We have been planning Zanzibar many times over the last 2 years and finally we stepped here in 2021. It’s one of our favorite places in Africa and we would love describing it to all our readers and showing you how magical it really is! Zanzibar can be a perfect honeymoon destination and is perfect even for backpackers and solo travelers as well! Below are our top things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania – specially around Nungwi Zanzibar and Mnemba Island Zanzibar. These are also the best things to do in Nungwi.
Zanzibar offers everything you could possibly want –amazing beaches, powdery white sand, historical villages and towns. Zanzibar is an offbeat island, off the coast of Tanzania Africa, which is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian ocean which consists 3 main islands called Unguja, Pemba and Mafia, plus a number of smaller islands.
Unguja is the largest island, where you will find the capital Zanzibar City (more commonly referred to as Stone Town).
About Nungwi
Nungwi village is located in the northern end of the island which is an hour drive(56km) from Zanzibar town and is the main island, Unguja. It is a very popular tourist destination which has some off beat locations that you should not miss exploring. Beaches in Nungwi are heavenly, and we are in love with every corner of it.
How to reach Nungwi
You can reach Nungwi by public bus, the very iconic Dala-dala or by a hired vehicle from Zanzibar Town and its absolutely economical.
We booked our transfers through Suma – +255654341465. He was super helpful and gave us great deals. Can highly recommend him.
Top Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania : Nungwi & Mnemba Island, Zanzibar
Visit The Baraka Natural Aquarium : Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania
This is one of the beautiful natural aquarium we ever visited to swim with the sea turtles. You cannot miss this place for sure.
We went early by 9.30am, though we were the first to reach but in no time multiple tourists walked in. The water remains crystal clear in the early hours so make sure you reach before 9am so that you don’t find it over crowded and can click amazing pictures too.
Entry charges : 10$ per person (unlimited time).
Swim with The Dolphins : Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania
How exciting does it sound to swim with a pod of dolphin?
So definitely while in Zanzibar don’t miss a chance experiencing that. We booked an entire dhow boat to ourselves for the day and our first stop was to swim with the dolphins. However, if you wish to make it more pocket friendly sharing a speed boat with fellow travelers can also be an option too. The weather wasn’t in our favour, as the day we went it rained heavily making the ocean extremely rough. We could see many dolphins surrounding our boat but our caption asked us not to deep dive keeping safety in priority. But we highly recommend going for swim with dolphins and capturing the lifetime event.
Cost: 40/50$ per person
Snorkeling at Mnemba Island : Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania
Zanzibar is a paradise island after all, and has some the best marine life and plenty of coral reefs around. It can be a perfect place for deep sea, scuba and also for snorkeling and Mnemba island is considered to be the snorkeling paradise as the diving sites around the small island are suitable for both beginners and experienced divers. We stayed in Nungwi and by dhow motor boat it took us almost 2hrs to reach Mnemba island. But you can also drive till Matemwe and then can take a speed boat till Nungwi island as it would save a lot of time too. The corals there is insanely colorful and beautiful.
Cost: 40-50$ per person
Barbecue Lunch In Middle of Ocean : Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania
You can enjoy a perfect barbecue lunch with lobsters right in middle of the ocean. The water is just perfect and no better place to enjoy the lobsters!!
Cost: 20-30$
Dhow Boat Ride at Sunset : Things to do in Zanzibar Tanzania
One thing that you should not miss doing in Zanzibar is sailing on the vintage and heritage Dhow boat admiring the sunset over the Indian Ocean as you sip on sundowners and feel the breeze. We loved it so much and definitely didn’t wanted to leave.
Cost: 30-50$ per person
