Nkhata Bay Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Nkhata Bay is a small, bustling fishing village about 50 kilometers from Mzuzu. Straddling the steep, verdant mountains of Malawi's rift valley, Nkhata Bay overlooks the Lake like a lord overlooks his manor.
The town is home to the Tonga people who are famed for their love of fine dressing. It is common to see older men dressed in full suits with Homburg hats, spats and canes!
In 1993 an English couple Paul and Claire Norrish bought some property on the Lake and built a budget lodge, called Njaya Lodge, It is relatively famous in Africa for its eco-friendly construction. Since then, good word of mouth has led Nkhata Bay to become popular with independent travelers. The lodge is based on sustainable tourism principles and the staff who work at the lodge have all been working their since it opened and many of them actually helped to build the lodge.
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Get in
You can reach Nkhata Bay from the South via the Lakeshore road or west from Mzuzu, take a minibus to Nkhata Bay. The winding, scenic, hour-long trip costs about $1. There are regular buses from Blantyre and Lilongwe. There is no road access to the North.
You can fly to Mzuzu from Lilongwe 3 times a week
Get around
Nkhata Bay is fairly small, so walking should be appropriate. Alternatively, you can hire a water taxi to take you from one end of the village to the other; this is also a neat way to see the coastline. Finally, most of the hostels and hotels have vehicles. When they go into town, you can usually hitch a ride.
See
The Lake is what Nkhata Bay is all about. There is only one beach at Chikale which is a gentle 20 minute walk from the town.
One of the must sees of Nkhata Bay is the feeding of the fish eagle which lives high up on the cliff face south of Njaya Lodgge. Trips can be organised by any of the lodges
However, if you have a vehicle at your disposal, you should visit the huge Kawalazi coffee plantation located roughly half-way between Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay (as you travel towards Nkhata Bay, there's a small sign on your right). A very friendly Sikh manages it, and he's happy to take you around and show you how the plantation runs. The countryside around the plantation is also worth exploring if you want a break from the Lake.
The rubber and tea plantation at Chombe and and research farms dot the land between Nkhata Bay and Mzuzu; hiring a bike is the best way to explore these/
Do
There is a scuba dive shop at Njaya, and they offer day trips (around $20). The mouth-breeding cichlid fishes are fascinating and represent the most diverse vertebrate radiation in the history of the earth.
Njaya also rents small sea kayaks for 2 or 3 people. This is an affordable way to spend the afternoon, and the coastline is terrific. Take a sandwich, some beer, and a waterproof camera. Be aware, though, that you might see a hippo in the Lake.
You can also organise longer 2 or three days trips either north to Usisya and Ruware, South to Kande beach or over to the islands of Chisimulu and Likoma.
Buy
There is a "Bureau de Change" in town.
There are also several "Rastas" posing as curio vendors. Aside from accommodation, food, and drink, these guys offer among the only options for taking your money.
Eat
Aside from Njaya, which has a great kitchen, and a fabulous Christmas feast(!), there are several independent restaurants in town, which change regularly. If you have a dollar, you can find a burger, Malawian pizza, or a great Chambo (fish) dinner.
For a particularly good local restaurant, find the large tree in the middle of the market; here you will find reasonably priced, good food to enjoy on benches beneath the branches.
Drink
There are a number of local bars in Nkhata Bay. Additionally, small tourist-friendly bars spring up regularly.
Sleep
There are several places to sleep in Nkhata Bay and representatives from these will meet the ferry when it arrives.
.Njaya Lodge, complete with its own guard-goose, is among the most popular, especially with backpackers, despite being about a mile or two outside town. Situated high atop a mountain overlooking the lake, Njaya offers a variety of accommodation -- from en suite cottages ($15/night) to spartan, reed chalets ($4/night). Camping is also available for $3/night.
Mayoka Village is another popular lodge on the bay, offering private chalets ($10-$15/night) and a dormitory ($5/night) for those on a tighter budget. Mayoka is well known in the area for its scenic location, vibrant bar scene and friendly atmosphere, including an outstanding weekly barbecue made from locally sourced food.
Chikale Lodge offers en suite chalets, on the water, for about $40/night. This lodge is about 1 mile from town.
There is a government rest house in town, but most travelers find municipal accommodation run down and depressing.
Get out
A ferry visits Nkhata Bay twice a week. Once going north and once going South.
The ferry arrives in Nkhata Bay early on a sunday morning and then heads up to Usisya, Ruaware and Ultimatelty Chilumba. A lovely round trip is to takes the ferry North and then return on the tuesday when the ferry heads south to Cape Maclearvia Likoma or east to Mbamba Bay, in Tanzania. This is the beggining of the So called Mtwara Corridor a project which aims to develop the road infrastructure from Mbabama Bay to Mtwara on the Indian Ocean
The ferry is a popular, albeit slow, way for travelers to see the Lake and journey to other parts of the region. If you take the ferry you can either sleep on the deck (great in nice weather) or for those wanting a bit more luxury try the ensuite cabin.
Stay safe
Nkhata Bay has recently earned a reputation for being dangerous. Be careful walking at night and do not carry all your cash with you.
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