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Zanzibar & Islands
The famous spice island with exotic smells and outstanding beaches..
Made famous for its spices and the slave trade of the 19th century, Zanzibar Island is much more than a stopping point on an itinerary, and can be seen as a destination in itself. What the island offers is a unique combination of outstanding beaches, along its eastern edge, interesting activities, such as visiting a working spice farm, and the cultural delights of Stone Town, with Arabian fortresses and minarets.
A brief Overview of Zanzibar & Islands
Roughly speaking, the island is a fairly undeveloped affair with only around 5 main roads, all leading back to the main town, Zanzibar, on its western edge. This simplicity makes it the perfect destination for those that are looking to explore a little as, should you reach the beach, you know you have gone wrong!
Geographically, the island is only around 40kms across and 100kms from north to south at its widest points. Featuring outstanding, powder white beaches along its eastern shores, flanked by barrier reefs, and the UNESCO World heritage site of Stone Town on its western edge, the island itself (Unguja in Swahili) is fairly narrow, with a ridge running through its middle from north to south.
Along its eastern coastline runs a protective barrier reef and then the Indian Ocean. This is where the best beaches are located, all with coral white sand and gently lapping waters.
The best parks & regions in Zanzibar & Islands
With its location, barrier reef and outstanding beaches Zanzibar can offer all of the attractions that most crave such as scuba diving, glorious beaches, fresh seafood and much more. For those that are a little restless there is a small forest in the interior called Jozani that has indigenous red colobus monkeys, and the spice tours in one of the small farms just outside Zanzibar Town are a fascinating glimpse into why this island has become so famous.
For a quick run through of the main beaches and lodges please see below or visit our main Zanzibar Beaches page…
Nungwi, North
Right on the northern most point of the island, the beach that surrounds this area is truly stunning. Azure waters and white sands are what await those that come here. The only drawback really is that many of the hotels have had to perch on the coral cliffs that run north from the village and, as such, lose their beaches at high tide.
Generally, however, this is not a problem and, with the small backpacker community in the village, this is a great place to head if you like to get out of the hotel for a drink or two.
Zanzibar beach hotels, Nungwi: Essque Zalu, Ras Nungwi, The Z Hotel
Kendwa, North West
Only a few properties have managed to locate themselves on the western side of the island. The main reason being that there are relatively few beaches that are worth locating on…Kendwa is the one exception. Looking out to the island of Tumbatu, the beach here is one of white sand dropping off into azure ocean.
Good at all times of day, they don’t have the same issues as on the other side of the island where the beach is very shallow and so the tide retreats huge distances.
As we say, however, there are annoyingly few good properties here and so, while it is a great beach, we can only offer it to a select few (possibly a good reason to like it even more!)
Zanzibar beach hotels, Kendwa: Kilindi
Matemwe, North East
Matemwe village, on the north eastern coast of Zanzibar, looks out to the small and exclusive island of Mnemba. Unlike many of the other beaches on the island it has stayed relatively untouched by tourism until recently.
It is possible to see why this beautiful and expansive beach has become so popular. As with many of the beaches on Zanzibar, it is true that the tidal range is very large and so the beach really becomes vast at low tide…but it is still possible to swim here throughout the day and, when the tide comes in, it really is of a paradise.
As we say, it has become a little busier in the last year or so.
Zanzibar beach hotels, Matemwe: Sunshine Hotel, Green and Blue, Matemwe Retreat, Matemwe Main
Kiwengwa and Pongwe, East
The beach that runs down this part of the island is, as with the Matemwe beach further north, very typical of Zanzibar. At low tide it forms a wide band of white that runs out to the seaweed farms and, finally, to the deep water channel and the barrier reef. At high tide, the waves come right up to the edge of the palm covered land that spreads back to the main road.
There are plenty of really good properties along this strip and, without being too overcrowded (as with some of the other areas), this is one of our favourite areas on the island. With probably the best beach on the island at Pongwe, there is very little to fault choosing one of the properties here. The only drwaback, one could argue, is that there are no real centres to head for if you are after more than just a beach.
Zanzibar beach hotels, Pongwe: Mchanga Beach Hotel, Shooting Star, Pongwe Beach Hotel
Kizimkazi, South
As mentioned above, this is, very much, an area that is awaiting development by all accounts. Generally not reknowned for its beach coastline, many who head to the area are after the great diving and snorkelling that is on offer from the shoreline.
There are, however, quite a few benefits to coming down here. The first is that the beaches, when they are accessible, are totally your own. The second is that, with fewer people heading down here, you can have utter seclusion. The last is that, of all the beaches, this is the easiest and quickest to get to (excluding Fumba!).
Zanzibar beach hotels, Kizimkazi: Unguja Lodge, The Residence
Bwejuu and Dongwe, South East
Driving north from the small town of Paje runs you along what is one of the most popular beaches on the island. The range of hotels and lodges along here is probably the most diverse in Zanzibar and, with a great beach pretty much throughout the day, it is very hard to go wrong with your choice.
We have many properties that we recommend highly along this stretch of coast, in particular the cluster that is centred around Breezes. Here the beach is only compromised at low, low tide, the rest of the time it is possible to snorkel and swim as you like.
The one criticism that we would have is that the diving is not as good as up on the north, around Mnemba, or down to the very south.
Zanzibar beach hotels, Bwejuu: Baraza , Breezes, Echo Beach Hotel, Boutique Hotel Matlai
Best time to visit Zanzibar & Islands
As Zanzibar is the first landfall from the Indian Ocean, the eastern side of the island (where most of the hotels are located) can be dry throughout the year, even while the main rains fall on the western side of the island so it is always worth considering.
In general, however, we would suggest the main dry season between June and November, and again from January to March as being the best.
Please see our When to Go section for a more detailed breakdown of the areas and months below.
Safari & safari holidays
Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum.
With so many nuances to factor in, there is no substitute, in our experience, for having a talk through with someone but, to get you started we have also developed a Safari Finder that should allow you to get a few options initially.
Do see Best Safaris & Holidays on this page for more ideas of what is on offer.
Zanzibar & Islands Wildlife
Wildlife on the island itself is limited to the red colobus monkeys in the Jozani Forest and the giant tortoises on “prison island”. In the waters that surround the island, however, there is an abudance of wildlife with manta rays, fish, coral heads, dophins, humback whale and many others.
Don’t miss our Zanzibar & Islands Wildlife Guide on this page.
Get help with a holiday to Zanzibar & Islands
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to >send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Where to Go in Zanzibar & Islands
Zanzibar & Islands
Do visit our full guide to Africa Destination Guide page to take in all that Southern and East Africa has to offer.
What are the best regions around Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27?
Take a look at the below links for more information about the best parks and regions in Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27.
Do also see our full Africa Safari Finder to find the best parks, trips and activities.
What safari, beach & adventure holidays are recommended for Zanzibar & Islands in 2026/27?
With a range of activities on offer across Africa please see a selection of some of the more popular below:
Don't miss our full What to Do in Africa safari guides for full details and ideas.
What are your top safari & beach itineraries to Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27?
1 Great Safari, Great Beach
Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Visits : Nyerere National Park, Southern Tanzania, Stone Town, Zanzibar and islands, Zanzibar beaches
Along with the first itinerary we feature in this section, this itinerary has long been a favourite with safari clients and, with properties like Pongwe Beach hotel, it is now possible to… More…
2 Beach Selous and Zanzibar
Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Visits : Mainland Coast, Nyerere National Park, South of Dar, Southern Tanzania, Zanzibar beaches
A really well paced itinerary, this is a simple but really effective itinerary that gives a couple of days on the beach, on to safari and then to spend the remaining time… More…
3 Selous Ruaha & Zanzibar
Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Visits : Nyerere National Park, Ruaha National Park, Southern Tanzania, Zanzibar beaches
Unbelievably it is actually possible to safari in both the Selous and Ruaha within this budget. For this amount of money, this itinerary offers exceptional value for money and, for those wanting… More…
4 Northern Honeymoon June to November
Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Visits : Ngorongoro Crater, Northern Tanzania, Serengeti National Park, Stone Town, Zanzibar and islands, Zanzibar beaches
We have searched high and low for a well priced trip to the north of Tanzania in what must be the main season for honeymooners to Tanzania and we think we may… More…
5 Nice and Easy
Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar
Visits : Nyerere National Park, Zanzibar beaches
Of all the safari trips that we offer, this, over the years, has proven to be a firm favourite. We realise that safari can be an expensive holiday and, fortunately, there are… More…
Don't miss our new Africa Safari Finder to find safari ideas by destination, region and type...
What are the best hotels & lodges in Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27?
We highly recommend the following hotels & lodges for Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27. These are all tried and tested by The Africa Specialists™ so don’t hesitate to call us with any queries over them or to check availability for you to your schedule.
NB. All prices for properties exclude applicable park fees and are guide prices.
Do also see our full Top Five Hotels & Lodges in Africa guide to the best safari accomodation in Southern and East Africa.
What kind of wildlife highlights should you expect to find across Zanzibar & Islands in 2026/27?
For 2026/27, we expect you’ll be able to find the following wildlife in the Zanzibar & Islands bearing in mind the quality of guiding, budgets, time of year and duration of stay all affect your chances of finding or seeing any of the following outstanding animals that dwell in Zanzibar & Islands…
Please visit our full Africa Wildlife page for a full guide to Zanzibar & Islands’s wildlife in and where to go to find it!
Do visit our Best Time to Visit Africa page for a full guide
What to do in Zanzibar & Islands in 2026/27
Do visit our What to Do speciality guide pages for Zanzibar & Islands for 2026/27. These have all been put together by The Africa Specialists™ for you but don’t hesitate to call us with any queries over the options and ideas seen or to check availability for you to your schedule.
Please visit our What to Do in Africa for our full guides
FAQ’s for Zanzibar & Islands safaris in 2026/27
When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?
Often the dry season between June and November is seen as the “best” period to travel to Zanzibar as this is right in the heart of the dry season and, as such, often gives the most reliable dry and sunny weather.
This being said, the main beaches on the island are located on the eastern coastline where the rainfall rarely hits and, as such, even travelling through the main rains of April and May can give excellent value for money with virtually nobody else around.
The final period, between December and April can get pretty hot and sticky on the island but, on the coast, is still tolerable due to the trade winds that blow throughout the year.
Please see our best time to visit section for a more detailed run through.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations for Zanzibar?
As part of Tanzania, the requirements for Zanzibar are the same as those of the mainland. It is possible to get a visa on arrival into Zanzibar as well as in advance of travel using the Tanzanian e-visa web site. We would normally recommend getting the visa prior to arrival as this will allow you to avoid queuing when you get off the plane.
On the above web site it is also possible to check if you are coming from one of the countries that are unable to get the visa on arrival.
NB. It has also recently become a requirement to have government issued insurance for those that are visiting the island of Zanzibar. This insurance must be in place prior to arrival and can be purchased through the below site:
https://inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz/
For vaccinations, if you are coming from a yellow fever registered country then you will need to have a valid yellow fever vaccination.
For further vaccination advice please have a look at the below web site which is updated by the Uk government.
Which part of Zanzibar is best to stay in?
Zanzibar is only a small island with driving times between destinations rarely going over an hour so it is always possible to visit, for example, Stone Town, on a day trip from your beach hotel if you would prefer not to stay there.
This being said, there are a few areas that suit different tastes. In the main, the northern part of the island, around the villages of Nungwi, Kendwa and Matemwe, there is more to do in the evenings such as beach bars, restaurants and other activities.
For those looking for a quieter beach break then the beaches around Paje and Bwejuu offer more seclusion with most of the hotels offering meals throughout the day.
Please see the “locations and regions” section in the above for more information.
What are the top things to do in Zanzibar?
The island of Zanzibar was made famous in the 15th century for being the final trading post for the sultan of Oman. As such, culturally, there is plenty to see and experience as the island still retains is Arabic heritage and, in the UNESCO Heritage site of Stone Town, much of its original architecture.
For those who are more active, this idyllic coral atol offers plenty. On the land it is possible to visit a spice farm to see where many of the world’s spices still come from or to see the red colobus monkeys in the Jozani Forest.
Out at sea, there is also much on offer. Due to its sheltered coral lagoons and reliable trade winds, the island has become one of the best locations for kite surfing. It is also a great destination for divers, snorkelers and, for the more serene, sunset cruises in a local “dhow” fishing boat.
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