Zanzibar Beach Holiday

3 Days Stone Town Tour

Stone Town Tour 3 Days, is a short and perfect trip to relax after a safari in the African bush.

6 Days Zanzibar Beach Tour

This trip will take you to the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar, the ancient stone town, and also give you the

5 Days Zanzibar Holiday Tour

Known as the Spice Island, the beautiful island of Zanzibar on Africa’s east coast is bursting with culture and history,

ZANZIBAR BEACH HOLIDAY

Zanzibar beach holiday – the name says it all. Only 15 minutes by plane from Dar es Salaam, the mainland lies the wonderfully sleepy island of Zanzibar. The obvious beach tack-on to a safari in mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar beaches in East Africa’s finest beach destination surrounded by coral reefs with numerous idyllic beaches lined by huge sweeping palm trees.

Though most visitors spend a night or two in Zanzibar’s Stone Town, it is the beaches, snorkeling, and diving that attract people to Zanzibar’s shores, and with an ever-increasing tourist trade, it is remarkable.

Zanzibar is much larger than one might expect; driving from top to bottom takes about two hours. Stone Town and the airport are found on the Western edge, with a transfer from any beach lodge taking about an hour. The island’s best beaches for a Zanzibar beach Holiday are found on Zanzibar’s Eastern and Northern coastline with miles and miles of seemingly endless beaches, and a wealth of accommodation choices.

Western Zanzibar (where Stone Town is located) and Southern Zanzibar have small beaches. Zanzibar is the jewel in any Africa and Tanzania Holiday.

Zanzibar beach holiday, where to stay

The most economical hotels for Zanzibar holidays are Shooting Star, The Palm, Mchanga, and Echo Beach all are well established, good value small hotels that have good beaches and personal service. Shooting Star is the oldest of the bunch and with its location on the top of a cliff, it has the best views on Zanzibar. The rooms are spacious and the food and service are very good for the price. Mchanga is a similar style lodge, located further north from Shooting Star. With only 10 rooms its much smaller and a cozier feel. The pick of the bunch however is Echo Beach. Located further South on Zanzibar’s southerly-east beach.

Zanzibar beach holidays; Where to stay: Mid-range

Different levels of hotels and prices found here normally cost between $245 p.p.p.n and $350 p.p.p.n. General standards are a step-up from the lower end of the market and the hotels tend to have their own dive centers and the facilities of larger resorts such as tennis courts etc. Food and service levels are very high. To start with is a hotel Ras Nungwi on the Northern tip of the island. Nungwi has arguably the best beach on the island and all the facilities of a large resort but with 28 rooms. Ras Nungwi has stood the test of time to consistently deliver great service. It is a small hotel that delivers great reports. It is of superb value and with the best dive center on the island, it excels in its price bracket. Matemwe Bungalow is an old favorite, but also one that seems to split opinion amongst travelers – you are either a Matemwe Bungalows person, or you are not!

Zanzibar beach holidays: Where to stay: Top End:

Breezes sister hotels Baraza and The Palms are much more expensive, but they are amongst the finest hotels on the island and make a superb location for a Zanzibar Holiday or Zanzibar Honeymoon Baraza has about 36 rooms and with private plunge pools, offers some of the best accommodation on the island. It is amongst our favorites hotels for families wanting the best the island can offer. The Palms are next door and with only six rooms offers a more intimate experience that fits very well with couples wanting to keep to themselves. The newly opened La Residence is a new top-end resort with exceptionally high, although fairly expensive, service levels. The quality of the beach here is our only issue, but we cannot deny their effort; your every need is attended to here! A smaller hotel also at the top end of the market, Kilindi is an elaborately designed hotel that has amazing rooms and certainly offers the most privacy of any hotel, though the beach is not as good as it should be.

Where is Zanzibar?

Zanzibar beach holiday is conveniently located on the shores of Tanzania and is exceptionally well-placed to book a lifetime safari. With so much on offer, accommodation-wise and activity-wise, Zanzibar has something for even the most selective travelers. The vast and wild Selous Game Reserve is a mere 45-minute flight away, which makes a Tanzania beach and safari holiday extremely easy.

Getting to Zanzibar

Zanzibar is only a 20-minute flight from Dar es Salaam International, the landing point for flights worldwide. You cannot directly fly to Dar es Salaam from London or the US. Still, many airlines (KLM, Emirates) have two-stop flights, which make travel relatively easy (usually via Amsterdam and Dubai).

The best beaches in Zanzibar

Nungwi and Kendwa (North) are the best beaches on the island. They are a wonderful, classic Indian Ocean paradise with non-tidal turquoise waters and powdery white sands. However, they can sometimes be busy.
Pongwe (East) – Pongwe sits on a little concave bit of coastline, which means the beach is glorious, and when the tide isn’t entirely in, it is seaweed-free and very pretty. Not the long sweeping beaches of the north, but a pocket of pure beachy gold. Less busy than the north.
Paje and Dongwe (East)—Although tidal, this area has some of our favorite luxury boutique hotels. You would not be let down in terms of accommodation. The beach is beautiful, but getting your toes wet is harder than in the northern Nungwi regions, as the sea is further out and very tidal.
Matemwe (Northeast) – Slightly to the east of Nungwi, Matemwe is slightly tidal, but when the tide is in, there are a few of our favorite fantastic value accommodation options

Stone Town

Visitors to Zanzibar tend to arrive and leave via Stone Town, the island capital and a historic hub of commerce and culture. This ancient center was the seat of the Sultans, whose crumbling palaces, bath houses, and mosques are a legacy of this wealthy and vibrant time at the heart of the gold trade.

The town has a very different commercial attitude today and one that thrives on the growing tourist market. The labyrinthine streets are lined with traders selling everything from mass-produced artworks to ancient wooden doors, from tie-dye t-shirts to jewels. The muezzins’ call to prayer echoes across the rooftops at the break of day, while cats, goats, dogs, roosters, and babies often make themselves heard in between! This old town remains a beautiful place to spend a night or two, getting lost among the elegant, ancient buildings, eating fresh fish on the seafront, and breathing in the sights, sounds, and smells of a truly Swahili center. A stay in Stone Town is always a wondrous assault on the senses, but a few nights are enough if you value peace and a good night’s sleep! Nowadays, there are some great Boutique hotels in Stone Town.

The islands of Zanzibar

Pemba Island—Pemba is truly off the beaten tourist track. It is beautiful, culturally rich, and has a few top-notch hotels, which we love to recommend. It has some of the best diving in the world in pristine coral reefs, and for those who love to be active, this is your place. The only downside is that the beaches are very tidal, so if you are looking for long white sands, you are better off in Zanzibar.

Mafia Island – Like Pemba, Mafia is relatively new to tourism. However, it is home to some excellent lodges. Many are drawn to Mafia for the whale shark diving – an experience not to be forgotten. Give yourself five days here, and you will have a fantastic chance to see these majestic creatures up close. See our blog post all about it.

Private islands off Zanzibar

Mnemba Island – This private island has only one lodge, Mnemba Island Lodge. It is the ultimate Indian Ocean beach destination for those who want complete seclusion away from the crowds. Mnemba is the ultimate Tanzania honeymoon beach lodge. This tiny island is everything you can imagine of a remote windswept paradise and is often voted one of the most romantic destinations on the planet.

Fanjove Private Island—Yes, Mnemba is the ultimate, but for those who do not wish to fork out over $1,500 per person per night and want a private slice of pure beach heaven, you cannot get better than Fanjove. It is beach-shack-chic but ideal for those who crave luxury in its purest natural form.

Thanda Island – At around $25,000 a night, it has got to be unbelievable. But take a large group and occupy its nine luxury rooms, and it becomes a (admittedly, only slightly!) more affordable option for those who want complete Indian Ocean exclusivity.