Where to relax in Zanzibar with children or with friends? Let's take a look at the best sandy beach resorts and find out when to go on vacation is the most beneficial for the family budget and in terms of the weather.
After watching the photos of the amazing beaches of Zanzibar on the Internet, many go to the island without even thinking about which area and which beach they are going to. When buying a tour or booking a hotel, you should pay attention to where your accommodation will be located.
Yes, the beaches on the island are beautiful, but they are all different. Kitesurfers certainly need areas with strong winds, tourists with children - a sandy coast without corals and stones, couples in love - maximum privacy.
The length of the island is about 80 km, width - 30 km, along the entire coastline there is access to the ocean. The choice of places for a good holiday in Zanzibar is huge. In order for your vacation to pass without surprises, it is better to prepare in advance and choose a place suitable for your trip.
If you liked the accommodation on one beach, and you want to swim or surf on the other, do not worry, the island is small and you can freely migrate between the bays and lagoons.
You will definitely come in handy:
- A selection of inexpensive hotels ⇒
- The best hotels in Zanzibar 4-5 * on the first line with a sandy beach for the whole family ⇒
Best resorts of Zanzibar
West Zanzibar
Let's start our review from the western part of the island. The ebb is the least pronounced here, but the water is cloudy, the sand is covered with algae. Compared to the northern and eastern parts, the beach holiday is worse here.
In the capital of the island, Stone Town, you can swim, but you don't need to. There are pretty good sandy beaches here, but they are all located near the port, where ships moor and small fishing boats are constantly scurrying around. Stone Town is great for walking and sightseeing tours, there is a lot to see, but it is not suitable for swimming.
To North
North of Stone Town is a beach with a funny name Boo Boo Boo.
This is a very secluded place, there are not many hotels here. But the beaches here are not what you expect from Zanzibar. At low tide, a rather silty and rocky bottom opens, there is practically no sandy bottom.
Moving from west to north, the first popular resort is Kendwa.
The attraction is that the ebb tide in this area is small, only a couple of meters. The sand is white, the water is turquoise, although the ocean is cleaner on the eastern beaches.
There are many algae on the shore. At the same time, this is an excellent place for families with children. There are almost no stones in the water, and sea urchins are rare.
There are quite a few hotels along the beach line, although not too crowded. Behind the hotels is the village of Kendwa, which gave the beach its name.
Find accommodation in Kendwa resort ⇒
You can go to the village for fruits or souvenirs; there are also shops with food and water there.
There are many restaurants and cafes on the beach, there are expensive ones in luxury hotels, and the establishments are simpler. You can safely eat in them, fish dishes are quite inexpensive, but meat is in the price here.
By ordering shrimp, you will receive not only seafood, but also a salad with a side dish, the portions are always impressive. Be sure to try fresh, it's inexpensive and delicious, especially mango.
You will not find evening entertainment in Kendwa, vacationers mainly sit in restaurants, sipping cocktails or strolling along the sea at sunset.
Northern part of Zanzibar
Behind the village of Kendwa, in the very north of the island, there is a village Nungwi with the resort of the same name. Here are the best resorts in Zanzibar and for good reason - the beaches of incredible beauty.
Nungwi is the most popular resort in Zanzibar, hotels are the most expensive here, but food, souvenirs and fruits are cheaper than on other beaches. This is facilitated by high competition.
Find a hotel on Nungwi ⇒
The north of the island is almost not exposed to low tides. The ocean extends several meters, revealing small shallows in the form of islands. Sandy paths appear, along which turquoise water rolls out in a thin layer.
You can endlessly bask in these shallows. It is this paradise that can be safely called the best place in Zanzibar, where all tourists recommend to go to rest.
Rocky shores hang over the sandy strip forming a canopy. They not only give landscapes an unusual look, but are also an excellent shelter from the sun. Therefore, there is no need to worry about sun umbrellas. Even if you go for a walk along the coast in the very heat, you can always hide under the rocks from the scorching rays.
Nungwi has the largest concentration of hotels, restaurants and cafes, while there seem to be few vacationers. Thanks to the long and wide coastline, everyone scatters and disperses.
Surprisingly, most of all, it seems not tourists, but local beach fights. These guys walk along the beach and sell all kinds of tours and excursions. They do not just offer them, but long and tediously try to sell them. Of course, many people get bored with such obsession.
The choice of cafes and restaurants on Nungwi is large. There are also very expensive establishments, and there are also more budget options. An excellent restaurant with good quality food and reasonable prices - Baraka.
The only entertainment in the north of the island is the turtle farm located on the eastern side of the village. If you have not traveled to the island of turtles, then it makes sense to visit the farm, otherwise, after the island with giant turtles, this entertainment will not be interesting.
In the village of Nungwi itself, the infrastructure is more developed than on other beaches of the island. There are shops, a bazaar, diving centers, water sports equipment rental.
Best beach on the east coast
You can have a good rest in Zanzibar on the beach Pwani Mchangani... This is unquestionably the best spot on the east coast.
Where to relax in Zanzibar with a child? The tide is quite large here, but the water lingers in the lagoons, pools are formed in which you can swim, especially children like such baths.
There are bungalow-type hotels here, they are modern inside, like fishermen's houses on the outside. It is in these bungalows that you can completely relax and feel like on a deserted paradise island.
All hotels on Pwani Mchangani ⇒
If you think that vacationing with children on the island of Zanzibar is not a good idea, go to Pwani Beach. Here kids and their parents will definitely feel comfortable. The ocean is not deep, the entry is smooth, the bottom is sandy without sharp stones.
Many hotels are made according to the principle of Turkey and Egypt - all-inclusive meals, swimming pools and spas. Behind the aisles of the hotel complexes there is a village, there are almost no shops in it, there is a small bazaar.
Evening entertainment takes place in major hotels. Local dancers and musicians are invited to small concerts. In general, everything is fun and people like it.
How to get to Zanzibar from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tanzania and other popular departure cities? An overview of all the nuances of the trip and prices ⇒
When is the best time to relax in Zanzibar?
The best time to relax in Zanzibar is summer and winter. In spring, from March to May, and in autumn, from September to December, the island has a rainy season. The air temperature during these months is about +26 degrees.
From December to March there is hot and humid weather, the air temperature is + 28- + 38 degrees, sometimes it can reach +40. The danger is that near the sea, due to the sea breeze, you hardly feel the activity of the sun, and you can burn out in 30 minutes, especially in the afternoon. Therefore, sunscreens with a high degree of protection are required.
The water temperature in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar is always around + 25-27 degrees.
The rainy season can manifest itself in different ways. Sometimes the rains are heavy and prolonged, sometimes light and short.In order to save money, many tourists travel to Zanzibar during the rainy season, there are few tourists and prices are much lower, especially for food and excursions.
When going on vacation, be sure to take a light jacket, in the evening a cool wind can blow. Although, most likely the jacket will not be useful to you.
In summer and winter, you can absolutely not be afraid of mosquitoes, especially malaria. In this heat, they simply do not survive. At this time, it is very unlikely that you will meet at least one of their representatives.
Map with beaches
Self-guided holidays in Zanzibar - tips
- If you decide to relax in Zanzibar during the coronavirus period, it is worth knowing - they do not require a PCR test for Covid-19 upon arrival.
- You can apply for a visa at the airport (the airport building is small, don't get lost at the exit and you will find a local transfer without any problems). The cost of registration is $ 50 per tourist. Payment is made in cash without change or by bank transfer with Visa and MasterCard. Here you will also have to fill out a migration card and visa application form. Everything will take about 20 minutes.
- Full registration at the airport with baggage claim takes no more than 40 minutes.
- We advise you to change money at the airport. Banks and hotels are holding the most disadvantageous course. We do not recommend changing money on the street - there are many scammers.
- Important! Dollars on the island are accepted not older than 2009!
- You shouldn't take the Euro, here they are equal to the dollar. That is, 1 $ = 1 €, it is not profitable for Russians.
- In restaurants, fruit shops, souvenir shops, cafes - it is profitable to pay with local currency (shillings).
- SIM cards of local operators can be more easily purchased upon arrival at the airport. The cost of a SIM card with a regular tariff is about $ 22 for 10 MB of Internet.
- If you use the services of Fly Dubai, find out if they are fed during the flight, some flights, even long ones, do not have meals. Bring some snacks or extra money to buy food on board with you.
- Find out the reviews of tourists who have already been here and know about all the nuances of a vacation by the sea in Tanzania.
