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Essentials

A few things you should know

A few essential things you should know before your trip to Zanzibar.
Essentials

The Rhythm of the Tides

Paje moves to nature’s own rhythm, guided by the steady ebb and flow of the tides. Each day, the ocean transforms the shoreline, revealing vast sandbanks at low tide and returning as a calm, swimmable lagoon at high tide... shaping how you experience the beach from morning to evening.

Every day, you'll experience 2 high tides and 2 low tides. 

  • High tide: water is typically waist- to chest-deep near the shore
  • Low tide: extensive sandbanks exposed, and you need to walk further out to reach the ocean

While the temperatures are perfect year-round, the best time for swimming is 2 hours before to 2 hours after high tide. The beach is of soft white sand throughout with a very gentle, gradual slope into the ocean.

  • High tide: direct, easy access to the water
  • Low tide: shoreline extends significantly with shallow lagoon flats

  • June–September: stronger trade winds
  • December–February: lighter, consistent winds
  • Best conditions typically at mid to high tide

Best Months: March, July–October, and December–February.

Clear visibility (20–30m), calm seas, rich coral life, and chances to spot dolphins, turtles, and whale sharks (seasonal).

The low tide is ideal for walking, exploring sandbanks, and lagoon flats

Before you Travel

Zanzibar Requirements

Passport Validity: Ensure your passport remains valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date—with at least one blank page.

Visa Requirements: Most visitors need a Tanzania tourist visa, valid across the entire archipelago. Apply online via the official Tanzanian eVisa portal, and plan to do so at least two weeks ahead, as visa‑on‑arrival is no longer guaranteed.

Mandatory Travel Insurance: Since October 2024, inbound travel insurance from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) is required for all visitors—other policies won’t be accepted.
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DIGITAL GROWTH

WEN JING MO

Wen brings nearly two decades of international experience in brand, marketing, and digital strategy across luxury and hospitality. Beginning her career in London in 2006, she worked with major luxury brands before transitioning into hospitality, where she held leadership roles including Director of Digital Marketing & Communications at Questus Hospitality and worked with distinctive properties such as The Slate in Thailand. Most recently, she was Assistant Director of Marketing at Zulal Wellness Resort, one of the world’s leading wellness destinations, where she focused on positioning holistic wellness experiences for a global audience.

Born in Shanghai and raised in the United Kingdom, Wen grew up in a uniquely creative and culturally rich environment, surrounded by artists, performers, and practitioners of both Western and Chinese medicine. Fluent in multiple Chinese dialects as well as English, with additional knowledge of Thai, she brings a deep appreciation for storytelling, creativity, and holistic wellbeing. At ENVI Lodges, Wen is excited to help shape the visibility and narrative of each destination, while supporting the brand’s long-term, sustainable growth.
SALES & MARKETING AFRICA

LIANNE KELLY-MAARTENS

Lianne brings over 20 years of experience in the global luxury travel and hospitality industry, having led commercial strategies for some of Africa’s most distinguished properties and brands, including Matetsi Victoria Falls, Cape Grace – a Fairmont managed hotel – and Sun International. Throughout her career, she has driven revenue growth across key international markets spanning North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, building strong partnerships with the global luxury travel trade and positioning brands for long-term success.

A defining chapter of her career was her leadership role at We Are Africa, the premier luxury African travel trade show. There, Lianne played a key role in expanding the platform’s global reach, developing strategic partnerships and new revenue streams while overseeing sales, sponsorships, and exhibitor relationships. By connecting hundreds of high-end travel brands with top-tier buyers and international media, she helped strengthen the event’s reputation as one of the industry’s most influential marketplaces for African travel. At ENVI Lodges, Lianne draws on this extensive network and market insight to elevate the brand’s global presence and connect discerning travellers with immersive, nature-led experiences.
OPERATIONS

SHANAWAZ BASHEER

Shanawaz is a seasoned hotelier with more than two decades of international experience in luxury hospitality, lodge operations, and pre-opening projects across Africa and Asia. He began his career with Aman Resorts, progressing through operational leadership roles before moving into general management positions across safari lodges and hotels in India, Tanzania, Ghana, and Kenya. Throughout his career, Shanawaz has specialized in remote-location hospitality, successfully leading multiple lodge pre-openings and building operational frameworks that balance exceptional guest experiences with responsible tourism.

Most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer of Wildplaces Africa – The Uganda Safari Company, Shanawaz has overseen multi-property lodge portfolios while championing conservation and community engagement initiatives. Passionate about sustainable tourism and operational excellence, he combines strong financial discipline with a hands-on leadership style to create resilient hospitality operations that support both people and place. At ENVI Lodges, he is particularly inspired by the brand’s commitment to giving back to local communities and championing sustainability across every aspect of its operations. The opportunity to be part of a growing brand with a vision for responsible, immersive hospitality is something he deeply values.
LODGE FINANCE

Carné VENTER

Carné is a seasoned hospitality finance professional with extensive experience overseeing financial operations across large hotel portfolios within the Marriott International and Protea Hotels network in South Africa. During her time with the group, she played a key role in managing financial performance across multiple properties, working closely with regional leadership and operational teams to ensure strong financial governance, accurate reporting, and strategic budget management. Her work supported hotel teams across several regions, helping drive operational efficiency and sustainable financial performance within one of the world’s leading hospitality companies.

At ENVI Lodges, Carné brings this depth of corporate hospitality finance experience to oversee lodge financial operations and strengthen the systems that support the company’s growth. Known for her structured approach and strong financial discipline, she focuses on building robust financial frameworks that empower operational teams and ensure each lodge operates on a stable, transparent, and scalable financial foundation.
Experience Curator, Saudi Arabia (KSA)


REEM SHAATH

With a passion for meaningful travel and a deep understanding of Saudi Arabia's fast-evolving market, Reem curates experiences that connect guests with the Kingdom's landscapes, heritage, and culture in authentic and memorable ways. Having explored destinations worldwide and built a career in bespoke travel design, she brings a unique ability to craft journeys that balance luxury with discovery, storytelling, and a strong sense of place.

As ENVI Lodges' Experience Curator in Saudi Arabia, Reem draws on her insider knowledge of the country's hospitality and tourism landscape to create programs that resonate with both international travellers and local explorers. In addition to founding Whywander, a boutique travel agency, she has established herself as a trusted voice in experiential travel, ensuring that every ENVI guest experience in Saudi Arabia is thoughtful, immersive, and rooted in sustainability.
Development Director Africa


LUC EASCOUTE

Luc's passion for Africa-its people, culture, and wildlife-was sparked while growing up in Morocco, Niger, and Malawi. After 15 years leading African subsidiaries for a multinational company, he and his wife acquired a pristine nature reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape in 2014, establishing a boutique lodge offering active and holistic safaris.

With ENVI Lodges, Luc combines his deep knowledge of the continent with personal lodge ownership experience, creating transformative experiences for discerning travellers while looking for new opportunities to expand the brand portfolio.
Sustainability Lead

TINA HEDI Zakonjšek

Tina has dedicated her career to guiding tourism toward a more sustainable future. Based in Ljubljana, she co-founded GoodPlace - Factory of Sustainable Tourism, a nonprofit promoting environmental and community-positive outcomes. She also serves as Strategic Certification and Assurance Advisor for the Green Destinations Foundation.

With extensive experience conducting sustainability audits across hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, and destinations, Tina helps organizations translate responsible tourism principles into practice. Her work with ENVI Lodges ensures meaningful, mindful operations, rooted in sustainability.
Brand & Communications

YASMINA HATEM CABRERA

Yasmina's storytelling career began with a Master's in Journalism from Columbia University in 2007 and has since taken her across New York, Beirut, Dubai, and London, working as a reporter, producer, writer, and communications specialist. She also spent seven years connected to the travel industry through Whywander, while producing documentaries for Business Insider that spotlighted sustainability and eco-innovation.

Since ENVI Lodges' inception in 2021, Yasmina has shaped the brand's identity and communications, ensuring every message reflects ENVI's vision for immersive, responsible travel. Passionate about meaningful storytelling, she brings the company's values to life for mindful explorers around the world.
Operations

KEVIN HADDAD

Kevin's hospitality journey began at Geneva's Le Richemond in 2011, where he discovered a passion for delivering exceptional service.

After a brief entrepreneurial chapter in Lisbon, he returned to hotel operations and built leadership experience in Dubai, taking on key roles at Raffles and Sofitel in Dubai, where he honed his skills in both luxury service and pre-opening projects.

In 2021, Kevin joined 25hours Hotel to help launch the brand's first property in the Middle East. He leverages his expertise in opening and managing world-class luxury and lifestyle hotels to bring our ENVI Lodges to life.
Wellness & Guest Experience


CHRISTINA KOERBS

Christina brings over 20 years of international experience in hospitality, spa, wellness, and luxury lodge development, having worked across the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific with brands including Aman and Six Senses.

At ENVI Lodges, she leads wellness strategy and operations, ensuring each property delivers high-quality guest experiences rooted in wellbeing and environmental consciousness. Passionate about longevity science and nature-based healing, Christina blends innovation with simplicity to bring the brand's regenerative and wellness-forward vision to life.
Host Relations & Culture


PATSY KRUGER

Patsy has built a career on sincerity, humility, and a passion for people. With over 15 years of international leadership experience across hospitality, conservation, tourism, education, NGOs, and the private sector, she specializes in people management and learning and development.

At ENVI Lodges, Patsy fosters strong, motivated teams through coaching, mentoring, and talent development. She combines strategic vision with a love for culture, diversity, and nature, ensuring the human side of hospitality thrives across all properties.
Operations

PAUL JORDAAN

Paul grew up in the beautiful winelands of Stellenbosch in South Africa, on a family wine estate where his father taught him to listen to the earth and how to protect it. After a training in winemaking in France, Paul moved to London to work at the Ritz before returning to South Africa to pursue his studies in hospitality.

During this time, he developed a passion for wildlife conservation and a taste for adventure and extreme sports, which led him to experience the best surfing destinations around the globe --a passion that most certainly influenced his career choices, and grew his interest for luxury experiential eco-lodges that promote sustainable tourism. He managed a 5-star lodge in South Africa, then opened Richard Branson's award-winning boutique hotel Mont Rochelle. In 2007, he took on the role of General Manager of Point Grace in Turks & Caicos Islands, a luxury property owned by Aman Resorts' founder Adrian Zecha. He then moved back to Africa to open a lodge in Zanzibar under the Elewana brand, and in 2011 he accepted his former boss' offer to become the multi-property general manager of several Aman resorts in India, Sri-Lanka and Bhutan. But that's not all. Paul eventually operated Six Senses resorts in Vietnam and Oman's Zighy Bay and more recently, general manager of The Slate in Thailand, a Bill Bensley designed resort and member of Design Hotels. Finally, Paul was the Director of Operation of multiple lodges and estates in New Zealand and Thailand.
LINKEDIN
Co-Founder

NOELLE HOMSY

Imagining she would one day design her own little hotel and retire on a Greek Island, Noelle studied architecture and ended up building an unconventional career. Starting with architectural design and construction project management, she later handled claims, risk management and arbitration cases for real estate projects in the Middle East. A born multitasker, she also earned a Masters in Engineering Management from the American University of Beirut and a certificate in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Harvard University --all the while, Noelle was still looking for a way into the hotel world.

In 2017, Noelle moved to Singapore for her MBA, and travelled all around South East Asia, visiting multiple eco-luxury camps in the region. After graduating from INSEAD, Noelle jumped at the opportunity to enter the hospitality industry, taking on a role in luxury hotel development with a focus on experiential lodging. During that time, she successfully signed 4 lodges in the UAE and moved on to lead the hospitality and tourism practice at Grant Thornton UAE. Her passion for watching hotels come to life combined with her love for responsible tourism finally led her to launch ENVI Lodges.
LINKEDIN
Co-Founder

Chris Nader

Chris was born into a family of hoteliers and he started working at the family-owned Yacht Club very young. While learning the trade hands on, he developed his life-time passion for extreme sports. But it wasn't until his early twenties that Chris experienced the synergy between travel and adventure, embarking on a three-day expedition kayaking with whales in Canada. That immersive experience only reinforced him to push his career in hospitality and after an MBA at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in 2008, Chris joined the team that launched Shaza Hotels in Geneva. He eventually moved to Dubai to lead the company's international growth. From 2014 to 2017, he was also the Vice-President of Development for Kempinski Hotels covering Africa and the Middle East.

It was while living in Switzerland that Chris discovered the world of experiential lodging at an eco-luxury camp in the Swiss Alps. 10 years later, he finds himself launching a new eco-lodge brand of his own. ENVI Lodges combines his love for adventure, his passion to create meaningful experiences, and his ambition to promote responsible hospitality.
LINKEDIN