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Don't go without the 2nd Edition Cadogan Guide to Tanzania and Zanzibar - writen by Annie - one of our consultants



Zanzibar - an expert guide to the Island and Beaches


Zanzibar is an idyllic beach holiday island with wonderful charisma, coconut palms and powder-soft coral sands washed by shimmering clear sea.

Zanzibar beaches are among the best in the world and have a very special charm; views from the palm-fringed sands reveal the hand-sewn sails of traditional wooden fishing dhows, and ocean explorers discover the glorious depths of thriving coral reefs all around.

Best Zanzibar Beaches

The best beaches on Zanzibar Island are to the North and East, where the sun shines on luminescent clear waters in a range of striking turquoise blues, and the sand is clean and bright and fine.

The Zanzibar archipelago is surrounded by rich coral reef, which protects the shoreline and also results in wide flat shallows that are invariably subject to tidal extremes.

The Northern Beaches

The northern peninsula of Zanzibar is truly stunning, and for anyone with a passion for beaches it has all the elements of paradise. It is hard to imagine any traveller arriving on a fine day without a gasp of admiration for the startling translucent waters washing over fine coral sands and wide views across the Indian Ocean.

Here, on the northernmost tip of Zanzibar Island, the air feels fresh from its wide sea crossing and so susceptible to the slightest nuance and reflection as the sun rises and sets. The sand shores up against the land in unfeasibly fine, sinkable pale drifts, and the beach makes its changing way around the headland, depending on the tide.

The Eastern Beaches

The East Coast has apparently endless swathes of sand sweeping as far as the eye can see. The sand piles soft and sinkable, and the sea is generally fairly shallow and gently shelving.

When the tide is out, the way is opened to walk the long distances exposed and bathe in shallow pools left warming in the sand. Crabs scuttle among the odd flotsam of shells and shapely coral, and colourful women sing and chatter together as they gather around their wide fishing nets, fully clothed and knee-deep in pale turquoise waters to survey their days catch.


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Click here to download video of the Diving in Zanzibar (.WMV file)

 

 
 
 
 

Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel
This is truly a beach haven idyll, being both relaxed and uncomplicated while providing a conscientious service. Rooms are simply but comfortably designed. The deluxe and super deluxe chalets are all detached or semi-detached, and all have a private balcony and views across the bay and a choice of air conditioning or a fan. The hotel spreads out across floral and sandy garden paths on a beautiful stretch of unspoilt and breathtaking beach. A spacious thatch restaurant and bar provide 180 degree views of the horizon beneath a staggeringly impressive makuti thatch, and numerous little hide-away areas create atmospheric areas for guests to relax and enjoy their surroundings with a semblance of privacy and peace.


 
Ras Nungwi
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Ocean Suite
Ras Nungwi's unique Ocean Suite is Zanzibar's finest beach accommodation.The secluded sundeck, complete with private plunge pool and stylish furnishings, offers a private and romantic escape, perfect for honeymooners. The suite's bedroom is bright and airy with large French windows opening onto the plunge pool and magnificent Indian Ocean beyond. Hand-crafted furnishings set the scene, including a king-size 'Pili-Pili' four-poster bed. The private veranda offers uninterrupted ocean views with private access to the beach, and the roof-top living area under palm-thatch is a great place to relax for siestas.


 
Ras Nungwi - The Ocean Suite
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Matemwe Bungalows
This is an especially remote and scenic choice, tucked beyond a sandy palm fringed local fishing village on a windswept beach on the East Coast. Twelve thatched and whitewashed bungalows extend along a grassy stretch over a private, pale sandy beach, linked by flower-covered walkways to an open restaurant. Rooms retain a rustic atmosphere but recent renovations under the nurture of its original Swedish management have enhanced their hand-crafted elegance, with sprung mattress beds now built onto a raised plinth to ensure lazy ocean views.


 
Matemwe Bungalows
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Matemwe Bungalows Retreat
Matemwe Retreats are the latest edition to Matemwe Bungalows. They are two-level luxury suites with massive wooden verandas; complete with private butler. Focusing heavily on privacy, these rooms are so gorgeous there is very little reason to go to the beach. They are utterly unique in design; on the ground floor you have the king-sized bedroom and massive bathroom….with his and hers sink, full length mirror and a large hand-carved bath alongside double doors looking out to sea.

 
Matemwe Retreat
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Breezes Beach Club
The accommodation is in spacious and comfortable stone flats, with air-conditioning and a choice of luxury or special deluxe, depending on whether rooms are at ground level with balconies or on the second floor with extensive bougainvillaea trailed verandas. Honeymooners and romantics opting for the latter can request their beds laid out beneath the stars under mosquito nets. A small restaurant on stilts above the beach also caters to those of a more romantic inclination - for a few who might wish to pay a little extra and enjoy a more extravagant a la carte menu than those in the large central restaurant - although the latter is well designed to diminish the impression of its size, and meals here are sumptuous and imaginative.

 
Breezes Beach Club
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Blue Bay
This is the largest and newest resort hotel to make the most of the sands of Kiwengwa beach, but it seems that many of its mixed European guests are more enticed by the huge swimming pool that curves through its centre. Accommodation is in a series of stone cottages, with 8 rooms in each, designed with a nod towards the traditional Zanzibari style. These are stepped up from the beach, although positioned quite a distance from it, which may prove a disappointment for some.


 
Blue Bay
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The Palms
Situates along a pristine white beach on the east coast of the Island, the Palms is the ultimate private get-away retreat providing a stunning recluse for the discerning traveller this collection of beautifully designed villas is designated with the utmost attention to detail, creating an atmosphere of relaxed, understated elegance. The Palms provides a range of beautifully appointed facilities reflecting the warmth and character of the local architecture overlooking the beach, private palm thatched bandas, shelter private day beds and carved sun loungers to provide intimate beach front privacy. The tiered swimming pool of tiled blue mosaic complements the poolside loggia with a driftwood bar, shaded by mangrove poles and tumbling bougainvillea.


 
The Palms
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Pongwe
Set over on the north eastern coastline of Zanzibar, Pongwe Beach Hotel consisits of 18 shared cottages, 2 to a cottage, most of which have views of the beach and sea beyond. The beach itself is a beautiful little cove that is sheltered on both sides by a small coral outcrop, and, as the hotels owns the land around it aswell, it means that there is almost no traffic on the beach at all. Activities are limited but there are fishing trips and dive exscursions possible.

 
Pongwe Beach Hotel
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Gemma dell Este
Whilst it is certainly one of the largest hotels that we offer, has a range of room options which allows it to still feel relatively intimate...of which the Executive Villa is the pick. The hotel is probably not worthy of the five stars of which it boasts, but, all the same, the standards of service and the beach speak for themselves. Personally I veer away from hotels of this ilk, but it will certainly remain popular non-the-less


 
Gemma Del Este
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Fumba Beach Lodge
On the whole, this is a very good hotel with the Suites standing out as a very good option. The communal area for the hotel is really what makes it, and, while the rooms are all very clean and tidy, the only drawback for us is that, unless you are in one of the suites, the beach is pretty much non-existent. This is a small point and if you are happy swimming in the pool or the ocean, which is always in as the western coast is non tidal, then you will be happy. The only other point I would make is that the beach here is yellow and not the white sand on the other side of the island.


 
Fumba Beach Lodge
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Ocean Paradise
This is a very good option in the family/resort style of hotel. The comparisons with Breezes, which is located about 100km further south, are inevitable as they are approximately the same size and offer the same sort of experience. With the choice of rooms being between standard and suite all of the rooms are very nice. All in all this is a good hotel if the resort style is what you are after, although, I would personally check Breezes first as there are more facilities for around the same price.


 
Zanzibar Ocean Paradise
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Shooting Star
Shooting Star is a good option if you are looking for a little quiet away from Zanzibars large hotels! Owner run and with less than 20 rooms, including 2 stunning suites, Shooting Star is a real favourite in the office here. The views out from the hotel and many of the rooms are simply superb. The food is very good and atmosphere laid back yet still efficient. Overall, perfect for a good value honeymoon... not a family destination due to the hotels size.

 
Shooting Star
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Zamani Kempinski
is the newest of the large 5* resorts on Zanzibar. Located on the East Coast, near Shooting Star the hotel is roughly 45 minutes from the airport on a good road. It the first of a truly world class calibre. All of the interiors has been personally designed by Philip Starke, the stylist for a few of New Yorks top hotels, and they lend the hotel an unsurpassed air of chic

 
Zamani Kempinski
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Echo Beach Hotel
Located just North of Breezes, this little, no frills beach lodge has comfortable, unpretentious lodges each comprising of a large modern Wet Room (with quality British fittings) and air conditioned bedrooms with custom made Super King Zanzibar bed. Each room also has a Spacious well furnished private Sea facing terrace.A short distance from the lodges is the Infinity Swimming Pool and jacuzzi and a few steps more the White sand of the unspoilt and practically empty beach which stretches for miles in each direction. The open air restaurant has a reputation for good food and the lodge has 9 individual lodges, plus 2 honeymoon cottages on a five acre site.


 
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Baraza
Breezes new beach hotel Baraza lies on the south eastern coast of the island of Zanzibar, along the award winning Bwejuu beach, recently voted by the prestigious top travel magazine, Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 30 island beaches in the world.There are 14 one bedroom villas and 15 two bedroom villas, as well as one Presidential two bedroom villa. All the accommodation villas are designed to characterize classic Swahili architecture featuring dramatic arches, cement Baraza benches and intricate hand carved cement decorations.

 

The Z Hotel
This brand new chic, 35 room boutique hotel located on the northern tip of zanzibar, is set in a lush, landscaped tropical garden with direct access to white powder beaches. Located in Nungwi, Northern Zanzibar, the Z Hotel now occupies the area that over the last 10 years has been made famous by Zanzibar’s backpackers.

 

Unguja Resort
Unguja Resort lies in the remote South West Coast of Zanzibar, near the fishing village of Kizimkazi. Unguja Resort is similar in style to Matemwe Bungalows - there are 10 detached villas in total, the sea view villas as you can imagine have a great sea view and because they are South / South West facing they are a great place to relax with a drink at sun set.

 
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