Zanzibar Itinerary
Paradise has a name: Zanzibar!
Here's a little guide with the entire itinerary of our incredible trip to this paradise island, and of course, don't forget to check out our entire "Escape the Ordinary" campaign here.
Where to stay?
Well, that's a tough question. We choose to always stay in the same area of the island, in the north, in Nungwi, and every day we choose to explore different places.
However, if it were now, I would have divided my stay into two zones: Nungwi and Paje.
Our top recommendation for accommodation is the Be Zanzibar Boutique Hotel . Located on the east side of the island, it's a very cozy hotel with incredible views and rooms with private pools—it's simply beautiful!
There's also a wide variety of hotels and resorts throughout the island. We chose to stay at a boutique hotel in Nungwi (in the north of the island). It was beautiful, comfortable, clean, and had a pool, and the experience was excellent.
It's called Casa Dantes Hotel & Spa Zanzibar, it's a 10-minute walk from Nungwi beach, the staff is super helpful and friendly, so it's also one of our suggestions.
What to do?
Well, it's a little difficult to choose which will be the best place to visit, because Zanzibar is indeed a true paradise.
Here we had to choose, and of course as our goal was always to take pictures, the places we went were the following:
Day 1: Nungwi
The first few days we were exploring the northern part of the island, Nungwi.
In this area there is a wide variety of restaurants, and they also have an area very close to the beach with some shops, in case you want to buy some local souvenirs.
Of all the restaurants we tried, we highlight two on this beach: Restaurante La Baraka (local food, fresh fish and delicious seafood) and Mamma Mia (Italian restaurant but also with other wonderful options).
This was undoubtedly one of the areas I missed most. For its beauty, its simplicity, for feeling how much nature gives us, and for all its grandeur.
Day 2: Mnemba Island.
For me, this is an absolute must-see. Mnemba Island is a private island; you can't actually go to the island itself, but the entire area around it is beautiful. The crystal-clear water is perfect for snorkeling, and for the more adventurous, you can even swim alongside dolphins.
It was the first tour we did, and I already know that you will be curious about who our guide was and who helped us organize the trip, I will leave everything in more detail at the end.
Day 3: Paje and Jambiani
Paje and Jambiani are without a doubt some of the most beautiful areas on the island.
This is where the Be Zanzibar hotel is located, and also close to The Rock Restaurant, a must-see spot.
Day 4: Nakupenda Island
The best for last. If you ask me about one of the best experiences I've ever had, I'd say: going to Nakupenda Island.
Nakupenda is a sandbank , a mini-island, made entirely of sand. This means there's no cafe, no restaurant, no hotel—nothing, absolutely nothing.
It's as incredible as it is simple. All you see is water everywhere, an immense blue sea. It's peace, it's silence, it's reunion.
And now you ask yourselves, what about eating? How did they do it?
Now comes the most spectacular part, our guides prepared EVERYTHING for us.
We went there in a small boat, the trip lasted about 45 minutes, and while we were on the boat, the "captain" was preparing lunch. He peeled potatoes, seasoned the fish and seafood, so that when we arrived on the island he could set up a tent, with a table, chairs, a tablecloth, and a stove where he cooked our lunch, and I tell you, it was wonderful!!!
I could be here sharing a thousand and one more memories with you, but I'll let you dream, and live this paradise as intensely as we did when you go there.
Recommendations?
Before your trip: Finding the right person to help you plan your trip to ensure you have the best possible experience—we did this with Isa Fly Viagens . Support before and during your trip is essential to ensure you feel safe and have the experience tailored to your needs. I highly recommend them.
It's also very important to have a travel consultation, as we're talking about an area with some particularities when it comes to health issues, and there are several medications that must be taken in order to be protected and safe.
No less important than all of this: having the right guide. We were lucky enough to meet Culture Boy Zanzibar , the BEST guide I've ever met. Super helpful, easygoing, fun, and above all, completely trustworthy. With him, you can plan any tour you want to do (there are many more besides the suggestions I left here), and he also provides airport-hotel transfers.
Regarding money, we always use the Revolut card to pay for lunches and dinners in restaurants, but tours and other things must be paid in cash, which is not a problem because there are some ATMs where they can withdraw (with fees of course).
Well, I say goodbye with a big thank you to my team: Xana, Catarina, Sara and Diogo.
It was an intense week of work, but a great one! It will stay in my heart forever.
Zanzibar: I promise I'll be back!
Teresa