• Traditional dhow under a triangular sail crosses a calm sea beneath an orange sunset sky
    Sunset Sailing

Sunset Sailing by Dhow on Chole Bay

A crewman stands at the mast of a wooden dhow, silhouetted against the setting sun as the sail fills

Chole Mjini is the only lodge in the area with sunset views, and the best place to watch the sun go down is our sunset bar, the Red Herring. If you would like the moment all to yourselves, another unforgettable way is from a dhow, the traditional sailing boat of this coast, as it carries you through the waters of Chole Bay and its surroundings, and back to Chole. With a little luck you will see dolphins too: this is the perfect time of day for them.

However you spend your day, you can end it the way many of our guests do: the crew raises the sail, sundowners are poured, and as the light turns the sea gold the conversation slows, until all you hear is the water against the wooden hull.

Sunset sailing is for a minimum of two guests, and you can also hire the boat and its crew privately by the hour.

See prices for this and all our activities (PDF)

Guests and crew silhouetted on a wooden dhow, one waving, as the sun sets over a calm sea A fiery orange sunset sky above a dark line of palm trees across the water The sun sets over calm water and a low green coastline, pink clouds scattered across a blue sky A crewman stands at the mast of a wooden dhow, silhouetted against the setting sun as the sail fills A wooden dhow with its sail half raised and crew on deck, on calm turquoise water in the evening light A guest in a white dress sits at the bow of a dhow with a glass of wine, under the full sail at sunset A crewman adjusts the sail of a dhow, silhouetted against a golden sunset over the sea A coiled rope on the wooden deck of a dhow, with the sun setting over the water behind it

Details

Duration: at sunset, on the way back to Chole

Pack: sundowners on board; tell the crew what you’d like before you leave

Highlights

  • Private trip: the boat and crew can be hired by the hour
  • The only lodge in the area with sunset views
  • A traditional wooden dhow, built on Chole
  • Sundowners on board
  • A good chance of dolphins at this time of day