Kwetsani (GPS: KWETSA 19°14.594’S, 22°32.200’E), faces east, towards the rising sun, from a long, narrow island about 10km northwest of Jao, its larger, more opulent neighbour. (This can take 40 minutes if the roads are dry, or an hour by boat.)

The main lounge/dining room area at Kwetsani is slightly raised and stands under a high thatched roof, with one side open, overlooking an open plain. There’s a dining table under part of this, a trendy metal fireplace in the centre (handy when it’s cool in the morning), and an open lounge area with comfy chairs, a leather sofa and a small bookshelf. Nearby is a well-stocked bar, complete with a jackalberry, Diospyros mespiliformis, growing up through it.

The wooden decking floor extends from under the thatch on to a wide veranda, which has been built around a huge sycamore fig, Ficus sycomorus, a marula, Sclerocarya birrea caffra, and a sausage tree, Kigelia africana. There’s usually a spotting scope standing on the deck here. Nearby is a guest washroom/toilet, which has not only a tree growing up through it, but also has half of its wall cut away to give a view. Down a sloping walkway, almost on the level of the surrounding plains, a few sun-loungers, umbrellas and chairs surround a small splash-pool (about 5m by 3m). On the other side of the lounge is a viewing platform about 3m up from the main deck – though the view from the rooms is usually as good.

The five chalets are all raised off the ground, and linked by wooden walkways. Two are south of the main area, three are on the north side. Each has twin beds, or a double, under a large mosquito net, with a fan above it. Behind the substantial wooden bed-head is a large mirror, twin wash basins and a small wardrobe with shelves. On either side of this, two separate doors lead into small rooms, one containing an indoor shower, the other a toilet.

There is also a reed-walled outdoor shower on the balcony, along with several easy chairs and a table. Kwetsani is a lovely small camp which, perhaps helped by its small size, had a very relaxed and positive atmosphere when I last visited.