· 2 min read
Zanzibar has no bad time to visit, but it has distinctly different ones.
June to October is the long dry season and the most reliable stretch of the year: clear skies, manageable humidity, and daytime temperatures around 28–30 °C. This is high season, and it fills up early.
December to February is hot and bright. Good weather, stronger sun, and busy over Christmas and New Year.
April and May bring the heaviest rains. Prices drop accordingly, and the rain tends to arrive in bursts rather than settling in for the day — but it is the one period where an outdoor-shaped holiday can genuinely be interrupted.
March and November are the shoulders: short rains, fewer people, and often the best value on the island.
Because Kendwa is not tide-dependent, swimming is good all year. That is worth weighing against the weather — a cheaper month here still gets you water you can actually swim in.
High season fills up well in advance, and small properties fill first because they have fewer rooms to sell. If your dates are fixed, book ahead.
Fly into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), about 60 km away. The drive north takes roughly an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, depending on traffic through Zanzibar City.
We run an airport shuttle. Tell us your flight number when you book and someone will be waiting for you at arrivals with your name. If you would rather drive yourself, parking here is free, private and on site.
Light clothes, strong sun protection and something with sleeves for the evening. Zanzibar is majority Muslim, and covering shoulders and knees away from the beach is a small courtesy that is noticed and appreciated — in Stone Town especially.
Bring cash in small denominations for taxis and village purchases, and mosquito repellent for dusk. Rooms here are screened, but the garden is a garden.
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