Zanzibar Island Beaches
ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAYS & SAFARIS
Nungwi Beach
Located on the north coast around 55
km from Stone Town, this is a good
swimming beach and a base for
excellent diving. There is a range
of cheap backpacker style
accommodation found around the
pleasant fishing village. Two, more
up market hotels, are idyllically
located on some of the most
beautiful beach stretches. There is
good diving and snorkeling from the
beach. Offshore from Nungwi lies
Mnemba Island which is a privately
owned luxury resort with water
sports available. Nungwi is an
important traditional dhow building
center.
The island of Zanzibar has some of
the most picturesque beaches
imaginable. Long stretches of palm
fringed, white sands with the warm
aquamarine waters of the Indian
Ocean make this, the perfect place
to relax after a safari. There are
some superb beaches around Zanzibar.
All are protected by coral reefs
offshore and have fine, white coral
sand. Depending on the season, they
may also have a lot of seaweed which
the locals harvest for export.
Except for Nungwi in the north,
swimming at all of the beaches is
tide dependent. The east coast in
particular has a very low tide. Tide
tables are published in the free
listings booklet "Recommended in
Zanzibar" which is available at all
hotels. The most popular beaches are
found on the north coast and the
east coast. Dhow builders are dotted
along the beach. The builders, being
used to tourists watching them at
work, offer an insight into this
ancient craft. The Mnarani Aquarium,
a beautiful sink pool among the
jagged coral rocks, is about 1km
south along the beach and has a
conservation project for hawksbill
turtles.
Kendwa Rocks Beach
About 3km southwest of Nungwi along
the beach is Kendwa village, which
is quieter than Nungwi and has
several places to stay for budget
travelers. The beach is beautiful
and it possible to walk there from
Nungwi at low tide in about 30
minutes. Amaan Bungalows runs a boat
taxi about four times daily
depending on demand to Kendwa.
Matemwe Beach
Matemwe is a beautiful and quiet
beach with some of the finest sand
on the whole island. It’s about 25km
southeast of Nungwi, and reached via
an unpaved road branching east off
the main road by Mkwajuni.
Matemwe Bungalows is located on a
beautiful setting and in addition to
the comfortable accommodation
they have set up a variety of small
scale conservation projects aimed at
building community support. Diving
and snorkeling excursions can be
arranged at Matemwe Bungalows.
Pwani mcangani
Pwani mcangani is a beautiful
fisherman village further south from
matemwe, it has a white, long beach,
famous for the Dramatic tide effect
on its azure lagoon. The Traditional
village is famous for it's sea weed
cultivation, perhaps the best place
on the island to see it. Good
accommodation can be found in
Mapenzi Beach Resort, near by.
Kiwengwa
Kiwengwa is set on a beautiful,
white, long beach. Much of which is
occupied by lively upmarket resorts.
These resorts cater mostly for the
European market. There is public
transport to Kiwengwa village
center. access to Kiwengwa is
through a good tarmac road. Good
accommodation on the beach includes,
Mapenzi Beach Resort, Blue Bay
Resort, Bravo Club, Kiwengwa Sea
Club and further north is The
Shooting Star Restaurant with great
views and a relaxed atmosphere.
Uroa
Uroa, on the east coast of Zanzibar,
is set on an attractive beach north
of Chwaka. The best access is from
the south, via Chwaka on a tarmac
road. In uroa there are both a
resort and smaller accommodation.
Continuing north is the relaxed and
relatively difficult to reach Pongwe
village
Chwaka
Located 32 kms from Stone Town,
Chwaka is a small fishing village
with a few guest houses and a
beautiful long beach. Although one
of the more popular East Coast
beaches it does not feel crowded.
Much of the bay is very shallow, and
suitable only for small boats.
Bwejuu
On the south east coast of Zanzibar,
and south of Chwaka, is the more
relaxed beach at Bwejuu. The
snorkeling at low tide is excellent
and this is widely considered to be
one of the best beaches on the
island. There is a good selection of
accommodation although the road
passes some untarred stretches,
both simple guesthouses and upmarket
places. To reach the recommended
Karafuu Hotel, which is located
further north, there is a tarmac
road running from Paje up north.
There is no public transport on this
stretch north of Bwejuu.
Paje
Located south of Bwejuu, Paje is a
small fishing village with a good
beach and selection of simple
accommodation. Paje is the tiny
village at the junction where the
coastal road north to Bwejuu and
south to Jambiani joins with the
road from Zanzibar Town.
The Beaches Jambiani
Further south is the long stretch of
beach at Jambiani which is another
popular site. Jambiani is a long
beach stretching for several
kilometers down the coast. It’s
popular with budget travelers.
Makunduchi
This is the furthest south of the
beaches and receives a few visitors.
There are a few hotels and
snorkeling and fishing can be
arranged.
Fumba
Fumba is a sleepy fishing hamlet on
the western coast, south of Zanzibar
town. The Menai Bay conservation
area lies in front of Fumba's shell
studded shores. In the bay between
small desert Islands, beautiful sand
banks float, caressed by
unimaginable clear turquoise waters.
These are some of the most beautiful
beaches In Zanzibar or anywhere else
for that matter.
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