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A palm-lined hotel pool beside the beach in Zanzibar

Where to stay in Zanzibar

The single most important decision of a Zanzibar trip — and the one most people get wrong. Here is how the island’s eight areas actually compare.

Why the tide decides everything

Zanzibar has a very large tidal range, and it is not evenly distributed. On the east and south-east coasts the sea retreats up to a kilometre twice a day, leaving a magnificent, photogenic sand flat that you absolutely cannot swim in. Around high tide the same beach becomes a turquoise lagoon.

The northern tip is different. At Nungwi and Kendwa the tidal range is small enough that the sea stays swimmable all day, every day. That single fact is why the north is the busiest and most expensive part of the island — and why a lot of travellers who booked a beautiful east-coast hotel end up mildly disappointed.

Neither is better. The east coast is cheaper, quieter, better for kitesurfing and far more beautiful at low tide. The north is where you go to swim. Decide which of those two things matters more to you, then pick an area below.

Which area suits your trip?

A quick shortlist by what you actually want out of the week.

If you want…Stay atWhy
To swim whenever you likeNungwi or KendwaThe only coast with almost no tidal range
History and atmosphereStone TownYou are inside the UNESCO old town
To learn to kitesurfPajeFlat, shallow, obstacle-free lagoon and a dozen schools
A quiet, cheap, long stayJambianiVillage guesthouses at a fraction of northern prices
Diving and serious snorkellingMatemweThe closest point on the island to Mnemba Atoll
A honeymoonMichamvi or BwejuuThe best hotels on the east coast and no crowds
An all-inclusive weekKiwengwaWhere the big resorts are concentrated
A bed near the airportZanzibar CityCheapest rooms, minutes from the terminal

The eight places to stay on Unguja

Prices are indicative low-season starting rates for a double room. Every card links through to live availability on Trip.com.

A restored merchant house hotel with carved balconies in Stone Town, Zanzibar Town base, not a swimming beach $35–250

Stone Town

Sleep inside the UNESCO maze

Restored merchant houses with carved doors, rooftop terraces and courtyards, right in the old town. You are steps from the museums, the night market and every boat trip — but this is a working town, not a beach resort.

Best for:
Culture, history, first or last night on the island
Vibe:
Atmospheric, walkable, busy
Typical nightly rate:
$35–$250
  • Historic boutique hotels
  • Rooftop bars over the harbour
  • Every tour picks up here
See hotels & prices →
Beach hotel loungers on the white sand at Kendwa, northern Zanzibar Swimmable at all tides $45–500

Nungwi & Kendwa

The beach that never disappears

The north tip has almost no tidal range, so you can swim off the sand at any hour. Nungwi is busier with restaurants, dive shops and nightlife; Kendwa is wider, softer and calmer. The full range from backpacker rooms to five-star resorts.

Best for:
Swimmers, families, first-time visitors, nightlife
Vibe:
Lively, developed, resort-heavy
Typical nightly rate:
$45–$500
  • Swim at any tide
  • Most restaurants outside Stone Town
  • Sunsets over open ocean
See hotels & prices →
Palms and turquoise shallows on the beach at Kiwengwa, Zanzibar Big tides — swim at high water $60–600

Kiwengwa & Matemwe

Big resorts and the Mnemba boat

The north-east coast is where the large all-inclusives sit, along with a string of small lodges. Matemwe is the closest point on the island to Mnemba Atoll, which makes it the obvious base for divers and serious snorkellers.

Best for:
All-inclusive holidays, divers, Mnemba access
Vibe:
Resort strip with quiet gaps
Typical nightly rate:
$60–$600
  • Closest base to Mnemba Atoll
  • Big all-inclusive choice
  • Long, empty stretches between resorts
See hotels & prices →
A wide white beach with kitesurfers at Paje on the east coast of Zanzibar Big tides — swim at high water $25–200

Paje

Kitesurf central, cheap and young

A flat turquoise lagoon, a wall of kite schools and the best budget food on the island. Rooms are simple and inexpensive, the crowd is young and international, and the beach is spectacular — though only swimmable around high tide.

Best for:
Kitesurfers, backpackers, solo travellers
Vibe:
Young, informal, sociable
Typical nightly rate:
$25–$200
  • East Africa’s kitesurfing capital
  • Cheapest good beach on Unguja
  • Yoga, freediving and beach bars
See hotels & prices →
Seaweed farms and village houses along the shoreline at Jambiani, Zanzibar Big tides — swim at high water $25–180

Jambiani

A fishing village that kept its rhythm

Six kilometres south of Paje and a world quieter. Guesthouses and small lodges sit directly among village houses, seaweed farmers work the flats at low tide, and prices are among the lowest on the island for what you get.

Best for:
Quiet, value, long slow stays
Vibe:
Local, low-key, unhurried
Typical nightly rate:
$25–$180
  • Village life on the doorstep
  • Excellent value guesthouses
  • Long empty beach at low tide
See hotels & prices →
An empty white-sand cove at sunset on the Michamvi peninsula, Zanzibar Big tides — swim at high water $50–700

Bwejuu & Michamvi

The quiet, upscale east coast

North of Paje the crowds thin out and the hotels get better. The Michamvi peninsula holds some of the island’s finest lodges, the only east-coast sunsets over water and The Rock restaurant, and there is very little else — which is the point.

Best for:
Honeymoons, quiet luxury, couples
Vibe:
Refined, secluded, sleepy
Typical nightly rate:
$50–$700
  • Best hotels on the east coast
  • Sunsets over the water
  • The Rock restaurant nearby
See hotels & prices →
Fishing boats drawn up on the shore at Uroa on Zanzibar’s east coast Big tides — swim at high water $40–300

Uroa & Chwaka

The coast most travellers skip

A working stretch of fishing villages and mid-range hotels on the mid-east coast, close to Jozani Forest and roughly equidistant from everywhere. Fewer restaurants, fewer travellers and noticeably lower prices.

Best for:
Value, quiet, easy access to Jozani
Vibe:
Local, undeveloped, honest
Typical nightly rate:
$40–$300
  • Closest coast to Jozani Forest
  • Hardly any other tourists
  • Good mid-range value
See hotels & prices →
A modern hotel building surrounded by palms near Zanzibar City Town base, not a swimming beach $30–200

Zanzibar City & airport

Practical, cheap and close to the plane

The modern city around Stone Town, including the areas near the airport. Not scenic, but the cheapest beds on the island and the right choice for a late arrival or an early departure.

Best for:
Late arrivals, early flights, tight budgets
Vibe:
Functional, urban
Typical nightly rate:
$30–$200
  • Minutes from the airport
  • Lowest prices on the island
  • Easy transfers everywhere
See hotels & prices →
Browse all Zanzibar hotels →

Hotel links go to Trip.com, where you can compare live prices and availability. Rates shown are typical low-season starting prices for a double room and change constantly.

Booking accommodation in Zanzibar

Split your stay

One or two nights in Stone Town at the start, then the rest on a beach. It costs nothing extra, saves a long transfer on arrival day, and the two halves of the island feel completely different.

Check the tide, not just the photos

Every hotel photographs its beach at high tide. Look up the area’s tidal behaviour before booking — the east coast is superb, but you need to know what you are getting.

Half board is usually worth it

Many beach hotels are isolated, and a taxi to the nearest alternative restaurant can cost more than the meal. In Paje, Jambiani and Nungwi, where there are plenty of places to eat, book room-only instead.

Ask about the transfer

Airport transfers run $30–$60 depending on the coast and are often negotiable or included at the better hotels. Confirm the price in writing before you arrive.

Mosquito nets and air conditioning

Both matter. Cheaper guesthouses may have a fan only, which is fine in June–August and hard work in February. Check that a net is provided and intact.

Plan your Zanzibar trip

Make Unguja the trip you talk about for years

Stone Town’s carved doors, the reefs of Mnemba, spice farms, Jozani’s red colobus and some of the finest beaches in the Indian Ocean. Compare tours, tickets and day trips and book in a couple of taps.

Browse Zanzibar tours & tickets → Compare all tours

Where to stay: frequently asked

Frequently asked questions

Should I stay in Stone Town or on the beach?

Both. One or two nights in Stone Town covers the museums, the old town and the night market; the rest of the week belongs on the coast. Stone Town is not a beach destination and staying there for a week is a common mistake.

Which side of Zanzibar has the best beaches?

The east and south-east — Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu and Michamvi — have the widest, whitest sand. The north (Nungwi and Kendwa) has the best swimming because the tide barely moves. Choose by whether you want to look at the sea or be in it.

How much does a hotel in Zanzibar cost?

Guesthouses in Jambiani and Paje start around $25–$40 a night for a double. Mid-range beach hotels run $80–$180. The top lodges on Michamvi and the north coast run from $300 to well over $700. Prices roughly double in the July–August and December–January peaks.

Is it better to book in advance?

For July–September and Christmas through New Year, yes — the good properties fill months out. Outside those windows there is plenty of availability, and booking a week ahead is usually enough.