Bride and Groom: Winning couples enjoying their stay at Neptune Paradise Hotel

Neptune Paradise Hotel represented in Uganda by Twende Uganda Limited is one of the finest luxurious resorts at Galu Beach in Kwale County.

It is 42.8 km from Mombasa City along the Indian Ocean. 

It has three hotels; The Palm, The Paradise and The Village, all located along the sand beach. Here, the VIPs are booked in at Palm Hotel, the middle class at Paradise and the others at the mother hotel called The Village. 

Guests at The Village can be allowed to access services at Paradise but not at Palm, whose rates are higher. 

After dinner, guests are treated to a karaoke performance by local artists while others elsewhere enjoy the cool ocean breeze in the different bars. 

Breakfast at Paradise

The 2022 Bride and Groom winners, the wedding couple, Immaculate Oroma and her husband Francis Ocendi and a family of four; Doreen Mary Mudondo, Abraham Kalanzi and their two children, Ariela Nambasa, 6, and Adreal James Masembr, 16 months are booked in at the Neptune Paradise Hotel where they had their breakfast.

By 6:00am, the hotel chefs and other staff are already making final touches at the restaurant as some few guests, mainly whites, move in, in pairs for an early morning jogging and a walk along the beach. 

Some tourists with cameras are busy shooting the sunrise and watching the birds and monkeys that play about in the palm trees. 

Jared Nyakundi, a resident of Kisi County, Nyanza Province in Kenya is a waiter, sales and service person for The Paradise. He stands at the restaurant entrance to assure guests' breakfast is ready. 

They serve buffet breakfast also known as, Anglo American breakfast. The full breakfast includes bacon, sausages and eggs. The eggs are served in a way a guest desires. 

It can be omelette or scrambled, boiled or Spanish or the popular macho ya ngombe which means break the egg and don't turn it. 

Others on the menu are pancakes, cold cats which is chicken sliced, cheese, vowels or heavy pancakes, juices of all types, tea and coffee and assorted pastries. 

One can choose from a variety of bread. The cooks are waiting at each point to respond to the guests' requests. 

For people who like Indian dishes, they can be served depending on what one demands. Breakfast starts at 7:00am till 10:00am, but those going for Safari can book earlier and have lunch boxes for earlier meals. 

The boxes include croissants, a continental breakfast or a light meal. 

The chefs include Omor Mugeni, Hellen Wendi, Rukia, and Flora Christine, among others. 

"We have not gone to other places, but this is a very good place," said Oroma, who was awed by the atmosphere at the hotel. 

"This is nice, it is a good place and every able family should work to achieve this. I love the environment, I am looking at the Indian Ocean for the first time," she says. 

She confessed that this was her first time visiting Kenya, and thanked Twende Uganda Limited and Uganda Airlines who partnered with the Vision Group to sponsor their trip. 

Her husband Ocendi says he visited Mombasa city for business in 2024 but did not get this kind of treatment.

Along the beach, men are waiting for guests for a paid ride in the speed boats or camel riding.

Zakaria Tupash, a hawker with Masai beads is also walking along in the sand waiting for customers while Adan Ibrahim is waiting with three giant camels for a paid ride along the beach. 

The dry sand beach stretches for several kilometres from Galu to Diani with cool breezes from the Ocean. 

After breakfast, guests who include mainly whites choose to rest in shades along the beach, majority in bikini. Others choose to go for games that include water gymnastics, pool volleyball and an assortment of other games. 

"I wish the sponsors could allow us to extend our stay at least one extra night because I am enjoying everything here," said Mudondo.