Sunshine Marine Lodge

Directly opposite Mnemba Atoll, Sunshine Marine Lodge has Zanzibar’s best location for diving unless you stay on Mnemba itself. The downside to this location is a small cliff instead of a beach, but a beautiful, unspoiled beach 600m to the north makes up for this.Like its sister Sunshine Hotel, it offers unbelievable value. Although aimed primarily at divers, the 3 swimming pools and relaxing quietness make this a good all-round option.

Sunshine Marine Lodge - The Facts

Sunshine Marine Lodge is much like its sister Sunshine Hotel. Located on its own out to the north of Matemwe, it is a simple, pretty hotel with a laidback atmosphere. We do not know of anywhere else on Zanzibar that offers value like this.

The scrubland on your approach to the hotel is not pretty, but once inside the well maintained gardens and cool Zanzibari style make for a welcoming space that feels larger than the plot of land it occupies.

There are 3 swimming pools. The main pool is the centre point of the lodge, 20m long and right on the cliff, looking out towards Mnemba. The second pool is more of a plunge pool. The third is the diving centre’s practice pool. The diving centre is small but has new equipment, offering everything from beginners’ lessons to Diver Master courses. The location is its real ace – directly opposite Mnemba. It is the only dive centre to have access to the atoll regardless of tides.

Being an eco lodge, none of the rooms have air conditioning. Instead the rooms are designed to use to ocean breeze to keep cool. The Sunshine Suites in the gardens offer the best value. They are well-sized, simple and perfectly acceptable rooms, but we would advise spending a few dollars extra for the Blue Breeze or Panorama Suites. These rooms are ocean-front, with larger bathrooms and even larger balconies with views out to Mnemba.

The hotel does not have a beach out in front, so if you’re a beach purist this is not for you. Nearby Muyuni beach is the last great beach on Zanzibar not to be spoiled by a large development. It’s a 15 minute walk at low tide or a 10 minute cycle on bicycles provided by the hotel.

All in all Sunshine Marine Lodge is a very pleasant little hotel that, while lacking a beach, is excellent at what it does – a peaceful place with great diving at an unbeatable nightly rate.

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Other lodges to consider

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the north

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