Thanda Island, Tanzania © Thanda Collection
Islands of legend
The Zanzibar archipelago is subject to tidal patterns that make certain beaches impractical for swimming at particular times of day. Tides are most noticeable on Unguja Island, commonly known as Zanzibar.
It all depends on which coast you choose! On the north-east coast, the sea barely recedes and you can swim all day long — it’s also the most touristic coast. On the south and west coasts, by contrast, the tides are much more pronounced. The beaches there are longer, wilder, and less frequented by beach boys.
In some spots, the sea recedes by as much as a hundred metres from its highest point, making swimming almost impossible at certain hours of the day. These tides wash in large quantities of seaweed, creating the picturesque sight of women and children from nearby villages coming daily to gather it for export.
Feel like swimming during low tide? No need to worry — every hotel has a pool to satisfy that urge!
This parade of exotic outfits, faces gleaming under the equatorial sun, with the Indian Ocean stretching to the horizon as a backdrop, will certainly make you forget how hard it is to swim at certain hours of the day.
The colours of the sea are constantly shifting, offering a different scene each time, where blue, azure and turquoise blend together — making the eastern coast spectacular and distinct from other areas.