Off the coast of Tanzania and north of mainland Zanzibar you’ll find the secluded utopia of Pemba. A heavily forested island which hides idyllic beaches and lagoons combines natural beauty with a fairytale fantasy as ruins of 17th century mosques lie largely untouched. Pemba is a small island with fewer than 12 foreign visitors on it at a time due to the immense secrecy which the natives shroud it with – and that is what makes it so breathtakingly beautiful.
The Manta Resort is on the northern most tip of Pemba island and boasts luxury sea-facing villas with stunning views of the ocean, white beaches and unbroken horizon. It has everything that you would expect this kind of paradise resort to have: deserted white beaches complete with a shady beach lounge so you can enjoy the perfect Mai Tai – on a hammock, of course. As well as the turquoise ocean, the resort has a swimming pool for scuba diving lessons before you go out and explore the island’s coral reefs. There is a relaxing garden filled with the island’s indigenous trees, another glorious place to unwind! The resort also run trips in the Ngezi forest so that you can explore the island’s secrets and try and spot some of Pemba’s amazing animals like various species of wild parrot and the Flying Fox – a ginger bat.
Apart from the total modesty of the place and its lack of fame, what makes this island resort any different from that of the Seychelles, the Maldives, or Mauritius? They all offer similar activities and the same sense that you’ve lucked out as much as Leo felt when he first found The Beach. The Manta Resort is distinct because of its brand new, exclusive, double room which floats a little way out in the Indian Ocean.
The Underwater Room is an exclusive haven available to stay in for only one day and one night. It’s a little bit like a floating shack with a Sky Deck on the roof, complete with double bed – perfect for sunbathing! Underneath the Sky Deck is a shaded outdoor area of cushioned sofas, indoor bathroom and a deck to jump off so that you can go snorkelling in the nearby reef called Scorpion Secret. Underneath that, and underwater, is the bedroom, a real chance to sleep with the fish. At night, the surrounding water is lit up so that you can watch the beautiful underwater creatures whilst dozing in bed, like your own private aquarium. The Underwater Room only opened in November 2013 so it’s at the cutting edge of underwater accommodation and is definitely on Her Campus’ list of dream places we HAVE to go!
Photo credits: www.themantaresort.com