Mgeni Homestay

We planned on six nights and ended up staying two weeks. Good value, with a comfy bed, decent wifi, and a good mosquito net. The place is basic but clean, and Bunda was helpful and cooked a great breakfast.

A lovely hostel with an excellent location, just a short walk from town and close to market shops for food and ingredients. Mr Mgeni manages the place, and Bunda runs it. He's a very nice man who makes fresh fruit and pancakes for breakfast, plus delicious dinners. He can also arrange transport and point you to local spots for food and drinks. I'd highly recommend staying here.

Bunda made me feel safe and welcome as a solo female traveler. He was around when I wanted help or company, but kindly gave me space when I wanted time alone. He also always greeted me when I got back to the property. My room was comfortable, and Bunda was a huge help throughout my stay. He showed me where to buy local food in the village, explained local prices and some basic Swahili words and phrases, and walked with me to nearby properties where I could get to the beach. He even walked with me along the beach all the way to the other side of Kilindoni with me to Juani. When I wanted to go to Utende for scuba diving, he called transport for me.

I stayed here in January 2023. It was a comfortable, quiet place with around four rooms, so it wasn't busy and it was easy to get to know the other guests. The price was good and breakfast decent. The airport is a short walk away, though the ferry pier is a decent walk. Two local bars are nearby; one played loud music until about 10pm on one night during my stay. This area isn't in the national park, so there's no daily fee. From the hotel, head straight toward the beach and take the path down beside the bar. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk there. At high tide there are a few niceish spots, but at low tide it's mostly mangroves and mud flats. Be careful sitting on the beach at night in some places, as sand fleas can bite. One foreigner had huge bites all along her legs. There are usually very few foreigners on the island, and I definitely stood out while I was there. Finding decent food in town is hard. The beach bungalow places generally have nicer restaurants. I didn't try the food at mgeni, though the breakfast was nice.