2 articles
29 May 2026
tanzaniaMnemba Island: Zanzibar's Best Dive Atoll
Mnemba Island sits about 3km off the northeast coast of Zanzibar — a flat coral atoll barely a kilometre across, ringed by some of the most intact reef in the western Indian Ocean. The island itself is private. The marine area around it is what draws divers and snorkellers from…
Henrik Vinter
29 January 2026
tanzaniaZanzibar: What the Island Is Actually Like (and What to Do There)
Zanzibar is 35km off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, a spice island with a genuinely distinctive Swahili-Arab heritage concentrated in Stone Town and some of the finest beaches in East Africa. The misconception is that you come here for the beach alone—a resort lounge and airport transfer. The island delivers far more if you move between the old town's alleyways, the night market at sunset, and two or three different beach locations depending on what you want: swimming reliability, photogenic sand, or wind for kitesurfing. It is more expensive than mainland Tanzania, and some of the most-photographed beachfront hotels charge premium rates for mediocre delivery. The north coast (Nungwi, Kendwa) offers better value and more consistent swimming. The east coast (Paje, Jambiani) has the postcard sand but punishes you with a 200–400m tidal swing that empties the sea for hours each day.
Henrik Vinter