Zanzibar
Island Retreat

Nungwi, at Zanzibar's northern tip, is the island's most lively beach destination. The beach is wide, white and set against shallow turquoise water that remains swimmable at all tides, a significant advantage over the east coast beaches which expose sand and seagrass at low tide. Kendwa, a short distance west of Nungwi, has a legendary full-moon beach party that is one of the most well-attended events in the East Africa travel calendar. The lodges around Nungwi and Kendwa range from boutique to luxury, with some of Zanzibar's finest properties positioned directly on the beach. Sunsets from the north coast are among the finest in the Indian Ocean.

The east coast has a fundamentally different character from the north. The beach stretches for kilometres in both directions with almost no development visible from the water. The Matemwe reef is Zanzibar's finest house reef for snorkeling and dive access to the outer reef barrier. Paje is East Africa's premier kitesurfing destination, with a consistent south-easterly wind from June to October and several world-class kitesurfing schools. Jambiani is the quietest and most authentically local of the east coast villages, with a seaweed-farming community that has operated on this stretch of beach for generations. The east coast is the right choice for guests who want remoteness, spectacular reef access and the real Zanzibar rather than the commercialised north.

Stone Town is one of the finest historic urban centres in sub-Saharan Africa. The maze of narrow lanes, carved wooden doorways, Arab merchant houses, Hindu temples and the spice market converge in a living city that has been continuously inhabited since the 10th century. The island served as the main Arab slave trade hub of East Africa until abolition in 1873, and the history of that trade, its wealth, its brutality and its legacy, is visible throughout the old town. The Anglican Cathedral stands on the site of the last open slave market in the world. Stone Town's complexity rewards a full day of unhurried exploration with a knowledgeable guide.

Zanzibar's spice trade defined the Indian Ocean economy for five centuries. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, vanilla and cardamom are still grown across the island's interior. A half-day spice tour takes you through working spice plantations where you identify plants from their scent, learn their culinary and medicinal uses, and eat a traditional lunch made entirely from island-grown ingredients. The spice tour is among the most frequently recommended half-day activities in East Africa by guests who have done it and is an ideal complement to a beach day. We arrange private spice tour guides as standard.

Zanzibar's reefs contain over 500 species of fish and 50 species of hard coral. Mnemba Atoll, a private island north of the main island, has the finest and most accessible reef in the archipelago and is reachable by boat from the Matemwe and Nungwi areas in 20 to 40 minutes. Green and hawksbill turtles are resident year-round. Humpback whales pass through from July to September. The whale shark season runs from October to February. PADI dive courses are available at most beach properties. For non-divers, the snorkeling above the inner reef fringing the east coast is among the best in the Indian Ocean.

Two resident pods of spinner dolphins and one of bottlenose dolphins inhabit Zanzibar's southern waters year-round. The Kizimkazi dolphin tour, departing from a traditional dhow village on the south coast, has a success rate above 90 per cent. The experience is a boat search followed by entering the water when dolphins are located, not a captive or fed encounter, but a wild encounter in open ocean with genuinely wild animals. The spinner dolphins are particularly interactive. This is one of the few places in the world where wild dolphins reliably approach snorkelers out of curiosity rather than being attracted by fish.

The traditional wooden dhow, powered by the south-easterly monsoon and crewed by Zanzibar fishermen whose fathers and grandfathers sailed the same routes, offers one of the most atmospheric sunset experiences in East Africa. A private evening dhow cruise typically departs two hours before sunset, sails to a reef position for snorkeling, and then anchors offshore as the sun drops behind the Africa mainland on the western horizon. Drinks and fresh seafood are served on deck. As the light fades, Stone Town's lights come on across the water. It is the definitive Zanzibar evening.