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The Best Beaches
Dar es Salaam: About 20 to 25km (12-15 miles) north of the city, there are good beaches at Kunduchi and Mbezi, which are both accessed off the road to Bagamoyo. Here there are a string of resorts that offer day access to visitors to the beach; some offer diving or windsurfing, as well as entertainment on the weekends.
Zanzibar: Well known as a tropical vacation island, Zanzibar has the best beaches in Tanzania with wide swathes of white sand lined with coconut palms, plenty of sunshine, and clear sea. Offshore dhows drift by, and the coal reefs are good for scuba diving. The island's north coast beaches are dotted with pockets of guesthouses, particularly around Kendwa and the fishing village of Nungwi, both Zanzibar's most popular resorts for the younger crowd. The sea is good for diving and snorkeling, and the reefs are home to a number of species of turtle. The large resorts along the east coast beaches offer wide expanses of palm-fringed sand, but the sea is generally fairly shallow and gently shelving, so when the tide is out, it's a long walk to the sea. Zanzibar also boasts several small offshore islands that are ideal for a day trip. Changu Island is the most popular as it's only a short boat ride away from Stone Town; there's a pleasant crescent-shaped beach and a cafe, and visitors can see giant tortoises. Other islands include Chumbe, which is home to an award-winning eco-lodge and an excellent reef for snorkeling. Mnemba Island can only be visited if you are staying at its one luxury lodge, which is very popular with honeymooners for its isolation, stunning beach, and coral reef that surrounds the whole island.
Pemba: The island of Pemba receives hardly any visitors compared to Zanzibar and has just a couple of luxury lodges. While much of the coast is fringed by mangrove forests, there are a couple of beautiful and isolated stretches of beach backed by tropical forest, and surrounding the island dozens of tiny isles dot the bright turquoise ocean. With temperate waters and good visibility, Pemba's diving is some of the best in the Indian Ocean, and the deep waters of the Pemba Channel create dramatic drop-offs and reef walls that are home to a diverse range of marine life including barracuda, tuna, shark, and even whales.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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