Nungwi is where most visitors to Zanzibar end up, and with good reason: west-facing beaches, water deep enough to swim for most of the day, and the easiest access to the island’s best reefs. This guide covers how to plan it well — how long to stay, how the tides work, what the entry rules are and what things really cost.
How long do you need?
- Three nights — enough for Mnemba, a sunset dhow and a lazy beach day.
- Five to seven nights — the sweet spot: add Stone Town and a spice farm, the turtle pond, a dive or two, and real downtime.
- Ten nights or more — split the stay: a night or two in Stone Town, a week in the north, and perhaps a few days on the east coast or a mainland safari.
Getting there
Fly into Zanzibar Airport (ZNZ) — direct from several European cities, often on seasonal charters, or via the Gulf, Istanbul, Addis Ababa or Nairobi — or take the ferry from Dar es Salaam to Stone Town. Nungwi is about 60 km north of the airport, roughly 1–1.5 hours by car. Our getting here guide compares every option.
What to see and do
Nungwi & Kendwa Nungwi Beach
Sunsets at the top of Zanzibar
The white-sand beach that wraps around Ras Nungwi, the northern tip of Unguja. The west side is lined with bars, dive shops and dhow moorings and faces straight into the sunset; the east side is quieter, and the lighthouse point in between is where the village began.
Nungwi & Kendwa Kendwa Beach
The calm, swimmable beach next door
Three kilometres south of Nungwi, Kendwa is a long, wide sweep of soft sand with some of the gentlest tidal range on the island — you can swim here at almost any time of day. Quieter than Nungwi, except on full-moon party nights.
Nungwi & Kendwa Mnarani Turtle Aquarium
A village-run turtle sanctuary by the lighthouse
A natural tidal pool in the coral rock at Ras Nungwi where the community cares for sea turtles accidentally caught by local fishermen, and releases them back into the ocean. Small, simple and genuinely conservation-minded; the entry fee supports the village.
Reefs & islands Mnemba Atoll
Zanzibar’s best snorkelling and dolphins
A ring of coral reef off the north-east coast around the tiny private island of Mnemba. The protected reef has the clearest water and richest marine life around Zanzibar, and pods of dolphins are often seen on the way out. Boats from Nungwi take around an hour.
See all of them, with directions and tours, in our things to do guide.
Entry rules: visa, insurance and health
- Visa: Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, so you need a Tanzanian visa. Most visitors can apply online for an e-visa through the official Tanzania Immigration portal before travelling, and many nationalities can also get one on arrival. A single-entry tourist visa costs around US$50 for most nationalities (US citizens pay more). Always use the official government site.
- Zanzibar travel insurance: since October 2024, all international visitors to Zanzibar must buy the government’s inbound travel insurance, issued by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (around US$44 per person at introduction). Buy it online before you travel and keep the certificate handy. It does not replace your own comprehensive travel insurance.
- Yellow fever: a vaccination certificate is required if you arrive from, or have transited for a long layover through, a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Health: malaria is present on Zanzibar at a low level. Talk to a travel clinic about prophylaxis, and use repellent in the evenings. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Entry rules and fees change. Check the official Tanzanian and Zanzibar government sources, or your airline, shortly before you travel.
What it costs
Nungwi is not cheap by East African standards, but it covers every budget:
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Sunset dhow cruise | from ≈US$14–20 |
| Mnemba snorkelling trip | ≈US$20–60, plus conservation fee if not included |
| Mnarani turtle aquarium entry | ≈US$10 |
| Stone Town + spice farm day tour | from ≈US$55 |
| Two-tank dive | roughly US$100–150 — check dive centres |
| Seafood dinner on the beach | ≈US$10–30 |
| Beach bungalow / guesthouse, double | from ≈US$40–70 |
| Four- or five-star resort, double | ≈US$140–300+, far more at the top end |
What to eat
Seafood is the point: grilled octopus, calamari, prawns, lobster and the catch of the day, often cooked in coconut and Zanzibari spices. Try pweza wa nazi (octopus in coconut curry), urojo ("Zanzibar mix" soup) and chipsi mayai (a chip omelette) in the village, and Zanzibar pizza from the grills at Stone Town’s Forodhani market. Fresh passion-fruit and sugar-cane juice are everywhere.
Alcohol is sold in hotels, bars and tourist restaurants in Nungwi and Kendwa, but not in most local eateries — this is a Muslim community.
Where to stay
- Nungwi west beach — the lively centre: restaurants, bars, dive centres and sunset from your sunbed.
- Nungwi east side — quieter resorts, calmer atmosphere.
- Kendwa — a wide, calm beach with the best all-tide swimming.
We compare the best of each, with live rates, on our where to stay page.
Practical details
- Money: the currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS), but US dollars are widely accepted for hotels and tours. Bring clean dollar notes printed in recent years; older bills are often refused. ATMs in Nungwi exist but are not always reliable — withdraw in Stone Town or at the airport too.
- Language: Swahili. English is widely spoken in tourism, and in Nungwi many people also speak some Italian. Jambo (hello), asante (thank you) and pole pole (slowly, slowly) go a long way.
- Dress: Zanzibar is conservative. Swimwear is fine on the beach and at the pool; cover shoulders and knees in the village and in Stone Town.
- Power: Type G (UK-style) sockets, 230 V. Short power cuts happen; resorts have generators.
- Connectivity: 4G is good in Nungwi and Kendwa; a local SIM or eSIM is inexpensive.
- Safety: generally safe. Watch your belongings on the beach, use registered taxis at night and be firm but polite with beach sellers.
What to pack
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a rash vest for snorkelling.
- Reef shoes for rocky shallows and low tide.
- A light cover-up or sarong for the village and Stone Town.
- Insect repellent, and any malaria tablets your doctor recommends.
- Your own snorkel mask if you care about fit.
- Small US dollar notes and a dry bag for boat trips.
Common mistakes
- Booking an east-coast hotel for swimming — the tides there are dramatic. Nungwi and Kendwa are the swimming beaches.
- Leaving Mnemba to your last day. If the sea is too rough, you have no second chance.
- Forgetting the Zanzibar insurance before flying.
- Buying boat trips from the first person on the beach without checking reviews or safety equipment.
- Driving back from Nungwi to the airport on departure day with no buffer. Allow at least 1.5 hours, more at rush hour.
