Zanzibar, Tanzania
Upepo Boutique Beach Bungalows, near Bwejuu
Tanzanian hotelier Shareef and his Canadian filmmaker wife Karen will help you explore the wonders of Zanzibar. Their bungalows and beach house, all with private outdoor seating, are on a quiet stretch of white beach near Bwejuu village and well away from the tourist mecca of busy Stone Town. A fisherman catches dinner to order, and cookery classes will teach you to recreate the Swahili flavours – a fusion of Indian, African and Arabic – back home.
• Doubles from £40 B&B, +255 784 619 579, zanzibarhotelbeach.com
Uganda
The Hairy Lemon, near Jinja
Maroon yourself on this private island in the Victoria Nile, and expect no phone signal, no Wi-Fi, just a little oasis of fun. Choose between a tent, a bunkhouse, or a private cabin with riverfront veranda, and enjoy home-cooked meals. Popular with east Africans and travellers alike, this is a zany adventure holiday, with river rapids, kayaks, climbing wall, water-volleyball and a slack line if you can’t sit still, and hammocks, sunshine and shady trees if you can.
• Dorm beds from £24 half-board, +256 772 828 338, hairylemonuganda.com
Kenya
Camp Carnelleys, Lake Naivasha
British settlers enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle at this bohemian camp on the western shore of Lake Naivasha in the 1940s, while the rest of Britain was at war. Modern visitors can camp (take a tent but beware the monkeys), or rent a small cottage. Spot hippos from the pontoon, take trips to a geothermal pool a short drive away, go mountain-biking or hiking to the dormant Longonot volcano or in Hell’s Gate national park. Afterwards, enjoy drinks at the bar and tender steak at the restaurant.
• Doubles from £18, +254 20 50 50 004, campcarnelleys.com
Mozambique
Zona Braza Beach Lodge, Praia de Chizavane
A dozen thatched cottages in sand dunes overlooking the sea sleep from two to 12 and range from simple to sublime – one has a private pool. The seafront bar and restaurant is painted brilliant blue and serves the catch of the day. Or you can catch supper yourself and cook it on your own private braai. There’s also kite-surfing if you’re not content with lying still.
• Cabin for two from £30, +258 84 763 3076, zonabraza.com
Madagascar
Kintana Guesthouse, Anakao
These three wooden beach huts with palm-leaf roofs house a double, a twin, and a family-sized bungalow. The owners, a French-Malagasy couple with two kids, will welcome you into their home for meals. You can go out on a traditional dhow sailing boat, snorkel, dive, or visit the Tsimanampetsotsa national park to experience Madagascar’s unrivalled eco diversity.
• Hut for two from £10, +261 32 02 245 50, kintana-hotel.com
Mauritius
The Blue Beryl Guesthouse
Run by a Chinese family, the Blue Beryl has clean, simple rooms with french windows that open straight on to the beach. They serve decent fresh meat and fish in the evenings (occasionally you’ll be offered home-cooked Chinese fare), and there are plenty of other eating and drinking options nearby. Snorkels are free to borrow, and water sports are on offer down the beach. From the first floor rooms you can, if you’re lucky, watch whales. Airport transfers are £7.50.
• Doubles from £39 B&B, +230 631 9862, blueberyl.com
Maldives
Vaali Beach Lodge
A 90-minute speedboat ride from the airport, this lodge on Felidhoo island in the Vaavu Atoll offers clean, bright rooms right on the beach at a fantastic price. There is no tarmac, just narrow streets and colourful, single-storey houses. You can watch locals fishing and preparing thatch from palm leaves, barbecue some fresh capitaine fish, and go snorkelling to spot some of the 1,000 species of fish.
• Doubles from £22, through booking.com, +960 7794971, lvmhotels.com
Réunion
Cabane du Zebre
This hand-built wooden cabin a 20-minute walk from the beach sits on a 75-acre estate with mango and passion fruit orchards to wander around. You can borrow bikes, or go for a dawn ride on neighbours’ horses (novices welcome). There is basic self-catering equipment (outdoor kitchen with fridge, gas hob and BBQ), but you can also eat in the owners’ home. For more of you, rent a tent for €10.
• Cabin £31.50 for two, +262 262 24 87 03, cabane-du-zebre.sitew.com
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