Inside MV Vanessa, everything looked first-class; we were welcomed by a big TV screen; the vessel had beautiful brown leather seats, a well-ventilated cabin with a stocked fridge and well-functioning toilets.

I was told by ‘Ssese veterans’ that MV Vanessa is faster and more flexible than MV Kalangala, which once it leaves you at 2pm from Entebbe-Nakiwogo to the islands, you have to wait until the next day, unless you travel to Masaka-Bukakata, where a free-for-all, Ministry of Works and Transport ferry makes more frequent, shorter trips to Bugala.

The ferry at Bukakata crosses in under 45 minutes, while MV Kalangala takes three and a half hours. As for MV Vanessa, after 90 minutes, we were docking at the pier in Bugala with the site of Ssese’s famous white sand beaches, vast forest cover and speed boats welcoming us.

For a first-time visitor, the beaches looked really peaceful. At Bugala, many scattered shacks dotted the landing site and people in small groups huddled drinking malwa (local brew). We were ushered into waiting vans to Brovad Sands lodge, where many checked in and immediately set off for the beach before dusk could fully set in.

The beach walks are so relieving that after the hours on the open water, I let the waves to calmly lash at my feet as I watched the gulls try to catch their supper by diving into the water to come up with fish between their beaks.

Accommodation

Brovad Sands lodge, where we spent three nights, is on the newer and high-class side of things; there was no cottage going for less than Shs 100,000, but to their credit, it is a really beautiful facility. Each self-contained cottage comes with unique furnishing and a balcony with proximity to the dense forests – perfect for someone getting away from the city hustle and pollution.

The first thing I noticed was the environment change; a sweater or jumper comes in handy because of the unpredictable weather influenced by the lake and rainforests. At night, sitting on the balcony to behold the combination of Lake Victoria and the natural forest is a breathtaking experience. Even romantic.

It helps that the place serves great meals, especially if you are a fresh fish person tired of the Kampala tilapia bred in domestic ponds; in Ssese, the fish is the real deal that everyone who goes to the island craves.

I imagine people who travel in couples or even family groups can have a lot of fun here. In fact, there was a couple that looked really smitten and later in the evening we were told men propose marriage a lot on the islands and Ssese is a popular honeymoon destination.

According to one of the attendants, a cottage (full board) costs Shs 350,000; this comes with a spacious bed, reading table, TV set, intercom, warm water and space for a child’s cot, while a single costs Shs 200,000.

But Brovad is just one of the beautiful hotels dotting the island with camp fires and similar amenities. I was told other places such as Ssese Island Beach hotel, Ssese Habitat resort, Panorama Cottages, Victoria Forest lodge, Mirembe Resort beach and many more offer competitive services and prices.

We were told that most of the hotels provide camping facilities within their secure premises for the more adventurous ones, with a campfire each night; although there was a campfire lit by Brovad, not many people turned up because of the cold breeze that was blowing off the lake.

Unfortunately, the training meant that we were confined to the hotel for our stay, but from the stories I have heard about the Ssese islands, I definitely will be back and see more.

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