Top 6 best beaches for your Holiday in Zanzibar

 

The beaches on Zanzibar are stunning. White palm tree seemed beaches and perfectly turquoise water. Even tough Zanzibar has been a popular tourist destination for quite some time, you’ll still find authentic, quiet villages and empty beaches.

1. Michamvi Kae, Zanzibar

Michamvi Kae definitely won our hearts. This part of the island is very chill with quite a lot of Rastafarians. Michamvi Kae is a super picturesque village seemed by beautiful beach stretches. There are some bars and restaurants at the beach with a relaxed hakuna mata vibe.

We couldn’t swim during low tide, because the sea withdraws quite a lot. But we used the low tide to walk for miles. Despite some fishermen, nobody crossed our path. There are some lush green mangroves right by the water.

2.Nungwi, Zanzibar

Nungwi, a small village in the Northwest is about 1 hour from Stone Town by car. Nungwi has therefore quickly become a tourist hub and one of the most famous beaches on Zanzibar. Fortunately, we found a quiet, small, and deserted bay right by our homestay.

Contrary to some rather touristy souvenir stands by the beach, the local village center is super charming. Check out Highland Bar in Nungwi, a popular place in the village with relaxed vibes (and WIFI).

3.Kendwa Beach, Sunsets & Swimming

Sometimes referred to as the “little sister” of Nungwi Beach, Kendwa Beach is much quieter than its sibling in the north.This is one of the few beaches on Zanzibar where the tide doesn’t really change, which means the clear waters are perfect for swimming, snorkelling and diving.

Colourful starfish also call this beach home and can be found just offshore (but be sure not to pick up these creatures or disturb them in their natural habitat).

The sunsets at Kendwa beach are legendary, so pick your spot on the beach when the sun starts to lower. Once it dips below the horizon, the beach comes alive in new way with nightlife and relaxed beach parties

 

4.Pongwe Beach, Tropical Paradise & Calm Waters for Swimming

Pongwe beach is arguably the best swimming beach in Zanzibar.Pongwe's quiet arc of beach is dotted with palm trees and backed by dense vegetation; this is about as close to a quintessential tropical paradise as you can get.

Pongwe Beach is lucky in the fact that the whole beach is 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 to the reef.

5.Paje Beach, Kitesurfing & Diving

Located on the southeast coast, Paje beach has all the makings of a perfect beach: long stretches of white sand, palm trees swaying in the breeze, turquoise waters and exquisite sunsets.

Bordered by a small village on one side, Paje is peaceful and quiet, making this beach a great alternative to the busier, more developed beaches in the north of Zanzibar.

Paje beach is known for its water sports and the excellent kitesurfing conditions draw amateur and professional kitesurfers from all over the world to this specific area of the island.

In addition to this, the clear, warm waters are great for scuba diving, as the reefs offshore are home to turtles, starfish, trumpet fish, moray eels and other colourful marine creatures.You might also see locals collecting seaweed at low tide at Paje beach, which is used to make soap via a women’s cooperative.

The products come wrapped in banana leaf and can be purchased at local shops; buying a bar or two is a great way to sustainably support the community, plus the soap’s natural ingredients are incredibly good for your skin.

 6.Kizimkazi Beach, Authenticity & Dolphin Safaris

This small fishing village on the south coast of Zanzibar consists of two adjoining settlements: Kizimkazi Dimbani to the north and Kizimkazi Mkunguni to the south.The coastline here is very different from the classic palm-backed lagoon of the east coast.

Here, a coral rag cliff elevates the waterfront above the ocean and the beaches take the form of small coves rather than broad expanses of sand.For this reason, there are fewer accommodation options and the area has a distinct and authentic atmosphere.

The village of Kizimkazi is famous for its dolphin safaris. However, if you’re visiting Kizimkazi please be mindful about joining boat trips which offer the opportunity to swim with dolphins.

There are no regulations regarding dolphin tourism in Zanzibar and most tours are run by boat drivers with no experience or interest in animal behaviour.

Often boats crowd round the dolphins and chase them, and tourists jump into the water to swim, with no monitoring of the dolphin’s behaviour.