pool bar, and some have views over the beach or the lagoon or mangroves. Two penthouse suites are raised above the treetops, offering great views of the ocean and island, and the Overwater Suite is built on stilts over the sea and has stunning views over Bird Island, Gazi Bay and to the distant Shimba Hills. The hotel has three swimming pools, one with a pool bar and sun beds, and one of which is a salt water pool with steps leading directly into the sea at high tide. The Sands at Chale has a lovely restaurant beneath a huge thatched roof which offers food from a number of origins including Italian and hint of the Orient. There are two bars, one adjacent to the restaurant and the other in the main swimming pool.

Activities
The hotel has a spa and fitness centre, a dive centre and a number of boats. Kayaking and fishing is available. Diving and snorkelling are really good around Chale Island, and turtles frequently lay eggs on the pristine beaches around the bay. Trips to Diani Beach shopping centre and the famous Nomad Beach Bar can be arranged for an additional cost.