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Mario Koenig N
Lilongwe, Malawi

Outstanding experience

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 19 Dec 2013
As a family with children staying in Lilongwe we were looking for a getaway for a few days not too far. A bit spontaneous and with very short notice we managed to get hold of the friendly managers at Blue Zebra Island Lodge for a booking. We didn’t know what to expect but honestly we were all surprised with everything we saw and experienced.
Blue Zebra Island Lodge is a resort on Nankoma Island and a part of the Marelli islands consisting of three islands; Maleri the largest, Nankoma, and the smallest Nakantenga Island just 3 kilometer from the shore. So if you like tropical nature at the lake, this is the paradise to see birdlife, fish eagles, and cichlids in an unspoiled environment, we all loved it including the children.
As for the accommodation it was for us a wow factor too, the chalets were fairly new and the quality and taste of decoration incl. the bathrooms was of high standards. Only negative remarks are fans, lights during nights due to dependency of generator, especially considered with small children.
The food was excellent choice with a good variety; the waiters were always attentive and friendly in accommodating us wherever we wanted to have our meals.
Honestly speaking with the attention to our family from the warm and friendly management and staff, it would not have been the same wonderful experience for us. Thank you guys… We’ll be back again :)
Date of stay: December 2013
Trip type: Travelled with family
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
3.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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All reviews blue zebra lake malawi island lodge delicious food fish boat trip pitta amazing experience from start to finish wonderful weekend walking trails stunning location fantastic stay water activities warm heart before dinner accommodation
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Reviewed 9 December 2013

We recently spent 5 nights there. What a spectacular position ! If you need a place to chill and relax this is where to do it .

Beautiful clear water , wonderful snorkeling , delicious food , Brilliant accommodation and terrific hosts and staff .

Our wonderful stay was only matched by the kindness of one of the owners , Dimitri , who heard about the car troubles of our over landing companions who had broken down at the sugar mill at Nchalo . He dispatched a driver to collect our companions , a round trip of some 400 km away All our experiences with the friendly Malawians were fantastic . Malawi is definitively the warm heart of Africa !! We will be back !!

Date of stay: September 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Thank russell h
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 November 2013

I had an incredible stay here. The place is beautiful, right in the middle of Lake Malawi. I was with 2 colleagues - and we were looking for a get away while working Lilongwe. This place was perfect - we called ahead and confirmed they had wireless internet. In between working we were able to take out their kayaks, snorkel and take a boat ride around the island. All their equipment is brand new! The meals (3 meals/3 courses) were all included. Plus the 3 of us had our own private beach bungalow, which was incredible. There was no one there the first day so we felt like we were on our own private island!

We had a small problem because the generator broke and we weren't able to charge our computer one-day but the staff went to extreme measures to get a new generator and even comp'ed us a bottle of wine for the hassle. The two managers are very sweet, and will do whatever is needed to make their clients happy.

The only reason I am giving it four stars instead of 5 is that the bungalows are very hot (they can't run fans because the generators are not on at night), the beds are very hard and the mesh on the tents is too big to keep the little flies out. So while we loved being there, we found sleeping there to be a bit hot and buggy.

The price was also incredibly reasonable - only $170/night per person all inclusive - but are supposed to go up significantly for international travelers.

Date of stay: November 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
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1  Thank Cheri S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 14 November 2013

The lodge is located in one of the islands of the protected area of Lake Malawi, a short drive from Lilongwe.
The landscape is stunning, the island is an unspoiled tropical paradise.
The lodge is of the top class kind, the chalets are spacious and decorated with exquisite taste and local art crafts, from our terrace we could observe a multitude of colorful birds, and we witnessed one of the best sunset I ever saw. The service is excellent and so is the food, which is a mixture of local and international experiences. I dared to taste the ceviche of Chambo and I was positively surprised.
There is plenty of activities, such as kayaking, snorkeling or going on a boat trip accompanied by the always helpful staff. The infinity swimming pool is a perfect place to relax and to observe the fishing eagles.
We will go back soon to Blue zebra.

Date of stay: November 2013
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Thank Maledetto68
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 4 November 2013

We had a great stay at the Blue Zebra Island Lodge, which is a comfortable hour drive from Lilongwe, and then a very relaxing 30 minutes on a boat!

The accommodation is stunning, food was very good.
Birdlife is extensive on the island, and you can go for litlle exploration walks on the island or take a kayak to go around the island amd see the ciclides and waterbirds.
Sunsets are beautiful, but my favourite is the sunrise at the pool - Africa does not get any better than this!

Date of stay: May 2013
Trip type: Travelled with family
Thank 1LvdH
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 October 2013

This resort is of the highest standard, the food was excellent and the facilities were great. Just a short boat trip from the mainland, you are far enough away to forget about all the hawkers. We went on a boat trip around the islands and had a wonderful snorkelling break. There is a pool that we used even though the lake is right there. The food was French based and very well cooked. This would be a perfect getaway spot for a group of friends or a family group.

The only down side is that it keeps you away from mumbo island. Also it has the foam mattresses that can get very hot and the toilet was next next to the bed and no door to block the view.

Date of stay: September 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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1  Thank Paul H
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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