4 minute read
Zanzibar’s best beaches
Zanzibar Island (Unguja) is ringed with idyllic white sand beaches so how do you select the one best suited to your holiday goals? Here’s our guide.
For water sports…
Paje
Located on the southeast coast, Paje beach is known for its water sports and excellent kitesurfing conditions. Its inland lagoon of flat calm, knee-high water is an ideal nursery for novices while beyond the reef there are swells and breaks to test the experts. On windless days there are stand-up paddleboards to hire, or you can snorkel or scuba amid the teeming marine life of the reef. The water sports community are a laidback bunch that blend in nicely with the peaceful village life here, which includes a street food market each evening and a host of welcoming beach bars and cafes.
For an exclusive escape…
Mnemba Island
If you’re looking to splash out on a sandy stay, Mnemba Island, off the north-eastern tip of Unguja, is a blissful beach sanctuary. The private coral atoll’s lodge features 12 beachside bandas for a maximum of 24 guests with previous occupants including Tom Cruise, Naomi Campbell and Bill Gates to give you an idea of the level of exclusivity were talking about here. As you’d expect the beaches are pristine and the turquoise seas surrounding the island offer irresistible snorkelling and swimming directly from the beach.
For the best beach parties…
Nungwi Beach
With its long stretch of powder fine white sand and gently shelving waters, Nungwi Beach on the northwest coast is one of the most popular spots on the island. The popularity has brought investment and the numerous beach resorts, hotels, restaurants and bars provide plenty of choice for activities and entertainment that carry on well after the sun has sunk into the ocean. However, Nungwi is not just for party goers. It is a thriving fishing village and the home of the ancient art of dhow building. You can take on a sunset cruise on one of these traditional sailing craft or head out snorkelling when dolphins and green turtles may well be your swimming companions.
For the best sunsets…
Kendwa Beach
A short way south of Nungwi is Kendwa Beach, which has a quieter air. Unusual in Zanzibar, the tide here rarely changes, leaving excellent all-day swimming and snorkelling opportunities with the clear water revealing a host of starfish just offshore. Just as colourful are the legendary sunsets here, which usher in a distinct change of personality in Kendwa. As night falls the beach parties begin, including, every month, the full-moon festival at the Kendwa Rocks resort that attracts revellers from across the island.
For a family holiday…
Kiwengwa Beach
The long, uncrowded stretch of beach here is ideal if you have young children. The water shelves gently so is ideal for safe swimming and once the tide goes out a fascinating marine zoo is revealed, which young ones will love to explore on foot with rock pools exposed filled with crabs and starfish. The palm-lined beach also offers stalls selling handicrafts as well as a number of restaurants and snack bars for when hunger hits.
For the best swimming…
Pongwe Beach
This isolated arc of a beach is a picture postcard paradise with hammocks tied between coconut trees fringing the sand and dense vegetation beyond. When high tide arrives, the cove is cut off from the rest of the coast, creating a true haven of tranquillity. The beach also benefits from being protected by an offshore reef, which keeps the inner waters calm and safe for all to swim in. Snorkelling and boat trips can also be arranged out to the reef.
To escape the crowds…
Michamvi Beach
Michamvi is a peninsula on the central east coast of the island with a spectacular shoreline of unbroken – and often unpopulated –beaches. The peninsula consists of two parts.
On the eastern side is MichamviPingwe, with a coral lagoon and palmfringed beaches set in a string of scenic coves between high coral-rag cliffs. On the western side is Michamvi-Kae, which faces west towards the glassy waters of Chwaka Bay. The nearby fringe reef and the lagoon offer excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities.
