Along the pristine silver sand beaches of Lake Malawi, close to the village of Chintheche in Nkhata Bay District, stands The Beach House and its adjacent, smaller, Beach Cottage.
On the very edge of the dunes, The Beach House is almost hidden from view by indigenous trees. To the front, translucent waters and shimmering sands invite the visitor in search of relaxation. Sit on the spacious patio and gaze over the beach and the lake, all the way to the velvety outlines of Chisumulu and Likoma islands and the distant mountains on the Mozambique shores of the lake. Many of the photographs which appear in Central Africana’s books on Malawi and Lake Malawi were taken on or near these beaches and dawn over the lake is a sight never to be forgotten.
The Beach House appeals most to the independent traveler opting for self-catering in the spacious kitchen as well as those seeking a get-away-from-it-all holiday. Come and be rejuvenated by the timeless beauty that is northern Malawi
Both the Beach House and the Cottage are self-catering, but excellent service is available to help in both the kitchen and for general cleaning.
The Beach House stands on the very edge of the dunes. It has four large bedrooms, all with twin beds, mosquito nets and en-suite bathrooms. The spacious lounge area is furnished in traditional colonial style with many old maps, prints and photographs of Nyasaland, as Malawi used to be called, and the immediate lakeshore area. The house, and its unique content, have been called ‘a tribute to the historic and present day appeals of Lake Malawi as a tourism choice’.
A spacious patio and an open conservatory setting with many pot plants offer the very best of outdoor life in the tropics.
A well-equipped kitchen, with a large refrigerator and a freezer, allows the widest range of self-catering; house servants are available to help. By special arrangement, and at small extra cost, a qualified cook made be made available to help with all meals, but a few day’s notice is generally required.
Garden, beach cleaning and nocturnal security services are provided.
A fruit orchard, set in lawns at the rear of the house provides lemons and mangoes in season. The local fish – chambo, kampango, ncheni and the whitebait-like usipa – can often be bought at dawn from local fishermen on the adjacent beach although some negotiation is both expected and advised.
The adjacent Beach Cottage which is much smaller, even closer to the beach and more intimate [pictures below, lower slideshow] may be rented separately or together with the Beach House.
Together the two properties offer enticing possibilities for exclusive ‘think-tank’ sessions, seminars or corporate retreats for groups up to 12 in number. Special group rates and facilities apply (contact us)
Activities The Beach House appeals most to those seeking a get-away-from-it-all holiday. In Chinthche there are landline telephones and cell phone coverage is good, but there is no satellite television, just a well-stocked library and games for the family, including table tennis.
Dugouts can be hired as a challenge to those with a well-developed sense of balance, and the gently sloping sandy beach is very suitable for launching power boats off trailers. Swimming is a sheer delight – Lake Malawi may seem like an inland sea, but despite the beautiful beaches and the waves, the water is fresh and crystal clear, and there is no sticky saltiness. At times of the year, with the south-easterly mwera blowing strongly, the surf can reach two metres!
Kande Horse offers riding by the hour on the beaches of nearby Kande or in the woodland rising up to the forested Viphya Plateau. A wide selection of thoroughbred horses to suit all riders is available.
In the village of Chintheche, just 2.5km south on the main lakeshore M5 road, there is a market and many small shops at which kitchen and household essentials can be purchased. Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, eggs, chicken and often fish are also on sale, seven days a week, at the traditional market right in the middle of the village. For European and Asian tastes Shoprite in Mzuzu is regarded as best but there are many smaller food and general stores there too.
Nightly, except when the moon is full and competes for the attention of the fish, the fishermen cast their nets from dugouts, using flares and beacons and creating a memorable spectacle of timeless beauty.
