Zanzibar beaches by coast: north, east and southwest

The one thing that decides it: tides

The east coast of Zanzibar has a tidal range of up to three metres. Twice a day the sea withdraws several hundred metres and leaves seagrass flats where the water was. It is beautiful, and locals harvest seaweed across it, but you cannot swim from the beach for several hours either side of low tide.

The north coast, around Nungwi and Kendwa, sits past the end of the reef shelf and has a much smaller range. You can swim at any hour of any day. That single fact explains why the north is busier and more expensive.

North: Nungwi and Kendwa

The busiest stretch of the island, and the only one where beach life runs continuously. Kendwa is the wider, calmer half; Nungwi has the boatyards, dive centres and most of the nightlife. Sunsets face west over open water, which is why Kendwa full-moon parties happen here and not on the east.

Choose it if you want to swim whenever you feel like it and do not mind company.

East: Paje and Jambiani

Paje is the kitesurfing capital of the Indian Ocean. Steady cross-shore wind from June to September and again from December to February, a shallow flat lagoon, and a dozen kite schools along two kilometres. Jambiani, just south, is the quieter village version of the same coast.

Prices here are the lowest on the island for comparable rooms. The trade-off is the tide, which you plan your day around rather than fight.

Northeast: Matemwe

Matemwe is a long, mostly undeveloped beach directly opposite Mnemba atoll, which puts the island’s best snorkelling and diving twenty minutes offshore by boat. Tides are large, the village is working rather than touristic, and the lodges are spread out.

This is the coast for people who want the water without the bar.

Southwest: Fumba and Menai Bay

Barely developed, close to Stone Town and the airport, with calm protected water, mangroves and dolphins in Menai Bay. No beach scene at all. Worth it for a short stay at the start or end of a trip when you do not want to drive ninety minutes across the island.

Questions we get asked

Which coast is best after a safari?

The north, usually. After six days of early starts, being able to swim at any hour matters more than you expect.

How many nights in Zanzibar?

Four is the working minimum — one in Stone Town and three on a beach. Anything less and half the time is transfers.

When should I avoid Zanzibar?

April and May. The long rains are heavy, many smaller places close, and the sea is churned up.