Many visitors to Tanzania opt to take a safari or go on a trek before heading to its enticing coastline, which is home to idyllic islands and fabulous beaches. Not to be missed, Tanzania’s beaches are picture-perfect, and you’ll often have them entirely to yourself to enjoy. Some of them are:
Kendwa Beach: Kendwa Beach is one of the liveliest and most touristic parts of Zanzibar . Kendwa has loads of bars, restaurants, and hotels catering to all budgets.There are plenty of activities and day trips for visitors to choose from (nothing on the island is more than an hour or two drive away), with the snorkeling and scuba diving being particularly fantastic.
Jambiani Beach: Jambiani Beach is a chilled out spot to head to, and perfect if you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. While most people heading to Jambiani Beach simply want to bask in the glorious scenery, it is worth going for a boat trip on one of the dhows. The nearby Stingray City is one of the most impressive dive sites around; you’ll find hundreds of stingrays gracefully gliding around.
Prison Island :Surrounded by perfect blue waters, ‘Changuu’ – as it is sometimes called – has had numerous uses throughout history, with the island once used as a slave port and quarantine station, amongst other things. Nowadays, the island is coated in trees, and a giant tortoise sanctuary can be found at one end. The remains of the prison, which never actually hosted any prisoners, can be found scattered about here and there.
Mbudya Island Beach: Mbudya Island makes for a fantastic day trip from Dar Es Salaam and is only a 20-minute boat ride away. For people looking to escape the city’s busy streets, Mbudya Island offers a welcoming reprieve; its beach is as beautiful as they come, with the pearly white sands contrasting delightfully with the vivid turquoise of the water.
Nungwi Beach: Nungwi Beach is marvelous to lounge upon and has a more relaxed and down to earth vibe than neighboring Kendwa Beach. The bright white sands border the sparkling Indian Ocean, and the warm waters are great for swimming. Sunsets are particularly impressive here, as the waters are painted in a whole range of dazzling oranges, yellows, and reds.
Mafia Island: Part of a gorgeous archipelago that lies just off the mainland of Tanzania to the south of Dar Es Salaam, Mafia Island is a gem of a place to visit, thanks to its beautiful scenery and relaxed pace of life. Mafia Island is a charming place to holiday and is an increasingly popular spot amongst scuba divers and snorkelers.
Paje Beach: Paje Beach is a favorite spot among kitesurfers, who can be seen speeding across the warm waters when the right winds hit. One of the most remarkable things about Paje is that the tide retreats right until the horizon, so at low tide, you can walk for kilometers out into the Indian Ocean with the water reaching just up to your ankles. An amazing experience, it is particularly worthwhile doing at night; you can feel the moon’s pull on the water as it shimmers in the moonlight.
Nakupenda Beach: Nakupenda Beach (which means ‘I love you’ in Swahili) is actually a sandbank that lies a short boat trip away from Zanzibar’s capital. Relaxing on the white sands gazing upon the Indian Ocean is a fantastic experience. This is a lovely spot to go swimming or snorkeling; the turquoise waters are so inviting, and it really does feel as if you’re on a paradise island.