Is there anything better than chilling on a beautiful white beach somewhere in the world. If you don’t know what your next destination should be, we recommend you to visit Zanzibar, East Africa’s island off the coast of Tanzania.
Zanzibar is a group of small islands, and it’s a perfect place to visit if you like shiny white beaches, warm water and culture also. For all of you that enjoy going to the beach, but also like to explore around and do a lot of other stuff besides swimming and sunbathing, this can be a perfect destination. The weather on the island is tropical and it’s hot almost all year round. But there are also rainy seasons, so you should consider that when planning your trip. And the best part about Zanzibar is that the water is always warm so you can swim anytime you want, even if it’s raining.
Here you will be able to soak up on that warm African Sun, relax on the beach, but also do a lot of adventurous things like surfing, snorkeling, and kite surfing. Also, there are many things you can explore and learn about the culture and rich history of this island.
What you should do before going to Zanzibar?
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First things first, you need to book a flight, and if you have already done that, you are lucky. We can now plan your trip to this magnificent island.
You should decide where you want to go, and depending on that you will find the accommodation that best suits your needs. There are a few different areas of Zanzibar and each one of them is unique and beautiful.
Rainy Season
One thing that you should take into consideration before booking your plane tickets is the rainy season, and you should simply avoid it.
The long rainy season is from March to May so if you don’t want to risk your vacation it is better not to go at this time of the year. But if you are feeling super adventurous go for it, maybe you will get lucky and you will have a no-rain vacation.
There is another rainy season, but it’s really short and it’s only in November. You can plan your trip for this month because it rains every day but for a very short period, so it’s not that big of a deal.
The hot season is from December to February and this season is super popular among tourists because most people decide to spend their holidays and winter months on a beautiful tropical island. The weather during this season is pretty hot but comfortable so you don’t need to worry about that.
The best time to visit Zanzibar
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The best time to visit this incredible island is any time you can, but still, the best season is the Dry season that’s from June to October. In these months it’s best to visit Zanzibar because the weather is perfect it’s not too hot, and most importantly it’s dry and there is no rain.
The best accommodation in Zanzibar
The first thing that you need to decide is where you want to go on this island and what you want to do. When choosing the accommodation you need to consider tides. If you are asking yourself why is that, we are going to explain. The tides on the island are very strong and the ocean in front of you can just disappear and it can go around 1 km offshore.
On the north coast of the island, you can swim even when the tide is low, so this is a really popular side of Zanzibar to look for accommodation.
On the west coast, the beach can entirely disappear when the water comes because it can come up to the cliffs.
The tide changes every day, but there is a Tide Forecast where you can check when the high and low tides are and plan your trip according to that.
The North Coast Zanzibar
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As we mentioned this side of the island is very popular because you can always swim there and it’s least affected by the tides. And the most popular beaches on this side are Nungwi and Kendwa.
If you are keen on diving or you want to try it for the first time you should book something on the Nungwi beach. If you want something a little bit luxurious, check KidotiVillas.
Near the shore, there is Mnemba Island, home to green turtles where you can go and enjoy diving and snorkeling.
If you love to go out and nightlife is super important to you, then Kendwa beach might be just the right fit for you.
Stone Town
If you don’t visit Stone Town it’s like you were never in Zanzibar. Stone Town is a perfect mix of culture and history, and anyone interested in that will enjoy visiting this town. Strolling around little streets, looking at old colonial buildings and soaking up the memories and history about this island are just some things that you can do here. Also here you can eat some traditional and tasty food.
The East Coast Zanzibar
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Some say that the best beaches on the island are on the east coast, and some of them are Paje, Pingwe, and Jambiani. During high tide the water comes up right to the palms and the whole scene is idyllic. The beaches are beautiful with perfectly white sand, but you should know that you can swim when it’s low tide.
The South Coast Zanzibar
If you want to see how locals live and to understand their culture, you should visit the south of Zanzibar, which is the most populated part of the island. There are many interesting tours that you can get and you can eat tasty local food. But this is not the greatest place to look for accommodation because here the difference between high and low tide is too big, and you won’t be able to enjoy the sandy beaches as much as on the other parts of the island.
It the end, every area that you visit on this island won’t disappoint you, because each area is unique and offers you many interesting things. Now you only need to pack a bathing suit and a lot of sunscreens and have a nice vacation. You will love it!
