Domwe Island Adventure Camp

Domwe Island is unlike every other island on Lake Malawi because, over thousands of years of fluctuating water levels, the narrow channel separating it from the mainland has occasionally dried out completely, long enough for mammals to walk across and settle, something that never happened on the lake's other, permanently isolated islands. At 11km around and rising 400m above the water, it's the largest uninhabited island on the lake, and the camp here is deliberately basic: three safari tents on wooden platforms above granite boulders, each with a hammock and en-suite bathroom, plus two simple tent sites with their own composting toilets and hot showers.

There's no electricity, lighting comes from solar lanterns, paraffin lamps and wind-up torches, and no food for sale on the island, so bring your own and cook it either in a fully stocked communal kitchen or on a campfire for the full Robinson Crusoe experience. The surrounding water holds more than 500 species of cichlid fish, part of what makes Lake Malawi a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the clear conditions are ideal for snorkelling, diving and sea kayaking. Nature trails climb to the island's high point for a view back across the lake.