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Historic Kizimkazi is Zanzibar’s most southerly settlement. Once the seat of a traditional ruler called the Mwinyi Mkuu, it is also home to the island’s oldest mosque. In tourist terms, the small town is best known
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for boat excursions to see in Menai Bay. Relatively few people stay overnight in Kizimkazi, but for those who do, a scattering of small resorts offers access to what is undoubtedly one of the island’s most beautiful beaches.-
Size
- ± 8km / 5mi long
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Best Time To Go
- January, February and June to October
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Crowds
- Quiet
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Sleeping
- Scattered resorts and lodges
Pros & Cons
- Wonderful for swimming at high tide
- Very few overnight tourists
- Accommodations are generally low-key and well priced
- Long beach walks possible (but watch the tides)
- Faces west to catch sunsets over Menai Bay
- Good for -viewing tours
- Site of a 12th-century mosque that’s still in use today
- Swimming may not be possible at low tide
- Few stand-alone restaurants
- Limited water sports options
The Beach
Your introduction to Kizimkazi will likely be one of the two sprawling fishing villages that make up the small town. These are Kizimkazi Dimbani, which is at least a thousand years old, and the larger modern
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village of Kizimkazi Mkunguni, 1.5km/1mi to its south. Both stand on small working beaches where you can watch local folk go about their daily life. These beaches also enclose small harbors where traditional set anchor between fishing excursions.You need to get away from town to appreciate Kizimkazi’s true beauty. North of Kizimkazi Dimbani, some of Zanzibar’s tallest cliffs hem in a spectacular and surprisingly unspoiled tidal beach. And although the cliffs are less imposing south of Kizimkazi Mkunguni, the long beach that stretches to the very southern tip of Zanzibar is equally impressive and very quiet. Both beaches are good for swimming at high tide, and great for long walks when the water is low. They also offer brilliant sunsets and views across Menai Bay.Sleeping
Kizimkazi offers quite a mixed bag when it comes to accommodations. It boasts two of Zanzibar’s most exclusive resorts, both set in large wooded grounds that run down to beautiful semiprivate beaches. These stand at its
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north end, some 2km/1.2mi from Kizimkazi Dimbani (longer by road). A couple of very pleasant mid-range clifftop resorts can be found in Kizimkazi Dimbani, while the limited options in Kizimkazi Mkunguni tend to be low-key and integrated into village life.The 4km/2.5mi beach that runs south from Kizimkazi Mkunguni to the southern tip of Zanzibar is lined with small resorts set in lush tropical gardens with idyllic ocean frontage. Many of these are owner-managed and most fall in the budget to mid-range categories, so this is a great destination for anyone looking for an individualistic and affordable beach retreat.Eating & Drinking
Kizimkazi lacks the tourist numbers to support the cosmopolitan restaurant scene found in places such as Nungwi or Paje. And because most of its resorts and hotels are relatively isolated, the majority of visitors tend to
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eat where they stay.Having said that, a few stand-alone local restaurants operate in both villages. These cater mainly to -viewing day visitors who stay on for lunch, but they would probably stay open later if arranged in advance. Also worth mentioning is the beachfront fish market at Kizimkazi Dimbani, where you can buy freshly caught seafood and have it barbecued on the spot.You can enjoy Tanzanian beers, cocktails and wine (imported from South Africa or elsewhere) at any hotel and resort in Kizimkazi. However, bearing in mind this is a devout Muslim settlement and less touristy than other beach destinations on Zanzibar, some local restaurants may not serve alcohol.Things To Do at Kizimkazi
The most popular activity in Kizimkazi is boat trips to view in Menai Bay. These tours cater mainly to day visitors from Stone Town, but there is no reason why someone staying at Kizimkazi couldn’t
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join one. Sightings in the bay are often excellent, but due to the volume of boats these days, we have to discourage the practice of swimming with dolphins.Kizimkazi is great for swimming, especially at high tide. The scenic beach is most suited to long walks at low tide. At any time of day, it is interesting to spend time in either village watching fishing-related activities on the beaches.Don’t miss the ancient mosque that stands alongside the main road through Kizimkazi Dimbani, a few hundred meters from the beach. A floral inscription on the dates this mosque to the Islamic equivalent of 1107 CE, making it the third-oldest in East Africa. Some antiquated pillar tombs stand outside.Nearby Things To Do
A recommended destination for a day trip from Kizimkazi is Jozani Forest, which lies about 25km/15mi (30 minutes’ drive) back along the road to Stone Town. Here, guided forest walks offer the opportunity to see troops
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of , a strikingly handsome leaf-eating monkey found nowhere else in the world. Also present are and a variety of forest birds. The walk can be extended to take in a wooden boardwalk through a swamp.Another popular day outing if you are not staying overnight in Zanzibar’s atmospheric Stone Town, is a guided walking tour taking in some of the city’s most important landmarks. Some resorts in Kizimkazi also offer a range of marine activities and water sports, including -viewing trips, but generally only to their own overnight guests.How To Get to Kizimkazi
The most southerly town on Zanzibar, Kizimkazi lies about 60km/35mi southeast of Stone Town. The drive shouldn’t normally take longer than 1½ hours, but you might want to allow a bit more time during rush hour.