The beauty of Kipungani is that it is so different from 'normal life' (normal life being in the UK). The rooms are beachfront, thatched bandas. The structures are made exclusively of drift wood and plaited palms- no glass, concrete or metal in sight, save for the few vital amenities.

The pool is perfectly clean (witness the impressive daily routine whilst eating breakfast). It was the perfect place to relax and read day after day!

The overall attractiveness of the resort is greatly improved at high tide so reserve judgement if you arrive at low tide.

Food was excellent and the location of the meals was creative - sometimes fun, sometimes romantic. Our final dinner on the beach by a small bonfire was the crowning glory. The Soups, Fresh Lobster and Tuna Sumshimi stand out in the memory.

David, Odin and Saeed deserve special mentions amongst a very string team of staff.

Free use of the kayaks and evening sailing on the dhow were great but charging us KSH3,000 each for a one-way boat journey was a bit opportunistic and beefed up our bill upon leaving.

Cocktails and wine were also bit expensive (we found that the Kenyan wine 'Leleshwa' was really nice and inexpensive when in Nairobi but the wine list consisted of cheap supermarket standards at £20 plus presumably due to high import costs).

My wife and I stayed at the Kippungani Explorer in August, at the end of a 3 week backpacking adventure round East Africa. The surroundings are private, tranquil and the personal attention lavished by the staff who take care to learn your individual preferences made our stay here the ideal contrast to safari adventures.

Unfortunately, our stay at Kipungani coincided with the kidnapping of a British tourist further up the Kenyan coastline, towards the Somali Border, and we were naturally very concerned about our safety, given that these are beach-front residences. We took all advice available from the local embassy and others, and were reassured that since Kipungani lies South of the main town of Lamu (ie it is further away from Somalia), and is actually within a small inlet near to mangroves, as opposed to facing the Indian Ocean, that the threat there was low. We were also reassured to see a healthy amount of local security nearby.

We absolutely loved our time at Kipungani, and it was the staff that made all the difference between a good an excellent experience. Assuming the security situation there remains the same (Check with your embassy or consulate first!), Kipungani remains well worth a visit for that touch of luxury and charm.

Situated about 20 minutes by speedboat from Lamu airport to the south of the island - Kipungani Explorer is a beautiful restful oasis. The bandas are set just back from the beach - ours was spotlessly clean, simply and tastefully decorated with natural materials, a lovely large bed, and a verandah area at the front of the banda where you could just lay in a hammock and watch the sun go down over the ocean. The staff were fantastic - friendly, laid back and couldn't do enough for us and we would like to give a special mention to David who was so welcoming and funny - to put it in his words and to sum up the service - "we will come and find you with tea at 4.00 wherever you are!" Food was fabulous - from the chef's home made cakes and amazing passion fruit jam to the wonderful fresh seafood - we only spent 2 nights here and I wish we could have stayed for longer - we would love to return.

A little oasis around the corner from Lamu town. This place has excellent views, great food, a lovely beach, amazing service and just takes the stress out of your muscles as you bathe in the sun. Don't miss viewing the stars with the staff. Enjoy!