Access & Location
Chale Island is located off the south coast of Kenya. Guests arrive at Ukunda Airport near Diani Beach, and then it’s a 30-minute transfer to the island.
Chale Island
Chale Island is a private resort off the Kenyan coast, a short way from Diani Beach. Secluded over-water suites as well as child-friendly accommodation make this a great option for some post-safari downtime for couples or families, complete with scuba diving, boat trips, and a full range of watersports. There are three swimming pools to choose from, a laidback beach bar, and a spa where you can book in for a solo or couple’s massage. Enjoy a morning smoothie at the Tamu Tamu Cafeteria, fresh sushi for lunch, and sundown cocktails on the overwater deck followed by a teppanyaki grill or Italian at the trattoria. Then return to your garden or ocean-facing room or banda, where Swahili-inspired design meets the sounds of the Indian Ocean.
A private resort hotel with a picturesque island setting off the Kenyan coast
Sunset deck, sushi bar, café, beach bar, several restaurants, swimming pools, spa, and boutique
Total of 12 Standard rooms, as well as 10 Tower Suites, 29 Ocean View Bandas, and two stunning suites overlooking the Indian Ocean, one on its own private islet
Diving, watersports, mangrove tours, deep-sea fishing, and visits to the Colobus Conservation Centre
Our Yellow Zebra Opinion
-
Unique, but not for all
Chale is a quirky escape with Swahili beach style, but its island setting may not suit those looking for lots of activities on the mainland. If you’re keen to embrace ocean and island-based experiences, this could be an interesting choice.
Activities
Chale Island offers a wide range of watersports, boat excursions, and wildlife exploration both around the island and on the mainland.
Diving
Watersports
Mangrove tours
Deep-sea fishing
Colobus Conservation Centre visits
-
A full range of expertly led PADI dive courses is offered by the island’s renowned dive center, Diving the Crab. This allows you to explore the area’s vibrant marine life, shallow coral reefs, and a famous shipwreck site, with opportunities to spot sea turtles and seasonal whale sharks.
Chale Island has a well-equipped watersports center, where you’ll find all the equipment you need for snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and windsurfing. You can also arrange sailing trips and boat excursions from here.
Wildlife enthusiasts can join a mangrove tour where you’ll get to explore this unique coastal ecosystem, learning all about the birds, marine life, and waterways.
Charter a boat and take to the Indian Ocean for a day out deep-sea fishing. This is a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend time on the water, while fishing for prized catches like marlin, sailfish and tuna.
Chale Island is home to indigenous black-and-white colobus monkey populations, and troops can often be seen around the resort and its surrounding forests. The Colobus Conservation Centre helps to preserve and care for these primates, and it’s possible to visit and learn about their work. Visitors also have the opportunity to walk through the coastal forest trail.
Make an enquiryFacilities
Life at Chale Island is laidback and informal, designed for making the most of the beach and ocean views.
Dining is an important part of the experience, with menus built around high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, daily catches from local fishermen, and fresh produce from the resort’s own farm. Enjoy Italian à la carte dishes at Eli’s Trattoria, stop by the sushi bar for lunch, or try the teppanyaki grill in the evenings. For a casual, feet-in-the-sand experience, Jahazi Beach Bar serves light bites, while the Tamu Tamu Cafeteria is your one-stop shop for waffles, smoothies, and fresh juices throughout the day. The overwater Mkoko Sunset Deck is the perfect spot for gorgeous ocean views and cocktails by expert mixologists. Later, visit the Barafu Bar with its cigar menu, or perhaps sit down to a romantic private dinner on the beach. The resort features three swimming pools, including a saltwater pool, alongside a fully equipped gym and a spa with private treatment rooms.
Amenities
Chale Island Resort has 53 air-conditioned rooms and suites, each facing either the island or the Indian Ocean.
Inspired by traditional Swahili culture, the design includes elegant four-poster beds, crisp white linens, intricately carved wooden furniture, and makuti thatched roofs. The accommodation begins with 12 rustic-chic Standard rooms with double doors that open onto private balconies. The 29 standalone Ocean View Bandas offer greater space and privacy, either facing the beach or nestled into island greenery overlooking the lagoon, with spacious verandas, shaded daybeds, and sunloungers. Each en-suite restroom comes with a double vanity, a walk-in shower, and storage space where you’ll find colourful kikoi wraps for use during your stay. Located more centrally within the hotel, all 10 Tower Suites have a separate living room and a balcony. For total seclusion, the Overwater Suite is built on stilts over the lagoon, featuring a separate living area, a private veranda, and steps leading straight into the ocean. Lastly, the Suite on the Rock is on its own private islet connected by a stone bridge. This split-level suite has a thatched roof that opens to let rainwater fall into an internal courtyard garden, as well as a sundeck and a private swimming pool.
Similar Lodges
-
Wilderness Mara
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsFormerly Little Governors’ Camp, Wilderness Mara opened in June 2026, following a complete overhaul. This is major news, given the property’s longstanding status as one of the finest camps in the Maasai Mara with a truly splendid location. Wilderness Mara is…
-
Kicheche Mara
From US$760 – US$1,130 ppKicheche Mara is a small, traditional bushcamp in Kenya’s wildlife-rich Mara North Conservancy, bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Game drives, bush walks, fly camping, and community visits ensure guests receive the perfect balance of wildlife…
-
Borana Lodge
From US$1,030 – US$1,320 ppOwned and fully hosted by the Dyer family, this eco-lodge offers very comfortable accommodation and has a pleasantly informal atmosphere. In addition to its eight cottages, Borana boasts a private house just 8km from the main site. This is a fantastic option…
-
Laikipia Wilderness Camp
From US$880 pp – Contact UsA departure from the elaborate ranches and private estates for which Laikipia is known, Laikipia Wilderness Camp offers a great product for those seeking something authentic and unpretentious. Run by excellent veteran safari guide Steve Carey, this is the…
-
Offbeat Mara
From US$800 – US$1,080 ppOffbeat Mara Camp is a friendly, unpretentious camp with plenty of character and a fine location in the Mara North Conservancy. Bordering Kenya’s infamous Maasai Mara National Reserve, the area boasts wildlife densities that are truly epic. Night drives are…
-
Angama Mara
From US$1,870 – US$2,770 ppAngama Mara is a world-class safari lodge with an enviable location high above Kenya’s iconic Mara Triangle, recognisable from some of the scenes filmed in Out of Africa. The Swahili word ‘Angama’ means ‘to be suspended in mid-air’, aptly so, given the…
-
Lewa Wilderness Lodge
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsHome of the Craig family, who established Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa Wilderness Lodge is a comfortable, family-friendly lodge surrounded by lawned gardens and the beautiful scenery of the Eastern Marania Valley. A main draw is the scope of activities for…
-
Ngare Serian
From US$1,570 – US$1,940 ppOne of eight camps in the Serian series, Ngare brings all the characteristics of the collection to the riverside. Nestling between the Mara River and the escarpment, the camp’s defining feature is its air of seclusion. If you are after peace and quiet, you…
Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.Speak to an Expert
Let one of our Yellow Zebra specialists design
your tailor‑made African adventureAs Seen In
