Temperatures around 30 degrees, endless gorgeous beaches and a unique old town made of coral limestone, sound like a paradise destination to you? The East African island Zanzibar has exactly this and much more to offer.
There are endless beaches on Zanzibar and as a visitor you are spoilt for choice when booking a hotel. Secluded spots are indeed limited, with new resorts and beach bungalows opening every season, but fortunately you are still far away from mass tourism.
So let’s take a quick look at what Zanzibar has to offer when it comes to beaches.
Jambiani, Nungwi, Matemwe
The village of Paje and parts of Jambiani are especially interesting for kitesurfers. The wind blows particularly well here and there are several stores that lend equipment or offer courses. I would not call Paje an oasis of peace, however, because it is popular with younger tourists.
Really paradise-like is at the Nungwi Beach, where at the turquoise sea actually Caribbean Feeling arises. Nungwi is also known for the most beautiful sunsets Zanzibar. But somehow we always have bad luck and catch the days when clouds hang on the horizon.
Nungwi also scores for swimming, as it has the least amount of algae and the tides are not quite as strong.
The tides in Zanzibar are not to be underestimated. They are very strong on the spice island and can be very annoying if you are not prepared for them.
If there is high tide in the morning, it is better not to spend so much time in the bungalow and enjoy the few hours in the sea. Because once the water is gone, a swimmable depth is a few kilometers away. Walking through the muddy and often algae-covered sand is also only recommended with swimming shoes.
Stepping on a sea urchin or starfish with bare feet is anything but pleasant!
Did you know? Besides spices, Zanzibar exports mainly seaweed and they grow mostly on the east side of the island!
Relaxation on the beach is overrated? Then just drive a few kilometers down to Kendwa. Kendwa Beach is THE PARTY BEACH on Zanzibar and around the Kendwa Rocks Beach Resort it rarely gets quiet. Especially the legendary Fullmoon Parties that take place in this hotel, attract thousands of party-mad visitors.
Quieter and more or less on the other side of Zanzibar, on the eastern side of the island, is Matemwe Beach. Significantly fewer hotels but endlessly long, almost solitary beaches with powder-fine sand. For good food and live music, it is worth going to the Zanzibar Bandas Hotel!
Our advice is: Do not decide to one place but split your visit to the beach a bit. For example, spend a few nights in Nungwi and from there also explore Kendwa.
Then drive down the island a bit and spend a few more nights in a nice hotel in Jambiani. From there again Paje can be reached quickly as well.
The return trip to Stonetown can be combined with a visit to Jozani Forest.
We have been to Zanzibar several times and spend most of our time in Stonetown. For us, 4-5 days on the beach is enough and we always prefer the vibrant life of the old town.
How safe are the beaches in Zanzibar?
Zanzibar is generally and especially for African conditions, quite safe. On the beaches around Kendwa and Paje and Kiwengwa, however, you should be a little careful if you carry expensive cameras or other electronics visibly with you.
Opportunity makes thieves and in the villages, some thefts have already occurred during the day. In the luxurious hotel complexes with infinity pool and opulent buffets, one forgets (too) quickly that Zanzibar is a very poor country and most can only dream of such a lifestyle.
It is also popular, especially in the smaller unguarded hotel complexes, to fish out valuables through the window bars. So always keep that in mind before taking a leisurely spin in the pool.
How safe is it at night in Zanzibar?
At night, it is generally a good idea not to travel alone. Outside the fancy resorts, it gets lonely and dark quickly. In addition to financial problems, many local people have alcohol and drug problems, and it is not at all advisable for foreigners to hang around alone at night.
So it’s best to just take a cab directly to the next sundowner party and back. In addition, the cab drivers usually know the best places where something is still going on at a late hour and the trip is worthwhile. They also like to wait to be able to take the return trip directly.
During the rainy season, when few tourists are on the island, the rate of assaults and burglaries usually increases. So also keep this in mind.
Beachboys who want to push you for excursions are no longer a big issue. The local authorities are increasingly cracking down on unlicensed guides, so correspondingly few risk it. However, not every corner is the same and especially after Corona, there are still individual hotspots in front of larger hotels. But we ourselves never really had any problems here.
Travel, entry and getting around Zanzibar
This beach paradise in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Tanzania is quite uncomplicated to reach. Either with the fast ferry from the mainland Dar Es Salaam or also quite comfortably by flight from various airports worldwide.
We have had good experiences with Turkish Airways and Ethiopia Airlines. Condor also flies directly, but after an economy flight with them you need another vacation and the surcharge to premium economy is only worthwhile to a limited extent.
From mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar
If you want to fly to Zanzibar at the end of a safari tour, note that the smaller planes take only very limited luggage and the larger airlines fly only from Kilimanjaro or Dar Es Salaam airport. Flying in a small propeller plane is an adventure in itself!
A few impressions of such a flight you get here in the article “With the propeller plane from Zanzibar to Kilimanjaro“.
To travel by ferry between Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar, take the modern ships of Azam Fast Ferry. Depending on the catamaran, take either business class or first class. Economy is stressful and very crowded. The higher class waiting areas are a lot more comfortable in the heat and you get to pick a seat first in the ship.
VISUM for Tanzania is of course also valid in Zanzibar. In addition, the vaccination card with a valid yellow fever vaccination must be shown. Not always, but if you are asked for it, you should have it ready. Plastic bags and alcohol should not be in the luggage. Plastic bags are now completely banned, including smaller bags in the luggage of tourists and alcohol may at least not be brought (but can be bought locally without any problems).
Moving around in Zanzibar
Individual travelers are on Zanzibar either by cab or rental car. Cab drivers are all quite uncomplicated in Zanzibar, if a price is agreed beforehand. Payment is in cash and Tanzanian shillings. USD best to change in advance in Stonetown or get money there.
How expensive is a cab ride in Zanzibar? Calculate for trips within Stonetown with 10 – 15,000 TZS, to the airport with 25 – 30,000 TZS and for longer distances to the beach, with 90 – 120,000 TZS. The drive from the airport to Stonetown takes maybe 30 minutes, from the port it’s an easy walk along the promenade and the furthest beach is Nungwi. There the drive takes a little more than 1 hour, depending on weather and traffic.
Rental cars are not much cheaper there, because the typical providers are completely missing on the island! Remember also, on Zanzibar is left-hand traffic and you need a mandatory own driver’s license for Zanzibar. You can usually get one directly from the rental car company. On the way, expect to be waved out by the men in white, the local police, from time to time. A rental car with driver or a cab, are much more relaxed.
Rental scooters are rather rare and with all the potholes, also a really stupid idea.
Daladalas, the local buses, have become somewhat more modern, but they are still old imported buses from Japan. Comfortable is something else, but they are spot cheap and contact to locals is guaranteed.
Hotel recommendation beach vacation Zanzibar
In Nungwi we can highly recommend the Z Hotel. Infinity pool and breakfast quasi on the beach, are here really paradise. If it should become more favorable, then the Amaan Beach Bungalows offer themselves a street further. Here, however, only the ocean-view rooms are worthwhile.
☆ In Jambiani we have 3 favorites at once. The previously mentioned Spice Island Resort with its brilliant Jetty Bar is always a good choice.
Things get more intimate at the small Uzuri Villa Boutique Hotel, a few palms away. Super nice team and part of a larger hotel group whose facilities you can then use as a guest. The new and much larger Fun Beach Resort, also in Jambiani, for example.
The Blue Oyster Hotel is also very cozy, has a delicious ocean-view restaurant to offer, and stands out for its focus on sustainability. An energy-hungry air conditioning or wasteful pool, one looks here in vain!
ℹ Consider what you’re up to when choosing a hotel. We always look at the location of hotels on Google Maps to see what else is in the immediate vicinity. There are many hotels here where purely nothing can be reached without a cab ride.
Hi, I'm Oliver
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