ZANZIBAR AT A GLANCE
LOCATION
East Tanzania​​
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BEST KNOWN FOR
Beach, culture & relaxation
GETTING THERE
Flight or ferry from mainland Tanzania
COMBINE WITH
Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha & Dar es Salaam
RECOMMENDED STAY
4–7 days in combination with the mainland, 7+ days as beach holiday
BEST TIME TO VISIT
June to February. Avoid April and May due to heavy rains.
DISCOVER ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar is often the relaxing end to a Tanzania safari, but the island is much more than just a few days on the beach.
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Historic Stone Town, small coastal villages, long white beaches, spice farms and the warm Indian Ocean all fit into a relatively small island. And while Zanzibar is certainly one of Tanzania's most popular destinations, it is still possible to experience very different sides of the island depending on where you stay.
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We visit Zanzibar several times a year ourselves, and for us the most important part of planning a stay is choosing the right area. Paje and Jambiani offer a completely different experience from Nungwi or Kendwa, while Stone Town deserves at least a little time away from the beach.
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There is no single best place to stay in Zanzibar. It depends on whether you want restaurants and activities, a quiet resort, easy swimming throughout the day, local village life or simply somewhere to slow down after safari.
WHY VISIT ZANZIBAR?
BEACH & OCEAN
Zanzibar's coastline changes enormously around the island. Some areas have long beaches with dramatic tides, while the north offers easier swimming throughout much of the day.
CULTURE & HISTORY
Zanzibar has its own identity, shaped by centuries of Swahili culture and Indian Ocean trade. Stone Town, local villages and the island's food and architecture make it worth looking beyond the beach.
ACTIVITIES
Snorkelling, diving, kitesurfing, cycling, spice farms, Jozani Forest and boat trips make it easy to add activities when you feel like doing more than relaxing.
PERFECT AFTER SAFARI
Zanzibar gives a Tanzania trip a completely different pace. After game drives, hiking or travelling through the mainland, a few days by the ocean are an easy way to finish the journey.
WHERE TO STAY IN ZANZIBAR
Choosing the right area can make a big difference to your Zanzibar experience. The island is not huge, but the atmosphere, beaches, tides and style of accommodation vary considerably from one coast to another.
These are the areas we usually discuss with travellers when planning their trip.
STONE TOWN
CULTURE, HISTORY & ATMOSPHERE
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We usually recommend spending one or two nights in Stone Town, either at the beginning or end of your Zanzibar stay.
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This is where you experience a completely different side of the island: narrow streets, old buildings, markets, small shops, rooftop restaurants and the history of Zanzibar as an important trading centre in the Indian Ocean.
Stone Town is easy to explore on foot. You can visit the market and waterfront, stop for food, explore the small streets or simply watch daily life around you.
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We would not choose Stone Town for the beach, but we do think it is worth including before moving on to the coast.
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BEST FOR:
Culture, history, food & atmosphere
OUR ADVICE:
1–2 nights
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PAJE & JAMBIANI
LIVELY, RELAXED & PLENTY TO DO
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The southeast coast is our personal favourite part of Zanzibar.
Paje is the livelier option, with plenty of restaurants, cafés, smaller hotels, watersports and activities. Jambiani stretches further south and feels a little quieter while still giving you plenty of choice for places to eat and things to do.
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This part of Zanzibar works particularly well if you like staying in a smaller hotel or B&B and having the freedom to decide each day what you want to do instead of spending the entire holiday inside a resort.
The important thing to know is the tide. At low tide, the ocean can retreat a very long way from the beach. At high tide, the water returns and the coastline looks completely different. We think this is part of the character of the southeast coast, but it is important to know if swimming directly in front of your hotel all day is a priority.
Paje is especially popular for kitesurfing, while both areas are good bases for exploring more of the southeast coast.
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BEST FOR:
Restaurants, activities, smaller hotels & independent travellers
OUR ADVICE:
One of our favourite areas for a longer beach stay
THE EAST COAST
QUIETER BEACHES & RESORT STAYS
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Further north along the east coast, you will find a quieter style of beach holiday.
Areas such as Michamvi, Matemwe and Kiwengwa have long stretches of beach and more hotels where half board, full board or all-inclusive can make sense. They can be a good choice if your main priority after safari is simply to slow down, enjoy the hotel and spend time by the ocean.
Matemwe is also well positioned for marine activities around the northeast of Zanzibar.
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The tides are still noticeable on this side of the island, so the beach and ocean can look very different depending on the time of day.
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BEST FOR:
Relaxation, couples & resort stays
OUR ADVICE:
Good if you prefer quiet over nightlife
NUNGWI & KENDWA
EASY SWIMMING & A BUSIER ATMOSPHERE
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Nungwi and Kendwa in the north are among Zanzibar's best-known beach areas.
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One of their biggest advantages is that the tides have less impact on swimming than along much of the east and southeast coast. If being able to swim easily throughout the day is very important to you, the north can therefore be a good choice.
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It is also one of the busiest parts of Zanzibar, with many hotels, restaurants, beach bars, boats and activities.
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Personally, we usually prefer other parts of the island because we find the north busier and often less good value for money. But that does not make it a bad choice. For travellers who want easy swimming, plenty happening around them and a lively beach holiday, Nungwi or Kendwa may actually suit them better.
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BEST FOR:
Swimming, restaurants, nightlife & a lively beach holiday
OUR ADVICE:
Choose the north if easy swimming matters more than peace and quiet
KIZIMKAZI & THE SOUTHWEST
QUIET & AWAY FROM THE BUSIEST AREAS​
The southwest around Kizimkazi feels very different again.
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It is quieter and more spread out, which can make it interesting for travellers who mainly want to relax away from Zanzibar's busier beach towns.
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The coastline is different too, with more rocky sections and cliffs and fewer of the long white beaches people often imagine when they first think of Zanzibar.
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We would choose Kizimkazi mainly for its peaceful atmosphere rather than for the most idyllic beach on the island.
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BEST FOR:
Peace, nature & a quiet hotel stay
OUR ADVICE:
Good for travellers who don't need restaurants and activity around them
UNDERSTANDING THE TIDES
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors to Zanzibar is how much the ocean can change during the day.
Along much of the east and southeast coast, the difference between low and high tide is dramatic. At low tide, the water can retreat a long way, exposing sand, shallow lagoons and areas used for seaweed farming. Several hours later, the ocean returns.​ This is completely normal and part of life on Zanzibar.
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If swimming directly from the beach at almost any time of day is very important to you, Nungwi and Kendwa are generally easier choices. If you enjoy long beaches, changing landscapes and don't mind planning swimming around the tides, the east and southeast coast can be a great choice.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED?
3–4 DAYS // A short beach break
Enough for a few relaxed days after safari. With limited time, we would normally choose one coastal area rather than changing hotels several times.
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5–7 DAYS // Our favourite balance
Enough time to combine Stone Town with the coast, add one or two activities and still have several days where you don't need to plan anything.
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7+ DAYS // Take it slow
A good choice when Zanzibar is an important part of the holiday rather than simply a short extension after safari.
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In our longer Tanzania itineraries, we often include around five to seven nights on Zanzibar depending on how much safari, hiking and culture is included on the mainland.
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THINGS TO DO IN ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar can be as active or as relaxed as you want it to be. We generally don't think you need to fill every day with excursions. Many activities can also easily be arranged once you are on the island.
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Our advice: leave some days empty. You don't need an excursion every day to enjoy Zanzibar.
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EXPLORE STONE TOWN
Walk through the narrow streets, visit the markets and historic buildings, stop at small shops and cafés and experience the island beyond its beaches.
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WATERSPORTS
Paje and Jambiani are particularly well known for kitesurfing, while kayaking, SUP and other watersports are available in different parts of the island.
EXPLORE BEYOND THE BEACH
Cycling, local villages, cooking and other small-scale experiences can show you a completely different side of Zanzibar.
SPICE FARM
Zanzibar's history is closely connected with the spice trade. A spice farm visit gives you the chance to see and taste some of the spices and tropical fruits grown on the island.
BOAT TRIPS
Dhow trips, snorkelling excursions, sandbanks and sunset cruises are available around the island.
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JOZANI FOREST
Visit Zanzibar's best-known forest area and look for the endemic red colobus monkeys.
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SNORKELLING & DIVING
Zanzibar has plenty of opportunities to explore the Indian Ocean, from easy snorkelling trips to full diving days.
ZANZIBAR AS PART OF A LONGER TANZANIA HOLIDAY
Zanzibar does not have to be a separate beach extension.
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Some of our favourite trips combine very different parts of Tanzania: city life in Dar es Salaam, hiking in the Uluguru or Udzungwa Mountains, wildlife in Nyerere, Mikumi or Ruaha and finally a few days by the Indian Ocean.
Zanzibar works particularly well at the end of the journey, when there is no need to do very much at all.
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COMBINING ZANZIBAR WITH SAFARI
Zanzibar and safari work extremely well together. You can fly between the island and several safari areas or travel via Dar es Salaam, depending on the park, your available time and your budget.
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For a short safari during a Zanzibar holiday, Nyerere and Mikumi are practical options. If you have a little more time or prefer a wilder and more remote safari, Ruaha is also possible.
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ALREADY STAYING IN ZANZIBAR?
We can organise a complete private safari starting and ending in Zanzibar, including transfers, domestic flights where needed, accommodation and safari.
WHEN TO VISIT ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar can be visited for most of the year, although the weather and atmosphere change with the seasons.
June to October is generally drier and combines particularly well with safari season on the mainland.
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December to February is warmer and is another popular period for a beach holiday.
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The heavier rains generally fall around April and May, and some hotels may close temporarily during this period.
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Weather on a tropical island is never completely predictable, so we prefer to use the seasons as a guide rather than promise perfect beach weather.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
CULTURE & CLOTHING
Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim. Beachwear is completely normal at hotels and on the beach, but when walking through Stone Town or local villages we recommend covering shoulders and knees.
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MONEY
Tanzanian shillings are useful for smaller purchases, while many hotels and tourism businesses also accept US dollars or cards. ATMs are available in the main tourist areas.
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GETTING AROUND
Zanzibar is larger than it looks on a map. Moving between different parts of the island can take time, so we recommend choosing your accommodation area carefully rather than changing hotels every few nights.
BOOKING ACTIVITIES
You do not need to book every excursion months in advance. Many activities can be organised locally, giving you more freedom to decide based on the weather and how you feel once you arrive.
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GETTING TO ZANZIBAR
BY AIR
Domestic flights connect Zanzibar with Dar es Salaam and several other parts of Tanzania. Flying is particularly useful when connecting directly with safari destinations or when you want to reduce travel time.
BY FERRY
Passenger ferries connect Dar es Salaam and Stone Town. This can be a practical way to include Zanzibar when your mainland itinerary ends in Dar es Salaam.
TRANSFERS ON ZANZIBAR
We can arrange airport or ferry transfers as part of your trip, as well as transport between Stone Town and your beach hotel.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Zanzibar worth visiting after safari?
Yes. Safari and Zanzibar offer completely different experiences, which is exactly why they combine so well. After several active safari days, the coast gives the trip a completely different pace.
How many nights should I spend in Stone Town?
We usually recommend one or two nights. That gives you enough time to explore the historic centre, markets and waterfront before continuing to the coast.
Which part of Zanzibar has the least tides?
Nungwi and Kendwa in the north are generally less affected by the dramatic tidal changes found along much of the east and southeast coast.
Is Paje or Nungwi better?
It depends on what you want. Paje has a lively but relaxed east-coast atmosphere, plenty of activities and strong tides. Nungwi is busier and generally easier for swimming throughout the day. We personally prefer Paje, but Nungwi can be the better choice if easy swimming is a priority.
Is Zanzibar good for families?
Yes. The best area depends on the age of the children and how you want to spend your days. Families who like exploring may enjoy Paje or Jambiani, while a resort or beach with easier swimming may suit others better.
Can you arrange our accommodation in Zanzibar?
Yes. Zanzibar can be included as part of a complete tailor-made Tanzania trip, including accommodation, transfers and connections with the mainland.
Can we start a safari from Zanzibar?
Yes. We organise private safaris starting from Zanzibar, from short safari extensions to longer journeys through Southern Tanzania.
PLAN YOUR TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR HOLIDAY
Not sure which part of Zanzibar suits you, or how to combine the island with safari?
Tell us how long you have, who you are travelling with and what kind of holiday you have in mind. We will help you put together a trip that combines Zanzibar with the parts of Tanzania that suit you best.