Zanzibar is one of the top beach destinations on the planet — and the secret is definitely out. Instagram is plastered with glam-shots from the island’s perfect Indian Ocean beaches and sandbanks. Towns like Nungwi and Paje have transformed from sleepy beach villages to long strips of resorts and bars.
Enter Jambiani. This town on Zanzibar’s less-developed east coast has the same beautiful beaches you’ll find elsewhere on the island, with none of the concrete hotel blocks or nightclubs blaring music until 2 am. But there are still plenty of things to do in Jambiani to stay busy for a few days. In fact, most people plan to stay a few days and wish they had longer.
If you’re looking for a quiet village with beautiful beaches, less hassle, great restaurants, one of the best hostels in the world, and a traditional Swahili vibe, read on!
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The best things to do in Jambiani
1. Relax at the beach
Jambiani Beach is a long, soft, white-sand beach that drops off into the bluest ocean you can imagine. So naturally one of the best activities in town is to simply find yourself a beach chair and chill.
The beach stretches for several kilometers in either direction from the village, running all the way to Paje toward the north. You can plop your towel down anywhere you like — chances are you’ll be one of the only people around.
Like everywhere else on the east coast, Jambiani has a bit of a seaweed problem from January-March. This can detract from the beauty of the beaches a little bit — but it also supports an important industry on the island.
If you want to swim, be sure to go to the beach at high tide. During low tide the water level drops as low as ankle-deep, and you can walk out onto the sandbank for over a kilometer before you hit swimmable water. Check tide times here.
2. Go kite surfing
Kite surfing is undoubtedly one of the main draws to Zanzibar’s east coast. The wind conditions are ideal for both beginners and more advanced kite surfers.
If you’re an experienced kite surfer, you can rent a board and kite from outfitters across town. Prices start from $50 a day for full gear. Most outfitters will give you a ride to a good surfing spot if you rent gear.
Never tried kite surfing? It’s easy to sign up for lessons in Jambiani! One of the top-rated kite schools on the island, Aquaholics, has a spot right on the beach. Lessons start at $45 per hour including gear, but it takes most people a few days of multi-hour lessons to feel like they know what they’re doing.
3. Explore the village — on your own or on a tour
Jambiani is more than the beach. It’s also one of the top seaweed farming villages on Zanzibar, a vibrant fishing community, and a place where hundreds of people live and work. Even if you’re on holiday, it’s worth taking some time to get to know the local culture.
If you’re visiting Zanzibar on a budget, one of the best things to do in Jambiani is simply wander the village on your own for a few hours. It’s quite spread out, so you could easily kill two hours just walking from one end to the other. You’ll pass shops, fruit and veggie stands, and places to grab a cold drink in the shade. You can even watch a pickup football match in the field by the school most evenings.
The locals in Jambiani are very friendly and curious about foreigners. So don’t be surprised if lots of people want to talk with you. It’s pretty easy to separate the beach boys (i.e. people trying to sell you stuff) from the genuinely curious. However, locals generally do not appreciate having their photos taken — always ask permission and prepare to hear “no” a lot.
If you prefer to explore with a guide, Eco & Culture Tours runs a particularly good program with strong ties to the community. But it’s not exactly budget-friendly.
Jambiani is a very traditional community. People of all genders should cover shoulders and knees when not on the beach — it’s a sign of respect.
4. Explore the nearby caves
When you’re ready for a less sedentary activity — or when the tropical sun gets too hot — head inland to check out some of the caves near Jambiani. These caverns resemble the cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
The easiest cave to visit is called Kuza Cave. It’s a short ride north of the village to a gravel road. You can access it by bicycle, take a motorcycle taxi, or take a dalla dalla/minibus to the gravel road and walk the rest of the way.
Admission to the cave is $10, which includes access to a changing room and clean toilets. One of the staff will walk with you down to the cave and explain the geology, and then leave you on your own to swim and explore as much as you like. The water is refreshingly cool, and the cavern formations are fascinating. I spent about an hour swimming around. Bring water shoes/sandals you don’t mind getting wet — the bottom of the cave is super spiky!
If you want to spend more time here, you can also do a traditional cooking class, watch a drumming performance, arrange a meal, or just chat with the family who runs the place.
5. Take a day trip to Paje
While the sleepy village vibes in Jambiani are perfect for a relaxing holiday, sometimes you need a little more action! Luckily, Paje — one of the most built-up villages on Zanzibar — is just a short trip away.
Hop in an infrequent dalla dalla or commission a motorbike taxi to take you 10 minutes up the road to the Paje intersection. From here, it’s a short walk to the beach through the sandy back streets.
Paje is much busier/scammier/more high-energy than Jambiani, and you’ll notice it immediately. But it’s a good place to buy souvenirs (Jambiani doesn’t have many shops) or indulge in some more diverse cuisine.
If you do nothing else, snag a spot at Mr. Kahawa and enjoy some of the best coffee in Tanzania. This place is on my list of best coffee shops in the entire world. You can hang around on their big beanbag chairs as long as you like, taking advantage of the fast WiFi and perfect beach views.
6. Rent a bike and explore the coast
Zanzibar is gloriously flat, the roads are good and wide, and development is spread out. So the best way to explore the east coast is on a rented bicycle.
You can pick up a set of wheels at a few shops in town. I rented mine just down the street (with my back to the beach, I turned right) from New Teddy’s on the Beach. It costs $5 for a half day, and the bikes are heavy but generally in good shape.
Possible destinations include Paje, Kuza Cave (or the other caves nearby), more remote stretches of beach north and south of town, or the bar at Red Monkey Beach Lodge, which often has live music. The main road has a wide shoulder that doubles as a bike lane, so it’s easy to travel long distances if you can stand the heat!
7. Learn to play bao
Bao is the traditional board game of the Swahili coast. It’s easy to learn and a good way to while away the hours.
Most restaurants/cafes/bars in Jambiani have bao boards available for guests to use. You can Google the rules on your own, but the minute you start playing the locals will be excited to show you how.
Not only is the game fun, it’s also a great way to meet locals. Just be prepared to lose badly if you decide to challenge them!
8. Visit Jozani Forest
The best full-day trip from Jambiani is Jozani Forest. This nature preserve is only a 30-minute drive from the village, but it feels a world away from the beach.
Jozani Forest is the world’s last indigenous habitat of the red colobus monkey. There are two troops living under protected status here.
You have a very good chance of seeing the monkeys on your three-hour tour of the forest. You’ll explore with a guide, on flat and easy trails (but they are very brushy! It is the jungle, after all). The red colobus are most commonly seen at very close range on the side of the road closest to the mangrove forest, which you’ll visit at the end of your tour, so don’t lose hope if you don’t spot them immediately.
The tour also offers the chance to learn about the native flora of Zanzibar and conservation efforts on the island. You might see blue colobus monkeys as well — they’re more shy and hard to get good photos of. You’ll end in a truly spectacular mangrove swamp, representing one of the island’s last and best defenses against rising sea levels.
You can book Jozani Forest tours at any guesthouse in Jambiani.
9. Go on a boat trip
While Nungwi is better known for its dhow excursions, you can organize sailing trips from Jambiani as well. These aren’t as great as the options on the north coast, so if you’re heading north, just wait until you get there. But if you have no other reason to go to Nungwi or Kendwa, you’re better off staying in Jambiani and doing one of the tours from there.
Options include sailing to sand banks, snorkel spots, and to go dolphin-spotting. (Be very, very careful about the ethics of anyone promising you’ll see dolphins.)
These trips can be booked through any guesthouse in Jambiani. Prices drop dramatically if you can get a group together.
10. Watch the sunrise
With its east coast location, Jambiani is among the best places in Zanzibar to watch the sunrise.
Set your alarm for 5:45 am and head to the shore. If it’s not too cloudy, you’ll see the most picture-perfect red sun come up over the Indian Ocean. It’s magical.
If you’re highly energetic in the mornings, join the locals for a sunrise run on the beach.
How to get to Jambiani
I’ll be honest: Jambiani is not the easiest town to reach on Zanzibar.
If you’re coming from the airport, the best option is to shell out for a taxi. This costs $40 for the car regardless of the number of passengers. Some drivers are not willing to undertake the rough road between Stone Town and the east coast, so it’s wise to book your transfer in advance with your guesthouse.
Coming from Stone Town, dalla dalla’s leave each morning from Darajani Market. Route 309 is the only one that goes all the way, directly, to Jambiani. Vehicles are sparse for this route — you may have to wait multiple hours if you don’t leave at the crack of dawn. But you can also take any route going to Paje and pick up a motorbike taxi for the last couple kilometers. The dalla dalla costs 2-4,000 shillings depending on how much luggage you have, and the motorbike taxi from Paje is 10,000 shillings.
Alas, if you want to go to Nungwi, your only options are to go back through Stone Town — an all-day trip — or pay $60 for a taxi. If you go to the taxi route, be sure to stop at Jozani Forest on the way. This costs only $10 extra for the vehicle, but saves you $50 in round-trip transport costs for a separate day trip to the forest.
Safety when you visit Jambiani, Zanzibar
The Swahili coast doesn’t always have the best reputation for safety, especially for solo female travelers. (~Cough~ Mombasa ~cough~.) But Zanzibar as a whole, and Jambiani in particular, is fairly safe.
It’s ok to go out to dinner in Jambiani without worrying about how you’ll get back. I’d still recommend eating on the early side, taking into account the 30-45 minutes it normally takes to prepare food. But walking back at 8 pm as the sun is setting? Shouldn’t be an issue.
If you do walk around after dusk, stick to the roads in town rather than walking along the beach. There have been a handful of muggings on the beach in recent years.
Like most destinations in East Africa, once you get past “bedtime for families with children,” it’s really not a good idea to be walking around at all. Take a taxi or moto back to your hotel if you stay out after dinner.
I got some attention from guys in Jambiani, even when I was fully covered (to wrists/ankles). It was low-key and it just took a “hapana asante” (no thank you) for them to leave me alone. Most guys were genuinely friendly and not looking for anything more.
The biggest annoyance in Jambiani, like elsewhere in Zanzibar, is the “beach boys.” These guys roam the beaches and streets looking to sell low-quality souvenirs and tours to anyone who will fall for it. They start out friendly — they’ll even have, like, a fifteen-minute conversation with you before launching the hard sell — but it doesn’t take long to figure out what they’re up to. If someone approaches you trying to sell something, it’s appropriate/polite to say “hapana asante” once or twice, but ignoring them afterwards or walking away is socially acceptable (and you usually have to walk away/ignore them). The locals find beach boys annoying too — they actually call them papasi, which means “ticks” in Swahili. Luckily, there are far fewer beach boys in Jambiani than on the north coast, and they mostly figure out you’re not interested within a day of your arrival in town.
(In case it needs to be said explicitly, never buy anything from the beach boys.)
Where to stay in Jambiani
Jambiani has one of the world’s greatest hostels: New Teddy’s on the Beach.
New Teddy’s isn’t so much a hostel, as it is a “backpacker resort.” For as little as $24 a night, you get beachfront property with lounge chairs and daybeds. The beach boys won’t bother you here, and there are plenty of shady spots to hang out.
Plus, the hostel has a pool! A really nice pool that they clean scrupulously.
And, it has a bar-restaurant with ~actually cold~ drinks, good tropical juices, real espresso, and tasty and affordable meals.
Better yet — the staff is awesome. They’ll help you with everything from booking activities to bike rental to transport to learning a little Swahili.
The vibe is very relaxed. New Teddy’s is definitely not a party place — most people are asleep by 9 pm. You can meet other travelers, but if you prefer to do your own thing, that’s ok too.
This is the budget beach guesthouse you’ve always wanted. Book your stay at New Teddy’s on the Beach here.
Where to eat in Jambiani
For such a small town, Jambiani has a surprising number of good, affordable restaurants.
Here are a few of the best:
- Yellow Card Cafe: Tasty and affordable Swahili cuisine
- Fadhil: Super-local place with good Swahili food. Takes a long time for food to arrive.
- Lost Soles Garden Bar: The pizza here is soooo good.
- Hassan’s: Local place with good food, but they need a 45-minute head’s up that you’re coming.
- New Teddy’s on the Beach: The hostel restaurant has good food for reasonable prices. The salads and juices are especially worth it.
- Red Monkey Beach Lodge: The best place to go for drinks, also has good food and live music.
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The water looks so pretty and it seems like there is plenty to do in the area. I’d love to go to the forest and see some animals. Thank you so much for sharing this experience!