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I’d had Zanzibar on my travel radar for a while and finally, I made it. I spent time exploring the island & stayed in three different areas. You have to see it to believe it, Zanzibar beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world. And you’ll find Zanzibar hard to leave when you can book a room, that’s only meters from the sand, and for a decent price!
Zanzibar is a region of Tanzania and is made up of two main islands, lying only a short distance from the mainland. My friend Bianca and I spent time exploring the island of Unguja, which is the most populated of the islands and generally just referred to as Zanzibar. We stayed in Stone Town & two different villages while there, Nungwi and Paje. Looking out at the ocean, especially up north, it was hard to believe it was real life, so amazing!!! The water at Zanzibar beaches is the most incredible blue color and is crystal clear. It’s a perfect location if you want to sunbake and relax. But there are also so many other things to do in Zanzibar, with a number of tours and activities available.
The international airport is about a 10-minute drive to Stone Town, which is the main area in Zanzibar city and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. We spent our first night here as we flew in quite late. I loved Stone Town and I think it’s a story within itself, click here if you’d like to read that.
How To Get To Zanzibar:
If you’re already in mainland Tanzania there is a ferry you can get directly to Zanzibar, which takes an hour and a half. We had been in Kenya so flew directly from Nairobi to Zanzibar with Kenya Airways. There are also direct flights from Johannesburg with South Africa’s budget airline Mango. If you’re coming from Australia or Europe the easiest option would be with Qatar Airways, fly to Doha then from there directly into Zanzibar.
As an Australian, you’re required to get a visa. I could do this on arrival and it cost me 50USD.
Money in Zanzibar:
The official currency in Zanzibar is the Tanzanian Shilling, although you always have the option to get things quoted in USD. Some places would even prefer being paid in USD over their local currency. 50,000TZS is roughly 22USD. ATM’s are available in Stone Town but not so much over the rest of the island. I’d suggest having some cash on you before leaving Stone Town as the only other ATM we saw was in Paje. Before arriving in Zanzibar I’d read a lot online about many places not having credit card facilities. We didn’t find that and paid for our accommodation in Nungwi and Paje by card.
Itinerary For Experiencing Zanzibar’s Best Beaches.
Nungwi:
Located at the northern tip of the island is Nungwi village and, in my opinion, the absolute best area. Nungwi is one of the biggest villages in Zanzibar, with plenty of hotels, bars, and restaurants, so the nightlife was awesome.
We got to Nungwi by taxi from Stone Town and it cost us 60,000TZS, we had found this driver on the street and negotiated a price.
Arriving after dark meant we went to bed unaware of the breakfast view we’ll get the next day. And, waking up at Nungwi Beach was an absolute delight! I was sitting at the breakfast table, with my feet in the sand, in complete awe of the endless blue and the carefree atmosphere. This really is one of the most stunning Zanzibar beaches.
Nungwi Hotels
We stayed at Baraka Beach Bungalows and paid 65USD per night, including breakfast. Considered to be a mid-range hotel but we really enjoyed our stay. The location was perfect, the restaurant was right on the beach and our room was only a short walk to the sand. The hotel also had sun lounges along the beach and is where we spent our first couple of days.
The water temperature at Zanzibar beaches was just right, really refreshing but never cold.
Before arriving in Zanzibar I’d been warned about the sun and how strong it is. I didn’t think much of it because I’m used to the strong Australian sun. After two days in the Zanzibar sun, even with sunscreen, I was a little red but nothing dramatic. But then about 1-week later, my skin started to all peel off (yuck). So I suggest doubling up on the sunscreen! 🧴
Along the beaches in Zanzibar, there are many restaurants, bars, shops & tour operators but it’s nothing crazy busy like many Asian destinations. In Nungwi there are a lot of ‘beach boys’, walking up and down the beach selling activities and tours. We never found them too annoying, everyone was really nice and offered much cheaper prices than the hotels were offering. Also, there were a few people around selling souvenirs and fresh coconut juice. So really I had no reason to get off my sun lounge all day 🤣
If you’re after nightlife check out Kendwa Rocks, they host a number of different parties including, full moon and foam parties.
From our hotel, it’s a 15-minute taxi ride and you can always barter with the taxi drivers. Or it’s not too far if you wanted to walk along the beach to get there. Although we’d been advised against walking along Zanzibar beaches late at night, as some tourists had recently been mugged.
After our time in Nungwi, we headed to Paje village. This trip we shared with a couple we’d met and in total paid 90,000TZS, and the drive was about an hour and a half.
(I think any car trip on the island shouldn’t cost more than 50USD)
Paje:
Located on the southeast coast of the island is Paje village, a beautiful area but just not quite as picturesque as Zanzibar’s northern beaches.
Paje Hotels
We stayed at Kilima Kidogo Guest House for 80USD per night (including breakfast) and I really liked the property. I thought it was beautiful but just very quiet. All the staff there were great, very friendly, and attentive.
The beach along Paje wasn’t as amazing as up Nungwi, with more waves and not that magical blue color. I’m really glad Kilima Kidogo Guest House had a pool because when the tide was out, it was way out, so you couldn’t have gone swimming. There was a spa at the property and I got an amazing full body massage for 50,000TZS.
If I had my time over I’d stay a bit closer to the center of Paje. We were more south in-between Paje and Jambiani Villages. Purely because there is more to see and do closer to the center, plus a lot more restaurant & bar options. Kilima Kidogo was about a 25-minute walk to the center of Paje.
If you’re after nightlife there’s plenty of it in Paje, just ask around to find out where the best party will be each night. On Friday night we went to Jumbo Beach Party, it kicked off at about 11 pm and the entry price was 10,000TZS. It was a really cool setup; there were a couple of bars, a massive dance floor, and awesome music.
Visiting Villages in Zanzibar:
As Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, if you plan on entering any of the local villages it’s really important to cover up (at least to your knees and shoulders). Even though it’s a tropical paradise, we’re still visiting their home and I believe it’s so important to respect the locals and their culture. The villages are great if you’re planning on doing some shopping. There are plenty of souvenirs and paintings to be found. I have no doubt at some point you’ll have local kids coming up to you asking for lollies or biscuits. There are a few mini-marts around if you wanted to buy something for them.
Zanzibar Activities & Day Trips (including prices):
Sunset Cruise:
We organized this cruise with some of the ‘beach boys’ at Nungwi, they charged 15USD (the hotels were advertising 30USD). We left at 16:00 and arrived back a bit after 18:30. The price didn’t include any food or drinks but we could bring our own alcohol on board. There were a couple of mini-marts close by and drinks only cost a few dollars each.
It was a really fun afternoon, very relaxing, and traveled up and down the coast so it was cool checking out all the other hotels. Then right as the sun was going down we stopped for a swim and could jump off the top of the boat.
Safari Blue:
We had heard good things about Safari Blue, especially how good the seafood lunch was. So we thought for 45US we’d head out for the day. Unfortunately, it was raining the day we booked the tour but it still went ahead. The transfer picked us up at 08:30 am and it wasn’t a long car ride to the boat! From there we sailed out to a large sandbank where they served us a selection of fruits. The rain and clouds made this a pretty boring stop, and there were so many boats coming and going you couldn’t even go swimming. The sandbank was basically surrounded by boats.
Then from there, the boat took us to a snorkeling area – a terrible spot! There was nothing really to see. Then we went to an island for lunch, the lunch was the best thing about the whole day, BBQ seafood and so much of it.
This was just one of those really touristy tours, you’re jumping from one spot to the next. At one point I counted 23 boats, with 10-15 people on each boat. Way too busy and touristy for my liking.
The Rock Restaurant:
This isn’t so much of a activity but I think no matter where you’re staying on the island you need to make the trip to the iconic Rock Restaurant. From our guesthouse, in Paje we paid 20USD for a taxi to take us there and back. This would have to be the most famous restaurant in Zanzibar and probably the most expensive as well. But I didn’t find the price ridiculous, we paid 93USD for two mains, entrees and cocktails and everything we got was delicious.
The location is really what you go for though. You need to make a reservation in advance and I’d suggest checking the tide times beforehand. It’s way better if the tide is in, then the restaurant is completely surrounded by water and there’ll be a boat waiting to take you across when you arrive.
Other Activities in Zanzibar:
Kite Surfing
Spice tours
Zanzibar’s endangered Red Colobus Monkeys in Jozani Forrest (we just saw some from the car as we were driving though).
Dolphins:
One of the most popular activities in Zanzibar is swimming with Dolphins. In Kizimkazi village there is a cove where Dolphins come to feed every day. Boats take tourists out so they can jump in the water to swim alongside these beautiful animals. Before we arrived in Zanzibar this was something that I really wanted to do; I love Dolphins and it sounds awesome right?!?
When we were in Zanzibar we spoke to locals about how they conducted this tour and also read many reviews online. Afterward, we decided we didn’t want to take part in this activity. In reality, this is a small cove with potentially only a small number of Dolphins and up to 20 boats chasing after them. That in itself sounds horrible (the guy trying to sell us this tour didn’t understand why we had a problem with it). Then I read a review on trip advisor and a lady was explaining how she felt the dolphins seemed terrified and she could hear them screaming under the water as more boats were approaching.
Hearing about this was so sad because I’ve always loved Africa for its love of animals. I’ve always found that in every country in Africa I’ve been to when viewing animals on safari, the animal’s well-being has always been the first priority. I felt this tour could exploit the Dolphins for human entertainment and I’m very glad I didn’t take part in it.
Things to Consider When Planning a Trip to Zanzibar & Those Beautiful Beaches:
Weather
You don’t want to visit during the rainy seasons. If it’s pouring with rain you’re not going to be able to experience the beaches in Zanzibar at there full potential. Plus the rain may limit the activities you can do. The wettest months in Zanzibar are March-May.
Ramadan
During the month of Ramadan, many shops and restaurants will be closed. As a tourist, this could affect your time so probably best to avoid that month. Ramadan starts around mid-year, but check online for the exact dates as they change each year.
I loved my time in Zanzibar, the food, cocktails, and incredible beaches are something I’ll definitely be coming back for!
If you’d also like to learn more about Zanzibar’s beautiful city, click here for my blog on Stone Town.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
Love love love Zanzibar!!!
Fantastic article Elyse, I really enjoyed reading it.
Elyse….I’ve been dying to sit down and read this. Finally tonight I did and also thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Thanks again X
Thanks so much Sue. So happy you liked them 🙂
Zanzibar looks like a dream! I’m not usually one for beach holidays but those crystal blue waters are calling my name! What a stunning place! Thanks for the great guide!
Zanzibar has been on my list for so long! Such a great guide. Pinning so I have when I get there!
That’s awesome, I’m sure you’ll love it
This sounds like such a lovely place. I would love to swim with the dolphins, that must have been such an experience!
Zanzibar looks and sounds dreamy! Those beaches are to die for! A perfect holiday for those who love the ocean!
This is a place that has never been on my travel radar, but now I think I would add it to my bucket list of adventures. The beaches are fantastic, the hotels look amazing right close to the water. So glad you didn’t get sunburned. People tend to forget the sunscreen and then suffer for the rest of their stay.
Zanzibar looks dreamy and beautiful. I think I also wouldn’t do the Dolphins tour, that sounds awful. Would love to do the Sunset Cruise.
Thank you, Cosette, yeah it’s such a shame about the Dolphin tour because seeing them in the wild is so magical. The sunset cruise was awesome