Kiwayu (Lamu, Kenya) in ‘The Financial Times’ December 2009: “Travelling to Africa with children” by Sophy Roberts
29 Jan 10
This is an extract from an article written by Sophy Roberts for the December 2009 issue of ’The Financial Times’ :
“Among my favourite places in East Africa is Kiwayu Safari Village. Located just 30 miles north of Lamu on the remote coast of the Kiunga Marine Reserve, this privately owned Kenyan beach lodge started as a hunting lodge in the 1970’s, for it is flanked by the Dodori and Boni Game Reserve. The founder’s Italian daughter, Simone Pelizzoli, now lives there with her two young daughters and English husband. Between them they ensure every last detail functions happily and safely, from the impeccable seafood (so fresh even kids are safe to eat sushi), to the vast thatch and wood bandas which line the nigh-perfect kilometre-long beach. With their sand and rattan floors, open-air bathrooms, bedrooms and lounge areas – casually interlinked, so you can feel close to your children with out feeling squeezed – this is the perfect ’soft cell’ environment for toddlers. Each day I watched my children from a hammock as they chased waves of pink crabs back into the sea, which is warm, gently shelving, with neither dramatic waves nor tides. One evening I listened to my youngest in conversation with a monkey. We went on picnics to hidden coral islets, spent afternoons deep-sea fishing and rolling down the sand dunes. So while there aren’t any Wii’s or televisions to distract them, there’s a vast amount of simpler activities – learning to swim, chasing geckos, playing snap with the bartender, Francis Waite. We stayed five nights and wished we’d stayed a week, convinced the two-hour flight from Nairobi was entirely worth it. “
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