“Zanzibar meets the Maldives” - that’s what immediately springs to our mind when trying to describe the new resort on Bawe Island. But first, a geography lesson…

Not many people are aware that Zanzibar is actually an archipelago consisting of 2 large islands - Unguja (the island that everyone thinks of as “Zanzibar”) and Pemba Island to its north – and then some 50 smaller islands that lie scattered like pearls in the surrounding ocean. Of these small islands, only a few offer tourist accommodation, with the 2 most prominent being Mnemba (famous for its superb, rustically styled yet hugely expensive luxury lodge) and Chumbe Island (home to another even more rustic gem boasting a handful of simple eco-bungalows and famous for its superb snorkelling)

Bawe Island – another small island (just over 30 hectares in size) lying just a 15-minute speedboat ride from Zanzibar’s historic capital, the famous World Heritage gem of Stone Town - has taken this traditional “small and rustic” lodge blueprint and gleefully torn it up. Instead they have looked unashamedly to the Maldives for their inspiration! (not altogether surprisingly given that Bawe Island is part of the Cocoon Collection which counts 3 upmarket Maldives resorts amongst their portfolio of properties). The result is stunning and completely different to anything else in the entire archipelago – yet very familiar to anyone who’s ever looked at pictures of Maldives island resorts.

So similar to what you’ll see in the Maldives, at Bawe you’ll find 62 luxurious and massively spacious stand-alone land-based villas lying dotted around the island’s periphery, each of them boasting private plunge pools. But it’s the 8 gorgeous Lagoon Suites with Pools (exquisite overwater villas in other words!) that are the clincher – basically being dead-ringers for the typical water villas that we all associate with the Maldives!

Of course, Bawe Island has its own unique character that’s very different from anything that you would find in the Maldives. The vegetation for example, is largely made up of indigenous trees rather than the lush palms prevalent in much of the Maldives – so you’ll find yourself dining under a giant baobab for example, giving Bawe island a unique African feel! It’s not completely surrounded by white sandy beaches either, with many of the villas that are located on the northern and western perimeter of the island being built on the top of low coral cliffs which plunge vertically into the ocean below – the island’s stunning beach areas are instead concentrated in the island’s south/eastern shores, in close proximity to the main public areas. A highlight has to be the sand spit which pokes out into the sea from close to the main swimming pool, providing a constantly changing and extremely beautiful array of different shades of blue as the tides rise and fall! The large tidal range typical of the East African coast is another point of difference with the Maldives – so for example at extreme low tides the waters below the water villas can retreat completely.

Speaking of the villas, one of the first thing that strikes you about them is how massively spacious they are – the “smallest” of the land-based villas (the 26 Sunrise Villas) cover an area of 200 sqm for example! (the other main room type is the 31 Sunset Suites which are even larger at 240 sqm!) All of the villas boast their own private pools and styling that attempts to include some typical Zanzibari décor details rather than going anonymously contemporary as is the case at so many resorts these days. That said, they still boast features out of the top drawer that will ensure you have a superbly comfortable stay (including Frette bed linen, Villeroy & Boch bathrooms, Dyson hairdryers and Nespresso machines!) For large families, the Zanzibar Villas (310 sqm) and the Sultan Suite ( a huge 500 sqm and accommodating up to 9 guests) are great options, but it’s the overwater Lagoon Suites that are obviously the stars of the show for most people with their spacious decks incorporating a private pool, hammock-type lounging area poised over the water below, as well as a separate tanning deck with loungers.

Back on the island itself, there’s plenty to keep guests active and happy. Take the variety of restaurant and bars for example – from the main sand floored “The Sand” with its variety of live cooking stations (note, no buffets here) to the Italian cuisine at Sinfonia, the Asian flavours of Rising Sun with its teppanyaki grill and the casual dining on offer at the Beach Club – guests consistently rave about the quality and service on offer with Bawe’s dining experiences!

You can do as much or as little as you want on Bawe Island. The more active may head to the padel or tennis court, the comprehensively equipped gym or play futsal. That’s just on land of course, with scuba diving and excellent snorkelling available in the waters around Bawe as you would expect. But there’s loads more, perhaps more unexpected activities on offer too – from wake boarding and water-skiing to kite surfing, glass bottomed canoes to jet skis!

But if that all sounds a bit too active for you, then perhaps enjoy a day cruising on the island’s catamaran, or keep your feet on terra firma and chill with a relaxing massage at the Spa, enjoy a yoga or Pilates lesson, or simply bask around either your own private pool or the main resort pool. But whether you’ve been active or just spent the day chilling, you’ll no doubt find yourself heading to the View Bar to enjoy the breathtaking sunset views with a delicious cocktail in hand!