Nungwi - the most prestigious resort in Zanzibar

In the southern hemisphere, washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean, is the island of Zanzibar - the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago in Tanzania. At its farthest northern tip is the fishing village of Nungwi. The largest Nungwi (Zanzibar) is the second or third settlement on the island, with a population of about 5,500 people.

Nungwi is characterized by absolutely all the attributes present in fishing villages: a functioning lighthouse, a fish market with a daily varied catch, a shipyard for the manufacture and repair of ships for fishermen.

For a long time, this settlement remained aloof from the tourism business developing in Zanzibar, but tourists coming here from all over the world realized that it was in Nungwi that the best beach on the island. The number of vacationers was constantly growing and, as a result, the village began to be surrounded by hotels, restaurants, bars, shops. Now the resort of Nungwi is one of the busiest and most popular places for a beach holiday in Zanzibar.

Nungwi Hotels

If we talk about housing on the Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar, then it is expensive, although there are a lot of hotels. But really good, which you can safely call the best hotels in Zanzibar in terms of price-quality ratio, only about ten.

Below are those hotels on the Nungwi Beach that are highly rated on booking.com and are popular among tourists.

1. DoubleTree Resort by Hilton 4 * is suitable for those tourists for whom comfortable living conditions are important. The hotel is located in the north of Zanzibar, almost on the beach, so the rooms offer magnificent views of the ocean. For a double room in DoubleTree in the high season you have to pay $ 300 - $ 370 per day.
Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort
2. Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort 5 * is located on the north coast of the island, on a beach with a coral reef. The hotel has a gorgeous tropical garden, there are 4 outdoor pools, a gym, water sports facilities. The hotel operates on an all-inclusive program, and if you compare with other options in Nungwi, then for the same money, guests here get much more. The cost of a double room per day is 350 - $ 500.
Warere beach
3. In the village of Nungwi, at a distance of a kilometer from the lighthouse and not far from the beach, there is a Warere Beach 4 * hotel. Of the advantages: there is a World Wide supermarket nearby, there is an outdoor pool on the territory, and a private beach is equipped. Double room in high season will cost $ 70 - $ 150 per day.
4. The popular Ebony & Ivory Beach Bungalows complex is located in the central part of the beach, next to a souvenir market and a liquor store. This location can be considered a huge advantage for this Nungwi hotel, because in Tanzania, alcohol shopping is a huge rarity. Double room here you can rent quite cheaply: 35 - $ 100 per day.
Amaan bungalows
5. Amaan Bungalows 3 * complex is located within walking distance from the beach, it offers an outdoor pool and a spa and wellness center. The cost of a double room is between 70 - 150 $.

Beach holidays in Nungwi

The beaches in Nungwi are the most wonderful in Zanzibar. The water is clear, clean, warm, completely unrealistic and constantly changing shades. The sand is snow-white, soft, fluffy and very affectionate. There is practically no garbage on the shore, only sometimes water makes a lot of kelp algae.

The sandy coastal strip is long, divided into several beaches. There are always quite a lot of people on the main beach, which starts from DoubleTree by Hilton and stretches west towards the Kendwa resort. But this beach is considered the best, because you can swim there even at low tide: because of the greater depths of the ocean, the water does not leave the coast more than 300 meters for 3-4 hours in time. Ebb tides are much more pronounced on the northern coast of Zanzibar Island, closer to the lighthouse and the fishing shipyard.

At low tide, you can walk far along the beach, you can even walk to Kendwa. But you need to be careful not to step on sea urchins - at low tide they are found near the water's edge. You also need to keep track of time, because the water returns very quickly! If, nevertheless, during a long walk, you catch a tide, you can only watch the boats: local residents often swim to the shore and offer 10,000 shillings to bring to Nungwi or Kendwa.

There are sun loungers with umbrellas on the Nungwi beaches - they are located next to the souvenir bazaar, the fee for the whole day is 10,000 shillings. If you wish, you can rent a double catamaran with the captain - for an hour and a half you will have to pay $ 30.

Absolutely unique photos are taken on the Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar during sunset. Not only is nature at this time of indescribable beauty, but also in the cafe on the shore beautifully arranged tables, light candles. In general, continuous relaxation.

But ... There is one huge minus that interferes with a relaxing holiday on the beaches of Nungwi, however, as throughout Zanzibar. These are endless harassment of beach fights, which are very intrusively offered to take on an excursion, sell something, do massage. They wait for vacationers immediately at the exit from the hotel, and then on the beach, at the exit from the water. Sometimes, from too annoying beach-boys, you have to run from the beach to the hotel.

How to have fun in Nungwi

Rest on Zanzibar, in particular, on the resort of Nungwi, goes a lot of fishing lovers. It is here, in the settlement of fishermen, the most opportunities to go fishing in the ocean. The nearest ocean waters catch dorado, tuna, barracuda, sea bass.

On the Nungwi beach, ideal conditions for practicing surfing, and a board, paddle and vest can be rented for $ 15 per hour. Two kilometers from the Warere Beach Hotel, there is the East Africa Divers Diving Center, where you can not only rent the necessary equipment, but also use the services of a trainer.

If you wish, you can take a walk along the beach to the lighthouse or go to the village for fresh exotic fruits. If you go to the lighthouse and to the fishing village, it is better to put on at least a pair or shorts with a T-shirt, because the local population sometimes reacts too aggressively to white tourists in swimsuits. It is important to remember: it is completely safe only in hotels and on the coast, where there is security.

By the way, almost any place in Nungwi is located within walking distance, although there is also a taxi service here. The cost of trips cannot be called too high, for example, to get from the more comfortable eastern part of the beach to the more lively western part, you will have to pay about $ 3.

Among the places recommended for visiting, it is worth mentioning Mnarani Marine Turtles - this is a small picturesque reserve with green turtles and biss turtles. It is located on the north side, near the lighthouse, a little in the depths of the island, and you can go to it directly from the beach.

Mnarani Marine Turtles has nursery aquariums with small turtles and slightly older ones, as well as a natural lagoon with adult turtles. In this reservoir they are allowed to swim with turtles and feed them cabbage and seaweed, which are issued by employees on the spot.

Important: swimwear should not be green, as turtles can confuse them with food and bite.

And here you can take beautiful photos in memory of Nungwi and Zanzibar: against the background of the nature of the picturesque lagoon, while feeding turtles or swimming with them.

It is better to come on a tour in the morning (opening at 10:00), when there are still a few people. Admission price is $ 7 per person if you just look, if with a bath - $ 10.

The Nungwi Natural Aquarium is located directly on the beach, and the entrance to it is right from the beach.

Here you can see turtles, from very young to adults, but they are not allowed to swim with them - just watch and feed. Even in the territory of the nursery there is a skeleton of a huge adult whale, as well as many remains of dolphins, which massively died in 2006.

Admission is $ 5 per person.

From Nungwi, you can travel around the island with various excursions. You can go on a trip yourself or as an organized group (as a rule, each hotel offers various excursion programs).

For example, you can take a walk in the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, which many call simply the Josani rainforest. It’s only an hour to go from Nungwi, and there will be many impressions. Wild monkeys walk freely in the park, and watching them is a pleasure.

No less exciting will be a trip to the Cheetah Rock Reserve. In fact, this is a shelter for rescued wild animals, in which conditions are created that maximally mimic the natural environment.

Many discoveries can give an hour-long excursion to one of the spice farms (there are several of them in Zanzibar). On the farm you can see, touch, smell and try a lot of things: turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, pepper, cloves, cardamom.

On the east coast of the island of Zanzibar is the administrative center of the same name. You can go there only for the sake of the old center of Stone Town (translated as "Stone City"), in which the main attractions are concentrated. It will be enough 5 hours to go around them all on your own or with a guide who themselves are suitable for tourists on city streets.

Power Features

The infrastructure on the Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar is relatively well developed: there is a World Wide supermarket, two shops with alcohol, and a lot of restaurants with a huge assortment of dishes at affordable prices. By the way, due to great competition, the cost of food in Nungwi is the lowest on the island. Approximate prices in restaurants on the beach are indicated in local currency (shillings):

• grilled fish (tuna, king, dorado) with rice, potatoes and vegetables - 10,000;
• medium lobster (2 pieces), grilled, with rice, potatoes and vegetables - 25,000;
• Lobster paste (portion) - 16,000;
• grilled squid with rice, potatoes and vegetables - 14,000;
• grilled octopus with rice, potatoes and vegetables - 14,000;
• king prawns (4 pieces) from the grill, with rice, potatoes and vegetables - 15,000;
• assorted pizza - 16,000;
• chicken soup - 5,000;
• beer (0.5 liter bottle) - in the store 3,500, in the bar 4,000;
• water (1 liter bottle) - 1,000.

Of the fruits on the market, you can buy pineapples (the price depending on the season may be 1,000 or 2,500 - 3,000 shillings), bananas and peshen fruit (this is passion fruit) (3,000 shillings each), mangoes (prices depend on the size of the fruit).

Almost in the very center of fishing graying, at the only roundabout, there is an eatery where local fast food is prepared for local residents. On a huge roasting pan, they fried meat, egg and onion wrapped in dough - as a result, something similar to the usual whitewash is obtained for us, one piece costs 3,000 shillings. Very tasty, especially if you do not pay attention to the unsanitary conditions prevailing around. "Cafe" opens in the evening, after sunset.

Weather in Nungwi

The climate in Zanzibar is characterized by enviable constancy, so it’s enough to know the months favorable for rest in order for this vacation to be successful.

In June-October, the air on the island warms up to +26 ° C during the day, and in December-February the temperature rises to +28 - +37 ° C, sometimes even to +40 ° C.

April-May and November are the rainy season, which are sometimes weak, and often so strong that they completely close the hotels. Fly to Zanzibar at this time is also not worth it because malaria mosquitoes are becoming especially active. The chances of being bitten by these insects during the dry period are extremely slim.

The most suitable months for a vacation in Zanzibar, including on the Nungwi beach, are January-March, June-October, December.

Since the sun on the island is very active, you should definitely take a strong sunscreen on your trip. And in any case, in the afternoon in the open sun on the beach you can be no longer than an hour. It is best to swim in the morning, from 8:00 to 10:00 and in the afternoon, from 16:00 to 18:00.

How to get to Nungwi

During an independent trip, the question always arises: "How to get from the Zanzibar airport to the hotel in Nungwi?" You can take a taxi, or you can use public transport.
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This option is the cheapest, but at the same time the longest and most tedious. It is unlikely that it will be suitable for vacationers with children and large luggage, but it is quite suitable for financially constrained travelers without things.

First you need to get to Stone Town, using a taxi ($ 10-15) or dala-dala ($ 1). "Dala-dala" - this is what Tanzania calls minibuses converted from small trucks. The same dala dala and buses go from Stone Town to Nungwi (ticket $ 1.5). Such a path in time will take 2-3 hours, and in addition you still need to walk to the hotel.

Right in the parking lot near Zanzibar Airport there are many taxi minibuses. But the problem is that you will have to communicate with the driver in broken English.

It is much more convenient to book a transfer in advance: the driver will meet you at the airport, the trip. It is advisable to contact Zanzibar companies or taxi drivers already checked by other travelers. You may need these contacts:

1. Taxi driver Mr. Ally. It organizes a transfer "airport-hotel", excursions to attractions. If you bargain, it can provide a good discount (transfer to Nungwi not for 50, but for $ 35). Email: [email protected], Facebook: Ally Makei; Phone: +255 773 104273.
2. Zanzibar Express Car Hire Here you can rent a car, book a transfer and tour. You can also agree on a discount. Company website: www.zanzibarexpresscarhire.com.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

A few words in conclusion

When planning a trip to Nungwi (Zanzibar, Tanzania), read this article again. It has collected a lot of diverse information, which is sure to come in handy on a picturesque island with luxurious beaches. Have a nice rest!

Watch the video: Top 10 5-Star Beachfront Hotels & Resorts in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa (May 2024).