Northeast Zanzibar Beaches
Wide white sand, fishing villages and calm lagoons — the classic barefoot-luxury stretch of Zanzibar.
Matemwe Beach
The closest beach to Mnemba Atoll
Matemwe is a long, quiet fishing village beach directly opposite Mnemba Atoll — the best snorkelling and diving in Zanzibar is a fifteen-minute boat ride offshore. The village still works the sea and the seaweed farms, so the beach has a genuine, lived-in feel with far fewer vendors than the north. Low tide exposes a wide reef flat that fills with villagers gathering shellfish.
Read guidePwani Mchangani Beach
Long empty sand between Matemwe and Kiwengwa
Pwani Mchangani — literally 'sandy shore' — is a quiet stretch between the two bigger northeast beaches. It is dominated by a handful of large resorts and a working village, and the beach in between is often completely empty. A good choice if you want northeast scenery without neighbours.
Read guideKiwengwa Beach
Resort country with caves and a pretty lagoon
Kiwengwa is the northeast's resort hub, popular with Italian and package travellers. Behind the palms are the Kiwengwa Caves, limestone caverns still used for traditional ceremonies. The beach itself is broad and bright, and the lagoon glows a hard turquoise at mid tide.
Read guidePongwe Beach
A sheltered crescent with almost no seaweed
Pongwe is a small, protected bay ringed by coral outcrops that block most of the seaweed drifting along the northeast. The result is one of the cleanest, calmest swimming beaches on this coast, with a handful of small lodges and essentially no crowds. It is a beach for reading, swimming and doing very little.
Read guideUroa Beach
Fishing dhows, kitesurfing and easy access to Stone Town
Uroa is a working fishing village with a long shallow lagoon, popular with kitesurfers when the kaskazi and kusi winds blow. It is only 45 minutes from Stone Town, which makes it one of the easiest beaches to combine with the city and Jozani Forest.
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