Sleep where the island sings

An island worth waking up on

Turquoise water, white sand, and a thousand years of Swahili coast

Zanzibar sits 40 kilometres off the Tanzanian mainland, ringed by a coral reef that keeps the Indian Ocean warm, shallow and impossibly clear. Mornings begin with dhows drifting out on the tide; afternoons are spent in Jozani's forest or the spice farms inland; evenings belong to Stone Town, where carved doors, Persian bathhouses and the smell of grilled seafood fill the alleys after dark.

Where you sleep changes the whole trip. The north around Nungwi and Kendwa keeps deep swimmable water at every tide and the island's best sunsets. The east coast at Paje and Jambiani is wide, breezy and made for kitesurfing and long walks at low tide. Matemwe and Michamvi stay quiet and barefoot, and Stone Town puts history on your doorstep. We list properties we know personally — from family guesthouses to private beach villas.