Chapwani Island is an idyllic, tiny coral island with only one lodge that is suitable for honeymooners and nature-lovers. It's situated about a kilometre off the coast of Stone Town, a 15-minute boat trip away. The five thatched bungalows nestle into coconut palms and baobabs on a beautiful golden strip of beach. The island is less than a kilometre long and not more than a hundred metres wide. At low tide you can walk around the entire island, exploring the wave-lashed coves and peepholes in the fossilised coral. Sound romantic? Believe us, it is!

The open-plan thatched lodge blends in perfectly with the landscape. It consists of a bar, dining room and lounge decorated in Swahili antiques. The friendly management couple, Gilly and Patrick Dudgeon, are British/Kenyan, the chef is Swahili and the owners are part Italian, part Zanzibarian.

Sandy paths lead through the lush tropical greenery to various secluded spots for sunbathing. You will encounter a variety of interesting creatures in the shrubbery. There is a herd of small antelope, a colony of fruit bats, hermit and coconut crabs and a wide range of birdlife. All these creatures are shy and timid, so do approach carefully.

One of the beauties of Chapwani is that visitor numbers are limited to 20 and there are no other residents, so you have the island almost to yourself. There are no beach hawkers, passers-by or anyone to disturb you. Of course, you won't have waiters taking your cocktail orders or cleaning your sunglasses on the beach. But hey, how often do you get to have space away from the crowds?

Another great plus is that you can swim out from the beach as far as you like at any time of the day. Chapwani is actually one of the few places in Zanzibar that is not affected by the tides. Soon after arrival we put on fins and masks and swam almost right around the island, which gave us a fantastic sense of freedom.

Chapwani is closed between 16 April and 4 Jun

The bungalows are nestled in-between the baobab, coconut palm and mangrove trees growing along the beachfront. There are five semi-detached, thatched bungalows set right on the beach, offering a total of 10 rooms.

The rooms are very simply furnished with Zanzibari décor. Each one has a four-poster bed with mozzie net, ceiling fan and a small Zanzibari writing desk. Shelves were added recently.

The en-suite bathrooms are attractive but unusual and consist of an oval-shaped sunken bath (no bath plugs though) with a hand shower. The addition of solar heating has thankfully made hot water available. However, please be sparing with water when showering. There is no fresh water available on the island so all the water you use has to be shipped in from the mainland.

The lodge runs on a generator which is switched off in the evenings, which means the ceiling fans aren't always able to operate at full potential. At night you can regulate the temperature in your room by opening or shutting the banana leaf shutter to allow the sea breeze to flow through the room as you please. We didn't find it too hot at night, certainly a lot cooler than Stone Town,

Each room has a veranda, which you share with your neighbour. You can take your sun loungers onto the beach and find a secluded spot to sunbathe.

There are no televisions, telephones or air-conditioners, which we find adds to the romance of this small island.

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General facilities:
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Beach volleyball, archery, pentanque balls

Room facilities:
• Ceiling fan
• Mosquito net
• En-suite bathroom

Activities:
• There is a wonderful beach and secluded coves for sunbathing.
• Chapwani can take you to Prison Island (Changuu) where you can see the giant endangered Aldabra tortoises, go snorkeling, walk around the island or eat at the restaurant.
• You can sail on a local fishing boat or go canoeing (although the canoes looked a bit battered during our last visit).
• There is no official beauty salon, but massages are sometimes available on request in your room.
• Chapwani offers guided tours of Stone Town, Jozani Forest and the spice plantations.
• It's really worthwhile to get up early before sunrise one morning to see the spectacle of hundreds of egrets soaring overhead en route to Zanzibar.

Services:
• Boat transfer to Stone Town each day
• Limited laundry
• Limited room service