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Jan 07 Article in Le Magazine.co.uk An African Paradise. ( Click here to download the pdf files. Page 1 Page 2 1MB each )

Malawi Tourism an extensive source of information

1.      http://www.travelcloud.com/mt-archives/2002_11.html Here's the funny thing though. We left 'that place' and headed for Nkhata Bay about 150km's South of there. We found a small lodge called Njaya lodge which was as good as Mr Crapola's was bad. It was started by a british couple over 10 years ago. They just left london with enough money to buy a small bedsit in London and blew it all on building this place. It is absolutelly beautiful. Large mango trees hanging over the beach with hammocks and very very friendly staff who taught us Bao (local game) which we've been trying to learn for ages. Simon this aged guy who's really short and really friendly sat with us for more than an hour teaching us how to play in very broken english. The rooms are all in small huts and are clean and the few insects that we found were quite friendly - Kerry actually misses the 4 inch wide spider that used to sit on the wall behind the toilet!  We planned to stay for one night at Njaya and stayed for three. We met some local guys on the beach (Sydney, Squeezy and Wyman) who are wood carvers and gave them a design for a 'Go' board (chinese game we play). The first attempt they botched it (got the dimensions wrong) but quite happily went back and spent another day carving a new piece of wood and did and excellent job of the board and carved african animals all around the side with designs and so on. I also went fishing at Njaya and caught a large butterfish (you put down 70 meters of line with some small fish on the hook and a big weight) which didn't taste too good.

2.      On Lake Malawi
We had our hearts set on spending a few days at Njaya Lodge (described in the Lonely Planet as "legendary on the backpacker's circuit"), and found when we got into town that there was no way to get there other than walking.  Tired after a full day of travel, we did the 20-minute uphill walk with full packs only to find out that it was full.  Thank God for the tent.  We set it up on the lawn, had an excellent dinner, showers (cold, but refreshing), and cold beer.   Paul and Nicole had made plans to do a four day kayaking trip on the lake with a local company called Monkey Business; we decided to join them and ended up dragging Steig along as well.   We spent most of that day lounging around on the deck at Njaya, and  waiting to move into a bungalow.  The wait was well worth it.  Our bungalow was right on the lake -- literally -- our porch sat on top of the lake, and at night we could hear the water lake gently lapping under the bungalow all night set off kayaking the next morning.  Giros, the other guide, was driving a speedboat with all of our stuff, the tents, and food.  The lake was crystal clear and still, and not carrying our gear in the kayaks made them very fast.  We soon adjusted to the Malawian way of kayaking:  paddle for an hour or so, then sit and rest for 10 or 15 minutes, repeat, and then stop for a meal.  Not a bad life.  When the wind picks up just a little, we hold our paddles over our heads; we look fairly stupid, but we do catch some wind and sail along for a bit.  The lake, although calm, is at a record high as a result of recent rains, so when we stop for lunch or to camp for the night, the beaches that remain are very, very narrow. 

3.       Malawi
... The best place to stay is Njaya lodge in Nkhota Bay. ... Nkhota Bay is a pleasant town and the delightful Njaya Lodge was a gem of a find. ...
www.puddingland.fsnet.co.uk/country/malawi/

4.      Malawi
Had Malawi been pretty beautiful thus far, by the time we reached Nkatha Bay (where we had planned to spend the night) it had become gorgeous. At Nkatha Bay, we ended up at a lodge called Njaya. We liked it so much that we ended up staying there for 5 days relaxing, eating and drinking for reasonable prices, spending some time at the beach (playing volleyball for instance), washing, doing bike maintenance, and telling each other what a terrible life we had ;-).

5.      www.flechser.de/ontour/mala/malapic2.htm Und so bin ich erst mal in Nkhata Bay gelandet. Die Bambushütte oben war mein Quartier für die nächsten 3 Tage. In ihr fühlte ich mich nicht allein. Geckos, Echsen und Spinnen (große und kleine) hatten sich hier eingenistet und es raschelte immer wieder. Und weil ich schon von dem Land der Mangoesser sprach, natürlich stand die Hütte unter einem Mangobaum. Und wenn die Kinder nicht in ihm herum kletterten, um an die begehrten Früchte zu kommen, so hörte ich es ab und zu durch die Blätter rauschen und mit einem dumpfen Aufprall landete eine reife Frucht sprichwörtlich vor der Haustür. Das ist Afrika, wenn ich meinte, die Menschen hier brauchen nichts als nur in den Busch zu gehen, um satt zu werden. Das Paradies.

6.      22 January 2002,
Cindy and I took a walk the next day through the village and headed up the lakeshore on a long hot walk to a little bit a paradise called Njaya Lodge. We liked it so much we walked back to Big Blue packed up and moved across to Njaya. Njaya was the first place to open up for tourists in Nkhata Bay and is the end product of years of work for an English couple, Paul and Claire, who had the guts to follow their dreams. They bought a piece of land from a local chief for UKP2000 in 1993 on a steep slope heading down to tiny cove called Chikale Beach. They had nothing but their enthusiasm and a team of 100 labourers and set about terracing the slopes, planting trees, building the lodge, the chalets and their home. Everyone thought they were mad but after 9 months work they opened for their first guests. Now 9 years later it is really a fantastic place, are the largest single employer in the area and I must say it was one of the highlights of our time in Malawi and somewhere that I will be returning to. We rented a bamboo chalet right on the beach and we could walk 15 metres into the clear, warm waters of the lake and go snorkeling around the rocks, or lie on the beach and tan, sit on our balcony and read or watch the fisherman in their mokoros.  

7.      TravelCloud.com: November 2002 Archives
We found a small lodge called Njaya lodge which was as good as Mr Crapola's was bad. It was started by a british couple over 10 years ago. They just left london with enough money to buy a small bedsit in London and blew it all on building this place. It is absolutelly beautiful. Large mango trees hanging over the beach with hammocks and very very friendly staff who taught us Bao (local game) which we've been trying to learn for ages. Simon this aged guy who's really short and really friendly sat with us for more than an hour teaching us how to play in very broken english. The rooms are all in small huts and are clean and the few insects that we found were quite friendly - Kerry actually misses the 4 inch wide spider that used to sit on the wall behind the toilet! We planned to stay for one night at Njaya and stayed for three.

8.      late holiday deals - book holiday online - uk travel offers - The ...
Nkhata Bay, the busiest resort on the lake after Cape Maclear, was my last chance to catch the ferry, but it was not there either. I waited for two days at the Njaya Lodge, run by a couple from Clapham, where I drank 20p cocktails and watched a football match on satellite TV (also banned in Banda's day). But the atmosphere was a little too like Cape Maclear and I was running out of time.

9.      travel.guardian.co.uk/netjetters/ sam/story/0,7452,474751,00.html Njaya is a lovely, relaxed place perched on a hillside sloping down to a quiet beach. The days have slipped by without us really seeming to do anything. Our $3-a-night reed hut overlooks the lake and in the morning we get up late and wander down to the beach for a dip. Our American friends from the Ilala, Rusty, Russell and Jill, are also staying here, and our evenings are spent playing pool and watching the fisherman paddle back in their dugout canoes as the sun set. We drink and eat lots.

10.  Malawi In stark contrast to the poverty of Cape Maclear, Nkhata Bay is a thriving, bustling town with a variety of foods and beverages that were lacking in Cape Maclear. We stayed at Njaya on the beach (see pic) and ate and drank in a gluttonous manner to feed our hungry bodies. Nkhata Bay has a nice little cafe called Papaya's in the town center where Dale spent hours learning and playing the African game Bowa. It's one of those games that seems to have no clear set of rules, strategy, etc, and depending on who you ask, and their level of intoxication, you get a different story. We did lots of walking around Nkhata Bay escorted at all times by Njaya's resident dogs who embarrassed us regularly by trying to eat all the chickens and lizards on our route (and sometimes they were successful). Also amusing in Nkhata Bay were football matches played by local prisoners (there is a jail right in town) who seemed generally free to roam around town as they wished. From here we planned to catch the famous Ilala ferry (see pic) from Nkhata Bay to northern Malawi from where we were going to cross into Tanzania.

11.  Guardian Unlimited Travel | Netjetters | Week 19: Liwonde to ...
Njaya is a lovely, relaxed place perched on a hillside sloping down to a quiet beach. The days have slipped by without us really seeming to do anything. Our $3-a-night reed hut overlooks the lake and in the morning we get up late and wander down to the beach for a dip. Our American friends from the Ilala, Rusty, Russell and Jill, are also staying here, and our evenings are spent playing pool and watching the fisherman paddle back in their dugout canoes as the sun set. We drink and eat lots.

12.  African Fever - [ Translate this page ]
In Nkhata Bay kommen wir direkt am Marktplatz an und so sind die Neuankömmlinge sofort wieder von allerlei Händlern umringt. Alle Lodges und Guesthouses sind von hier aus gut ausgeschildert und so ist es kein Problem den richtigen Weg zu finden. Wir folgen dem Schild zur Njaya Lodge. Laut Lonely Planet sind es ca. anderthalb Kilometer, die wir zurückzulegen haben. Aber diese dehnen sich auf drei Kilometer aus. Bei +30°C geht es immer wieder bergauf und bergab, mit 15 kg Gepäck auf dem Rücken. Erschöpft kommen wir an.

Unser neues Zuhause ist eine kleine Bambushütte direkt am Strand. Wir brauchen nur eine Steintreppe hinunter zu gehen und schon sind wir am Wasser. Die Hütten kleben alle an einem Hang unter schattigen Bäumen. Kleine Wege und Treppen führen hinauf auf den Berg, wo sich das Hauptgebäude mit Restaurant, Rezeption und Bar befindet. Eine große Holzterrasse ermöglicht einen großartigen Rundblick über den See und die Umgebung. Diese Lodge wurde vor ein paar Jahren von einem jungen, englischen Ehepaar errichtet und ist jetzt besonders unter den Backpackern aus aller Welt bekannt und geschätzt.

Unsere Hütte hat drei Betten mit Moskitonetzen und eine kleine Terrasse mit Couch und Sessel, die ebenfalls aus Bambus gefertigt sind. Etwas klein für drei Personen, denn eigentlich sind es nur Doppel. Für den Rest des Tages ist relaxen angesagt.

13.  Malawi - Reisebericht - Fotos - Informationen Dar Es Salaam Shell-shocked as we were, it took us a while to realize that the lodge was a little slice of paradise in the midst of all this chaos. We spent four days here, relaxing at the lodge, hanging around with Bill & Catherine, and swimming in the lake, whereupon the rocky shore of which our bungalow was perched. The food was quite excellent and the staff friendly and helpful....
 

14.  Updates from Travelers Malwai was heaven. It is the first place that I have been so impressed by that I actually said, "I would love to come back here." Everywhere that we have visited has been a wonderful adventure, but something about Nkhata Bay really touched my heart. I met some of the kindest, most intelligent people there & was sad to leave after 10 short days. Njaya Lodge was so beautiful - the girls & I could hear the waves from the lake (looked more like an ocean)  at we slept at night in our chalate & when it rained (which it did on several occasions, including a hike to a school) the trees smelled incredible!

15.  Malawi — © Brian's Page
The three-year anniversary. Wake up. Deep breaths. Give thanks. I miss you. I walk downtown. Discover the day market lady and her tasty rice, beans, and tomato sauce. I spot a guy with a Steal Your Face tattoo. We chat, and I jump on top of some guy's Landy and we are off, puffing a spliff of some fine Malawi wowwi. We end up at a beach near Njaya, where there is a camp fire; we are swimming, puffing, sharing stories. A nice day and I eventually walk back to Africa Bay

16.  Malawi
we finally arrived we walked directly to the Njaya resort and set up our tent. The lake was beautiful, and the first thing we did was take a refreshing dip in its warm waters.We spent around a week relaxing on the sandy beaches of Lake Malawi before we finally decided to sign up for the SCUBA diving course. Nkhata bay is reputably one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to dive.

17.  Dive Africa, African dive adventure
We stayed at Njaya Lodge, Nkharta Bay - not the cheapest place in town, but nicely out of the way - 40 minute walk or 5 minute drive on bumpy dirt tracks. We camped in the grounds facing the lake. We were there in the run up to Christmas so there were parties happening all over the bay. This seems to be an area that attracts the "cool party animal" type traveller so if you like music, cocktails and late nights chilling by the Lake then this is probably your destination. The Lodge has its own beach on the Lake which is beautifully relaxing in the day time. The water was a welcoming 28 degrees and we realised when we fell in, that this was the first time since arriving in Africa that we had actually been swimming and sunbathing at the beach... about time.  

18.  Malawi
We celebrated the New Year at a small traveler's resort on Lake Malawi called Njaya, in Nkata Bay. The resort hired a Malawian dancer to perform. The music was entirely percussion with three drums. The rhythms were incredibly complex. The male dancer wore a grass skirt and bands onhis wrists and ankles with some kind of cymbals attached to them. While the drummers played he shook his hips and stomped his feet to make the cymbals clink along with the percussion. Many of the young children came to dance and sing with the performer. These young children seemed to have an infallible sense of rhythm.

19.  BackpackWithUs Maren & Kirk's Trip around the World - Diary / ...
We decided to stay at Njaya Lodge,  even though it was more expensive than other campsites.  It was the nicest place and it seemed to have the best security.  All backpackers seemed to stay there.  It had a beautiful setting over looking Lake Malawi

20.  Nederland reisverslag vertrek uit Nederland
Vijftien dagen hebben we gelogeerd bij Njaya Lodge en dus moeten er op de laatste avond natuurlijk nog wat foto’s worden gemaakt van al onze vrienden. Mede door het super gastvrije en vriendelijke personeel, hebben we hier twee weken een top tijd gehad in Nkhata Bay.

21.  Andrew Kirk's article, '99
The bar at Njaya, right next-door to Chikale Beach, must have the most volatile cocktail menu South of the Equator, with drinks having names such as Larium (local malaria prophylactic) and Long Island Ice Tea.

22.  Lodging (Malawi)
Nkhata Bay is a small but bustling fishing village set on the shores of northern Lake Malawi. It is the hub for all travel in Malawi and a perfect place to start your travels. ...Njaya Lodge is small rustic lodge situated on Chikale Beach in Nkhata Bay ....It offers simple Oriental style bamboo chalets or ensuite rooms and cottages in beautiful surroundings.

23.  The Africa Guide -Malawi - Regions and Towns
.Nkhata Bay
Nkhata Bay lies about 50km east of Mzuzu and is the most popular northern lakeshore resort, and is one of the lakeshores most scenic villages consisting of two bays separated by a long narrow peninsula. One of the bays is mainly a port where the Lake Malawi steamer docks, the other, Chikale Beach is a backpackers heaven. The sunrise and sunsets are quite picturesque and the atmosphere very laid back

Facilities in the village include a bank, a post office, numerous small grocery stores and many establishments offering western food. There is also lively market extensively selling curios and clothing, but bargain hard for the best price.

Scuba diving course are offered by Aqua Africa   (more info) and it is reputed as being one of the cheapest in the world, needless to say they are very popular and you may have to book in advance.

In recent years the whole area has become especially popular with backpackers. There are numerous places to stay strung out along the main road, through the town and on Chikale Beach. The most popular spot on Chikale beach is Njaya lodge which is run by an English couple. The accommodation consists of bamboo style huts, that blend in with the scenery, situated on the hillside overlooking the bay. This is definitely a place where you can totally unwind, the food on offer is good. At the other end of the beach is the Chikale Beach Resort with offer concrete block accommodation at reasonable prices and camping. When we last visited they were building new Rondavels.

As a child, some 20 years plus ago, I used to camp on this beach when, more often than not, we were the only visitors here and there were no facilities whatsoever. It has changed tremendously but I am pleased to say that it still retains it's peaceful relaxing atmosphere.

24.  Malawi
we finally arrived we walked directly to the Njaya resort and set up our tent. The lake was beautiful, and the first thing we did was take a refreshing dip in its warm waters.

25.  Nkhata Bay Njaya Lodge - situated on a wooded hill overlooking beautiful Chikale Beach, Njaya Lodge is one of Malawi's best kept secrets. Described as "legendary" by the Lonely Planet Guide, Njaya attracts traveller and tourists in search of a beautiful but affordable retreat in which to unwind. Accommodation ranges from rustic "thai style" chalets to fully furnished garden cottages suitable for families. Dive schools including Aqua Africa, offer one of the cheapest and most effective ways to get a PADI Open Water diving certificate.

26.  www.overland.co.za/Reports/Philip_Vermeulen/ philip_v_2.html Cindy and I took a walk the next day through the village and headed up the lakeshore on a long hot walk to a little bit a paradise called Njaya Lodge. We liked it so much we walked back to Big Blue packed up and moved across to Njaya. Njaya was the first place to open up for tourists in Nkhata Bay and is the end product of years of work for an English couple, Paul and Claire, who had the guts to follow their dreams. They bought a piece of land from a local chief for UKP2000 in 1993 on a steep slope heading down to tiny cove called Chikale Beach. They had nothing but their enthusiasm and a team of 100 labourers and set about terracing the slopes, planting trees, building the lodge, the chalets and their home. Everyone thought they were mad but after 9 months work they opened for their first guests. Now 9 years later it is really a fantastic place, are the largest single employer in the area and I must say

27.  it was one of the highlights of our time in Malawi and somewhere that I will be returning to. We rented a bamboo chalet right on the beach and we could walk 15 metres into the clear, warm waters of the lake and go snorkeling around the rocks, or lie on the beach and tan, sit on our balcony and read or watch the fisherman in their mokoros. The camping is not really geared up for rooftop tents but with the chalets costing R120 per day we thought it was worth it.

28.  Hotels and Accommodation in Malawi
The most popular spot amongst backpackers on Chikale beachoffering simple Oriental style bamboo chalets or ensuite rooms and cottages in beautiful surroundings.There is also a full bar and restaurant, fantastic music and is great place to unwind and refresh.Facillites include; Internet & Email Connection Fax service Credit Cards accepted Sattelite TV .

29.  Amazon.com: Books: Building with Earth: A Guide to Flexible-Form ...
... Steve Kemble's House, the Bahamas Kelly and Rosana Hart's House, Colorado Kaki Hunter's
and Doni Kiffmeyer's Honey House, Utah The Lodge "Njaya," Malawi The ...
www.amazon.com/.../index=books&field-author=Wojciechowska,%20Paulina/ ref=pd_simart_detail/ - 55k - Cached - Similar pages 

Njaya lodge is certainly somewhere where you can spend a lot of time and money, but wow, what a place you must be very proud. I read most of the newspaper cuttings and stories on the walls of the lodge with great interest. You should be very please with what you have achived and more importantly returned to the community. I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone

I have just returned from a two week holiday in Malawi, where I stayed at Nkhata Bay at the Njaya Lodge, as recommened by responsible travel. The lodge is nestled into beautiful surroundings, which you never tire of. We treated ourselves to the luxury of the cottage. We had an excellent view of the lake and Chikale Beach. The cottage is basic, but you are getting what you pay for and that includes hot water, which is always a blessing. We were certainly comfortable and had plenty of room as there was just the two of us. We even got some interesting visitors from time to time, but I wouldn't want to spoil the surprises for anyone, as that made the trip even better.

The staff at the lodge are wonderful and make you feel instantly at home. They are very friendly and helpful and make the stay that much better. The food is fantastic, especially considering what is available to you. BBQ night is a big hit, every Wednesday and Saturday. Arriving on a Sunday as we did, we were delighted to be served up with a roast dinner. I do not eat meat, so had a great nut/rice loaf alternative. I do eat fish though and a good thing too, as its delicious and relatively plentiful.

Its very easy to spend 2 weeks there and really unwind. Evenings were spent meeting travellers and hearing all their tales. Would personally recommend the Gin and Tonic or if you'd like something a bit creamier, the Heavenly Cloud is delicious. Its about a 15-20 minute walk into town, which is nice because really feel like you've escaped from civilisation while you're at the lodge. If you want to go snorkelling or kayaking, just speak to someone at reception and they will get someone to come from the local business based on the beach.

So to conclude, we had a thouroughly enjoyable stay and I would recommend it to anyone who happens to be going that way, or even better, to anyone who wants to get away from it all for a couple of weeks.
Find Njaya Lodge on Lake Malawi on the site here

Once in Malawi I stayed at Njaya in Nkharta Bay and it was the best placed I stayed in my 2 years in Africa