Where to stay · Zanzibar · Tanzania
Where to stay in Zanzibar
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mangapwani, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Stone Town. Coral-stone lanes, boutique hotels, rooftop restaurants and the island's history. Best alternatives — families: Kendwa; budget: Paje; nightlife: Nungwi.
Key facts
- First visit
- Stone Town
- Families
- Kendwa
- Budget
- Paje
- Nightlife
- Nungwi
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Stone Town | Coral-stone lanes, boutique hotels, rooftop restaurants and the island's history |
| Families | Kendwa | A long west-facing beach with resorts and calm water |
| Couples | Stone Town | Coral-stone lanes, boutique hotels, rooftop restaurants and the island's history |
| Budget | Paje | East-coast kitesurfing hub with a shallow lagoon and laid-back bars |
| Luxury | Matemwe | Quiet north-east coast facing Mnemba Atoll |
| Nightlife | Nungwi | Northern tip with lively beach bars, dhow builders and swimmable water |
| Food lovers | Stone Town | Coral-stone lanes, boutique hotels, rooftop restaurants and the island's history |
| Solo travellers | Nungwi | Northern tip with lively beach bars, dhow builders and swimmable water |
| Quiet stays | Jambiani | A long fishing village of seaweed farms and quiet guesthouses |
| Beach | Nungwi | Northern tip with lively beach bars, dhow builders and swimmable water |
Zanzibar neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and food lovers
Stone Town
Stone Town is the old quarter of Zanzibar City, a maze of lanes between the waterfront and Creek Road with boutique hotels in restored merchant houses, rooftop restaurants and craft shops. The Old Fort, Forodhani Gardens, Darajani Market and the former slave market site are all on foot, and boats leave from the beach for Prison Island and the sandbanks.
- Good
- History and atmosphere; Best choice of restaurants; Easy boat trips and ferry port
- Watch out
- No good swimming beach; Hot and humid lanes; Touts on the waterfront
- Nearby
- Forodhani Gardens, Old Fort, Darajani Market, Christ Church
$$$ · Best for beach, nightlife, first-timers and solo travellers
Nungwi
Nungwi, at the island's northern tip, has beaches that are less affected by tides than the east coast, so swimming is possible most of the day. The village is known for dhow building and sunsets over the sea, and a strip of hotels, dive centres and beach bars lines the shore. Boat trips to Mnemba Atoll leave from here.
- Good
- Swimming at most tides; Sunsets over the ocean; Dive centres and boat trips
- Watch out
- Busier and more developed; Beach vendors can be persistent
- Nearby
- Mnarani turtle aquarium, Kendwa, Mnemba Atoll
$$$ · Best for beach, couples and families
Kendwa
Just south of Nungwi, Kendwa has a wide, sandy beach where the water stays deep enough to swim at low tide, plus a mix of large resorts and smaller beach hotels. It is quieter than Nungwi apart from the monthly full-moon parties.
- Good
- Swimmable at low tide; Sunset views; Wide sandy beach
- Watch out
- Few restaurants outside hotels; Noisy on full-moon party nights
- Nearby
- Nungwi, Mnemba Atoll
$$ · Best for solo travellers, budget, nightlife and beach
Paje
Paje sits on the east coast, where a reef creates a wide shallow lagoon ideal for kitesurfing, and the tide retreats hundreds of metres at low water. The village has many small hotels, hostels, cafés and kite schools, making it the most sociable east-coast base.
- Good
- Kitesurfing lessons and rentals; Social atmosphere; Good-value guesthouses
- Watch out
- Swimming depends on the tide; Seaweed on the beach in some months
- Nearby
- Jambiani, Jozani Forest, Michamvi
$$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and couples
Jambiani
South of Paje, Jambiani stretches for several kilometres along the east coast, where women farm seaweed in the lagoon at low tide. Small guesthouses and beach restaurants keep it relaxed and local.
- Good
- Calm, local atmosphere; Good-value stays; Long beach walks at low tide
- Watch out
- Tidal swimming; Few nightlife options
- Nearby
- Paje, Kizimkazi
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and beach
Matemwe
Matemwe is a fishing village on the north-east coast with boutique lodges along a long beach looking out to Mnemba Atoll, the island's best snorkelling and diving area. It is calm and spread out, suited to couples and divers.
- Good
- Closest beaches to Mnemba; Peaceful; Boutique lodges
- Watch out
- Tidal swimming; Limited restaurants outside hotels
- Nearby
- Mnemba Atoll, Kiwengwa
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and beach
Kiwengwa and Pongwe
The middle of the east coast around Kiwengwa has many of the island's large all-inclusive resorts, while Pongwe to the south has a few small hotels on secluded coves. Both are a good choice for families who want pools and facilities on site.
- Good
- Resorts with pools and kids' clubs; Quiet beaches; All-inclusive options
- Watch out
- Isolated from villages and restaurants; Tidal swimming
- Nearby
- Matemwe, Michamvi
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and quiet stays
Michamvi Peninsula
The Michamvi peninsula on the south-east coast is one of the few east-coast spots with sunset views, over Chwaka Bay on its western side. It has a mix of resorts and small hotels and is home to The Rock restaurant at Pingwe.
- Good
- Sunsets on the east coast; Quiet beaches; Upscale resorts
- Watch out
- Far from Stone Town; Few independent restaurants
- Nearby
- The Rock restaurant, Paje, Bwejuu
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Town | $$$ | Forodhani Gardens, Old Fort, Darajani Market, Christ Church |
| Nungwi | $$$ | Mnarani turtle aquarium, Kendwa, Mnemba Atoll |
| Kendwa | $$$ | Nungwi, Mnemba Atoll |
| Paje | $$ | Jambiani, Jozani Forest, Michamvi |
| Jambiani | $$ | Paje, Kizimkazi |
| Matemwe | $$$ | Mnemba Atoll, Kiwengwa |
| Kiwengwa and Pongwe | $$$ | Matemwe, Michamvi |
| Michamvi Peninsula | $$$$ | The Rock restaurant, Paje, Bwejuu |
Getting to your hotel
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is about 6 km south-east of Stone Town, about 15–20 minutes by taxi. Transfers to Nungwi, Kendwa or Paje take about 1–1.5 hours; many hotels arrange pickups.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Zanzibar for first-time visitors?
Stone Town. Stone Town is the old quarter of Zanzibar City, a maze of lanes between the waterfront and Creek Road with boutique hotels in restored merchant houses, rooftop restaurants and craft shops.
+Where should families stay in Zanzibar?
Kendwa: Swimmable at low tide.
+Which area of Zanzibar is best for a budget stay?
Paje ($$): East-coast kitesurfing hub with a shallow lagoon and laid-back bars.