Mayoka Village is a lodge and bar-restaurant strung over a rocky headland on the north side of the bay, with a deck that drops almost straight into the water. It has become one of the social hubs for travellers in Nkhata Bay, with reliably good food (a real wood-fired pizza oven, decent salads, Indian and Malawian dishes) and a bar that stays open as long as the customers do.
The setting is the main draw — sunset across the bay is excellent from the deck, and the swimming straight off the rocks below is some of the best in town. Non-residents are welcome but the access path is steep; ask for directions before going in the dark.