Zanzibar · Where to Stay
The Right Beach Matters More Than the Star Rating
Zanzibar’s coasts are genuinely different from one another, and picking the wrong one is the most common mistake people make. The east coast has enormous tides and world-class kite conditions; the north swims at any hour and has the liveliest scene; the south-west is quiet, and the best spot for sunsets over the water.
We book across the whole island and across every budget — village guesthouses, mid-range beachfront hotels and the handful of genuinely excellent luxury properties — and we will tell you honestly which coast fits how you actually want to spend the week.
- Properties on every coast, at every budget level
- Honest advice on which beach suits your plans
- Family rooms, adults-only and honeymoon properties
- Transfers, excursions and flights arranged alongside
Good to Know
Beach Resorts at a Glance
What You'll Find
High Season
July to September and December to February; book six months ahead for these.
North Coast
Nungwi and Kendwa — swimmable at all tides, busiest, best nightlife.
East Coast
Paje, Jambiani and Bwejuu — big tides, kitesurfing, quieter villages.
South West
Fumba and Kizimkazi — sunsets over water, dolphins, very quiet.
- Beachfront
- All-Inclusive
- Boutique Hotels
- Guesthouses
- Adults Only
- Family Rooms
- Honeymoon Suites
- Spa
- Dive Centres
- Half Board
Things to Do
How We Choose
We have stayed in or inspected the properties we recommend. If a hotel photographs well but sits on a stretch of beach that disappears for six hours a day, we will say so.
- Matched to the right coast for your dates and interests
- Budget, mid-range and luxury options side by side
- Combined with Stone Town nights at the start or end
- Booked together with your safari as one package
Find the Right Beach
Send us your dates, budget and who’s travelling — we’ll come back with three properties, not thirty.