like Robinson Crusoe, it's as primitive as can be

Alcove facing the Indian Ocean

Call it paradise, a haven, or whatever you'd like, Chumbe Island is what I call heaven on earth.  It really couldn't be anything less, especially when arriving there from a crowded and dirty location.

My cottage for the day

As we pulled up to the remote island on a small wooden motor-boat, I was in awe with the purity of it all. It is a research island where no rock is left unturned.  Only a total of 15 people are allowed access to it each day.  Each small group consisting of those 15 people are given an eco-friendly cottage during their stay.  The water used in the cottage is collected from the rain and stored under the foundation in large tanks. The heat and electricity comes from solar paneling located on the rooftops.  And the toilet is "flushed" with two scoops of leaf compost.

The main focus of the research is on the overly abundant coral reef.  After the few seconds it took for my brain to finally allow me to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose, I could hardly believe an hour and a half had gone by when our snorkeling instructor told us it was time for lunch. The color of the coral was so vibrant, and the species of fish beyond anything I had seen before.

I could have stayed for days and days.  If only Utopia didn't cost so much...