Get Starry-eyed on Your Lake Malawi Holiday

Written By Megan Lewis On October 2, 2022

Here in the Warm Heart of Africa, a Lake Malawi holiday on Likoma Island combines beachside living, famously warm Malawian hospitality, and ultimate laidback luxury.

Lake Malawi is described as one of the world’s most vibrant freshwater bodies because of its rich life, both below and above the water. Its size and depth gives it a sea-like appearance, with one side rarely visible from the other, and a shoreline of idyllic golden sandy beaches lapped by gentle waves. The Rift Valley’s ‘Lake of Stars’ 0ffers visitors calm, clear and warm waters in a tranquil setting flanked by mountains and a relaxed rural setting.

Photo by Carlo Muies

Likoma Island is Lake Malawi’s largest and is an idyllic escape with beautiful bays and coves, sandy beaches and rocky islands. The island is scattered with villages and the town centre features a magnificent century-old cathedral equivalent in size to Winchester Cathedral in England.

There is so much to fall in love with while holidaying on Lake Malawi, whether you choose it as a safari postscript or as a standalone beach getaway. Here are our top three experiences that inspire starry-eyes in guests of Kaya Mawa:

Wake up to beachside bliss on your Lake Malawi holiday

The accommodation and main lodge of Kaya Mawa Lodge stretch along the white sandy shoreline of Likoma Island’s southern tip. All 11 houses and rooms have been thoughtfully designed and built to fit naturally into the bay’s rocks and sand. Each has its own feel and design and with private decks, plunge pools and direct access to the crystal clear waters of the lake.

Kaya’s restaurant serves fresh innovative dishes using local organic produce and lake fish, and there is always a delicious cocktail or fresh juice waiting to be whipped up the bar. Every meal comes served with endless lake views! Guests are well catered for and truly spoiled with an array of water activities including diving, sail-boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, paddle boarding, kite surfing, water skiing, sailing and wakeboarding, plus solar-powered electric mountain bikes, and quad bikes for those who wish to explore on land.

Swim amongst the colourful cichlid fish

The water here is as blue as any tropical destination although without the saltiness of the sea, so your eyes and skin will be thankful. The lake’s three distinct water layers don’t generally mix, which creates a rich fertile environment where plants, land animals and marine life thrive. In fact, it holds the world’s greatest number of lake-dwelling fish species, and is well-known for its over 400 species of colourful cichlid fish.

Far from hiding away, these fish will swim around you, come up close, and boast their magnificence right in front of your eyes. You don’t have to be a deep-water diver to come across some of them because even in the shallows, the water teems with cichlid fish that shimmer in hues of silver, gold, orange and blue. Snorkelling is just as fun! Visibility can be up to 20 metres (66 feet), although slightly less than half this figure is more common.

Hit the trails on an electric mountain bike

The mountain bikes at Kaya are powered by electric motors that are charged by solar power. They are a low carbon transport option that allow guests to explore more of the island than what is possible on foot. E-bikes are just as easy as riding a regular bike, and their battery assists peddling, which makes for an effortless climb up the steepest hill. The island beyond the beach can be explored at a comfortable pace with or without a guide, and there are many routes of different gradients and scenery.

Some go further off the beaten track, while others go into the main town and surrounding villages. Make a stop to watch a troop of vervet monkeys, identify the bird behind that beautiful call or chat with a friendly Likoma local. They say you are never lost on Likoma Island, because the locals will always point you home or walk you back there themselves.

Watch: A Lake Malawi holiday with Kaya looks something like this…