Funzi Island Club
The canoe speeds up and heads straight at a wall of mangroves. The instinct is to duck, but suddenly you are in a narrow waterway overhung by trees-drappled light on water, the splash of jumping fish. Land on sand and race up the hot midday slope to the cool dark welcome of a big thatch Banda.
Shades of Graham Greene: A wonderful antique Victrola is scratching out a tune-a call to dance on the straw matting in bare feet with chilled wine in hand. There are giant polished mangrove root tables, fish trophies mounted on makuti walls, visitor's books and photos of guests having a good time. Out in the bright glare donkeys' plod, pulling water for the tents. Dogs tease. All seems rather a mirage, a step out of time, blurred and softened at the edges.
Funzi Island is peace and privacy at a price. There are only seven tents-wonderful whimsical tents set far apart-large and light- filled. There are king-size Lamu beds with tie-dye covers made by your hostess, Robina. In front of the tents are big shaded veranda areas and w and water-filled footbaths for sandy toes or birds. There are many delightful and ingenious touches such as the large tree nuts used to operate the bush shower.
Although the tents themselves are wonderful, they do not command any special views- sand and scrubby bush-no panorama over water. Funzi club is best known for fishing. One or two day fishing trips can be arranged in Funzi Club's "jungle cat" which is equipped with tackle, fighting chairs and an experienced crew. Beyond the reef are big game fish-marlin, sailfish and yellow fin tuna.
However, you don't have to like fishing to enjoy yourself here. Your host, Tony, is a knowledgeable ornithologist and can lead bird walks as well as canoe trips up the river estuary and between the mangroves. He gloats, delighted at having spotted a white-backed night heron.
If you are not much into fish or fowl, you might prefer to lounge ( with drink and food at hand) on the " African Queen" in the middle of a peaceful bay, or land on a sandy spit of a beach for a picnic or a swim. The choice is yours - no time table, no set agenda. All just very languid and lazy.
There is a minimum of a three-night stay at Funzi club. Robina commented that some people leave in tears, and an entry in the visitors' book read "Robinson Crusoe refuses to rescue." The lunch we had was excellent -lots of ultra fresh seafood and great salads. To quote Tony, the price includes "Full board and drinks on the side board." We regretted that we could only spend a few hours at Funzi Club-didn't get to rest to test out the Lamu beds or enjoy more of the wry humor of our host.
Funzi Club also offers a selection of day trips for people who have lodging elsewhere. The Club closes over the over the low season months. Funzi Island is 60 kilometers south of Mombasa along the main coast road.
Robert is a travel expert to Kenya and the East African region. He is a director to Landmark safaris ltd. At Landmark, we let you tailor your own Kenya water or animal safari-the way you want it! See your Africa safari planner here: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner
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