Funzi Keys by Will Jones

Funzi Keys is tucked away on a small island amongst an island of mangroves on the southern Kenya coast, not far from the Tanzanian border. Arriving by boat one is struck by the remoteness and the natural settings of the of the beach camp. Guests report seeing a Palm Vulture killing a cobra, and over twenty species of birds on the short half hour boat ride over from the mainland.

The cottages are enormous – possibly too big. However they are certainly luxurious, with large double-beds and jacuzzis overlooking the beach. The food is prepared by Safari the head cook, who it is said was trained by Jamie Oliver.

The range of activities offered at Funzi is a major draw card for the more active. Its close proximity to the Wasini Nature Reserve also means that daytrips out to the reserve are easy for excellent scuba diving and dolphin sightings. A private dhow can be hired for the day where you can stop on a small island en-route for a large crab lunch.

The heavy use of glass panels conflicts with the otherwise natural materials used to build the camp and the beach in front of the cottages and main mess is not excellent. The beach on the front of the brochure is not the beach in front of the camp – it is in fact a sandbank that appears at low-tide some distance from the camp. This being said Funzi remains one of the best private beach camps in Africa.