Nungwi Beach | Zanzibar Island Travel Guide

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Aerial view of Nungwi town and beach — Nungwi sits at the northernmost tip of Zanzibar Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Vitaliy Pozdeyev. © All rights reserved

People enjoying the beach Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Woman wading in the sea — Swimming at Nungwi Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Sunrise over the sea — Sunrise Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Wooden boat on turquoise water — Boat on turquoise water Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ppart. © All rights reserved

Clouds above the blue ocean Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by laranik. © All rights reserved

Nungwi town and beach Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Nick J.. © All rights reserved

Beach Resort — Beach resort Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Beach scene — Sandy beach Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Robertobinetti70. © All rights reserved

Azure waters in front of Nungwi town and beach Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Davor Lovincic. © All rights reserved

From a modest -building village in the 1990s, Nungwi has blossomed into a fun-loving holiday town with a population of 30,000, making it Zanzibar’s second-largest settlement. In fact, Nungwi ranks as probably the busiest beach destination

anywhere in Tanzania. The town and beach both flank Ras Nungwi, a coral-rock outcrop that stands at the northernmost tip of Zanzibar and is guarded by the island’s oldest lighthouse. Nungwi owes much of its popularity to a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, which is enhanced by the exceptional choice of hotels, restaurants and other amenities.

Size: ± 4km / 2.5mi long
Best Time To Go: January, February and June to October
Crowds: Very busy in some areas
Sleeping: Accommodations of all types available

Nungwi Beach Packages

Pros & Cons

Calm waters offer ideal high-tide swimming
Plenty of restaurants and nightlife
Good choice of dive schools and other activity providers
Home to a highly regarded turtle aquarium
Accommodations are mostly individualistic small hotels, many of them owner-managed
Enjoyable beach walks south to Kendwa
The northwest-facing main beach offers colorful sunsets
Swimming not always possible at low tide
Hawkers selling day tours and souvenirs can be pushy
Among the busiest beaches on Zanzibar

The Beach

The coral outcrop known as Ras Nungwi divides the beach into two sections that are similar in length but very different in character. Facing northwest, the main swimming beach is densely lined with hotels, restaurants, bars

and other developments backing onto the town center. At high tide, the narrow seafront comprises an attractive sequence of coral outcrops, sandy bathing coves and palm-shaded hotel gardens. At low tide, by contrast, the beach is very wide and sandy, and ideal for long walks (but not always for swimming).East of Ras Nungwi, the beach is lined with a few luxurious hotels set in large tropical gardens. It is far quieter and feels somewhat removed from the hustle and bustle of the town. Indeed, many visitors to Nungwi never visit this lovely stretch of beach and are presumably unaware of its existence. Swimming is possible here at high tide only, but the overall feel is wilder and more scenic than the main beach.

Sleeping

Nungwi at night — Resort built on coral rocks above the sea

Nungwi has a wide range of accommodations. Generally speaking, hotels here are small and low-rise, with palm-shaded gardens or rustic wooden terraces that blend agreeably into the surrounding village. Many of these hotels are owner-managed and

have something of a boutique feel, and most are either on the beach or very close to it. There are also plenty of places that cater to travelers on a tight budget. Relatively few large resorts operate at Nungwi, and they are mostly found east of Ras Nungwi.

Eating & Drinking

You could easily spend a week at Nungwi and not eat lunch or dinner at the same place twice. Having said that, restaurants here are mostly of a high standard, so many visitors quickly adopt a

couple of favorites and stick to these. As might be expected, seafood dominates most menus and it tends to be excellent, with beach barbecues the specialty at several popular seafront spots. Vegans and vegetarians will find they are reasonably well catered for. And for adventurous palates, there are specialist Turkish, Italian, French and Asian restaurants.Many restaurants double as beach bars and stay open late, especially at weekends, when Nungwi has a very active party scene by Zanzibari standards. Local beers are generally refreshing and well priced, but a good variety of South African wines and decadent cocktails are also on offer. Wine is much cheaper at supermarkets than in bars.

Things To Do at Nungwi

Souvenir store at the Maasai Market — Vendors at a souvenir store at the Maasai Market Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Ocean view — Sunset view Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Robertobinetti70. © All rights reserved

Tourists at the Nungwi Mnarani Aquarium — Nungwi Mnarani Aquarium Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Horse riding on the beach — Horseback riding on the beach Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Stand-up paddleboarding Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Family getting ready to take off on a jet ski — Taking a ride on a Jet Ski Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Dhow trip at sunset — Sunset cruise Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Most visitors to Nungwi are content to spend their days chilling on the beach or at the hotel swimming pool. This can be broken up with the occasional short walk, dip in the ocean, or visit

to the colorful Maasai handicraft market. A highlight at the end of a quiet day at the main beach, which faces northwest, might be sipping a cocktail while you watch the ocean swallow the orange African sun.Popular activities that take place in Nungwi or along the beach include guided horseback rides, kitesurfing, canoeing and jet-skiing. It should be noted, however, that kitesurfing conditions here don’t usually compare to Paje, which is the beach to visit if that is your main interest.Nungwi Mnarani Aquarium, at Ras Nungwi, is the focal point of a long-serving community-based turtle conservation project. Its centerpiece is a large natural rock pool where turtles accidentally caught and injured in fishing nets are rehabilitated before being released back into the wild. There is also an egg hatchery for , the most common species in this part of the world. The aquarium stands alongside (and offers the best view of) Ras Nungwi Lighthouse, which dates to the 1880s but is closed to the public.

Nearby Things To Do

Fukuchani Ruins are just a stone’s throw away Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Visitor exploring Twin Caves — Visitor exploring Tazari Twin Caves Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Vistors getting on a boat to go snorkeling — Visitors getting on a boat to go snorkeling Nungwi, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Snorkeling trip Zanzibar Island, Tanzania. Photo by SebastianGorzow. © All rights reserved

Red-knobbed sea star and sea urchins — African red-knobbed starfish and sea urchins Zanzibar Island, Tanzania. Photo by Marius Dobilas. © All rights reserved

Pod of dolphins — Dolphins are usually spotted on boat trips Zanzibar Island, Tanzania. Photo by F Photography R. © All rights reserved

Stone Town waterfront — Day trip to Stone Town Zanzibar Stone Town, Tanzania. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen. © All rights reserved

Popular diving and snorkeling excursions are offered by half a dozen dive shops on Nungwi’s main seafront. These generally involve taking a motorized or other boat to the reefs of Mnemba Atoll, which is widely

regarded to have the best snorkeling and diving conditions on Zanzibar. Dolphins are often encountered on the boat trip to Mnemba, and the selection of reef fish in the coral gardens is simply dazzling.Other local sites of interest include the extensive Tazari Twin Caves and the medieval Fukuchani Ruins, a few kilometers south of Nungwi. Farther afield, if you will not be staying in Zanzibar City’s fascinating Stone Town, we would strongly recommend booking onto a guided walking tour to explore the many historical buildings that line its alleys.

How To Get to Nungwi

Nungwi lies about 65km/40mi north of Stone Town and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, the main port of entry to Zanzibar Island. Road transfers from Stone Town or the airport take around 90 minutes and can

be arranged through any hotel or operator. Taxis are also available at the airport. Or you could self-drive in a rented car, provided you’ve arranged a Zanzibar driving permit in advance.Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is served by several international carriers, as well as domestic flights from most large towns and major parks in Tanzania. Stone Town can also be reached by ferry from the mainland city of Dar es Salaam. The fastest service usually takes less than 1 hour.

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