Changuu Private Island

Changuu Private Island Paradise, also known as Prison Island, has been described as a Small Paradise on Earth, with its private white beach surrounded by the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean. The islet lies 3 ½ miles to the northwest of Zanzibar’ Stone Town, and it is oblong in shape about ½ mile and 250 yards broad at the broadest part. Getting there after a comfortable 20 minutes’ boat drive from Stone Town by a traditional Dhow takes you to the mostunique experience in life. 

Historical buildings have been carefully renovated and adapted to new uses while preserving their authenticity. The Prison ruins have now been converted into a café, boutique and library. The Mathews’ Restaurant is an artfully restored building that was erected in the late 1890s; its wide veranda, enjoying the invigorating sea breeze, overlooks the irresistible swimming-pool at which fresh water is available for the first time in the history of this islet. This awesome renovation has been achieved whilst maintaining the perfect balance between nature and culture.

Prison Island offers two room categories, all in close proximity to the sea. 15 exclusive deluxe cottages are located in the north-west side of the island, discretely built along the sea-line, affording maximum privacy and seclusion. The cottages are built in local materials and topped with traditional thatched roofs, achieving cool atmosphere day and night. The spacious interiors are elegantly decorated and equipped with mosquito nets and ensuite bathrooms, all with 2 al fresco showers and bathtub. The private outdoor verandas face out to the sea, maximizing the views and sounds of the Ocean.

In the south-west side of the island, the former Quarantine Area built in 1931 has been converted into 12 elegant standard sea facing rooms that afford the most fantastic views of Stone Town, all of them ensuite with shower equipments and mosquito nets.

The place is stylish, smart and exclusively elegant; with its delicious fresh water swimming pool and a floodlit tennis court inside the dense forest that covers the heart of the island. The tropical forest is ideal for nature trails, with different flora and fauna, home of the Giant Aldabra Tortoises, that inhabit the island for the last 80 years, and that make the island one of the most important attractions in Zanzibar.

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