i have been dreaming of going to africa since i was a little girl. more specifically, the white sandy beaches of east africa. my dad lived there for a few years in his early thirties and used to tell me stories about spearfishing in the crystal clear waters, dancing and singing with the locals, and looking up at the clear night sky surrounded by thousands of stars. he described an untouched paradise with the most kind and welcoming people. throughout my whole life, if someone asked me where do you want to go more than anywhere, my answer would be here.
i finally made it to the place of my dreams! though much more developed and well traveled than it was in the 1970’s, zanzibar still took my breath away. i did quite a lot of research prior to our trip and found that the beaches on the eastern side are said to be the most beautiful and less populated. so we found ourselves at pongwe beach hotel and it was absolute perfection. though not a luxury hotel, it was still gorgeous and had the most incredible infinity pool overlooking the sparkling waters of the indian ocean.
the most unique thing about the beaches in zanzibar and pongwe in particular is the transformation between low and high tide. at low tide you can walk endlessly out into the horizon with the ocean water gently lapping at your feet. it feels like you’re at the edge of the earth, humbling and awe inspiring.
we spent our mornings doing just this, taking care not to step on any sea urchins (which are abundant in the area). and in the afternoons, as high tide rolled in, we’d make our way up to the hotel, enjoy a spiny lobster or fresh fish lunch by the water, then lay by the pool sipping on cocktails. the days on pongwe were gloriously filled with a lot of nothing. just sitting and enjoying the pure beauty of the place. it was the perfect way to unwind from the adventure filled days of safari.
the only downside of our time at pongwe is that we didn’t get to spend much time with the locals aside from those who worked at our hotel (all of whom were delightful). like i mentioned above, pongwe is very secluded and so the hotel was all inclusive, as there were no restaurants or markets very close by and not much around to venture and explore. i still 100% recommend it, but if you can, make time to spend a few days in stone town or some of the other more populated areas.
we spent a couple of days in stone town and just scratched the surface of this cultural amalgamation. at one time a major hub for both the slave and ivory trades, the local economy now relies heavily on tourism, which is evident in the initially overwhelming amount of entrepreneurs trying to get you to buy anything and everything. but don’t let this cacophony of merchants scare you away from what is truly a highlight of any trip to zanzibar. the unesco world heritage site is a vibrant town with a rich and tragic history filled with influences from swahili civilisation, india, the middle east, china, and western european empires, making it a place unlike any other.
the indian and middle eastern influences are the most evident in the town’s architecture, with beautiful, wooden, ornate doors and arab mansions scattered throughout the maze-like streets. it’s nickname “spice island’ as it was once the intersection of the spice trade, is still so apt today. when you walk through the town along the narrow cobblestone streets, you can smell the various rich aromas of cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon that fill the air.
we dined on the rooftop at the emerson spice hotel (an incredibly beautiful hotel) and indulged in a five course meal. i’ve never tasted food with such rich and deep flavor. the spices came through in every dish, from the drinks to the desert. it was almost overwhelming to the palate, but an incredible experience nonetheless. beyond the food, sitting on the rooftop after sundown, surrounded by the lights of the city, and the periodic sounds of adhan, the islamic call to prayer, was an enchanting and unforgettable moment of our trip.
after dinner, we wandered over to the forodhani gardens night market. we had checked it out briefly during the day but as the sun sets, it turns into a vibrant gathering place for locals and tourists alike. it’s a bustling food market, where the vendors can be a bit pushy, but don’t let this intimidate you. there are so many unique, local dishes, like the famous zanzibar pizza (kind of like pizza but with cream cheese or mayonnaise, mince meat, eggs and onions… this wasn’t my cup of tea but i’m happy we tried it), urojo (soup with potato balls), chipsi mayai (omelette with french fries), and pilau (spiced rice) to name a few. falafels, samosas, and grilled seafood skewers are also sold from stands around the market. but the highlight is definitely the sugarcane juice which is freshly pressed to order right in front of you.
the night market is a must while visiting stone town. and while stone town might not be the pristine island enclave you imagine when thinking of zanzibar, it should definitely be on your itinerary so you can get a feel for the unique culture and history of this beautiful place.
ok, now onto what you should pack for zanzibar! most people probably do zanzibar in conjunction with safari. which is what we did and it was perfect. so this guide goes along with my safari guide, which you can find here.
at the beach, i mostly just wore swimsuits and cover-ups. and i brought two beachy dresses for dinners. i think the more colorful the better for zanzibar and these beautiful beaches! but, of course i always love white on the beach too!
for stone town, i recommend being a bit more conservative. i wore a lightweight jumpsuit that i had also used on safari for dinner one night. you could also just do shorts and a top or romper, just nothing too revealing.
so without further ado here is my packing list for zanzibar. we went for four days at the beach and one day in stone town.
note: i fit all of these items, plus everything i packed for safari into a lightweight duffel bag that was under the 15 kg weight limit inclusive of hand luggage for the safari planes. i talk about this in depth in my safari guide.
what to pack for zanzibar, tanzania
i brought three swimsuits with me. here are some similar to mine and others that i really like!
striped swimsuit
i packed one
white swimsuit
i packed one
high waisted bikini
i packed one
regular bikini
for some reason i did not bring just a regular bikini but i wish i had instead of one of the one pieces or high waisted pair.
you’ll be living in cover-ups and beachy dresses. so here are my top picks for what to pack for zanzibar for those items.
cover -ups
i packed one flowy skirt which doubled as a dress (2 in 1!) – (1st image linked below) and used my white button up shirt from safari one day as a cover up (you can shop all white button ups in my safari guide here) and brought one lightweight caftan.
sarong
i packed one which was a super lightweight, silky material
beach romper
i packed one, wore this during the day and could also wear at night
beach dresses
i packed two for dinners, but one doubled as a cover up for daytime
jumpsuit
i wore this one night on safari, one night for dinner on the beach, and then wore it in stone town, as i felt like i needed to wear something a little more conservative than my beach dresses.
you don’t need much else, except some sandals and a beach hat! you can wear your masai jewelry or buy some on the island if you want accessories!
beach hat
i brought one beach hat and wore my safari hat one day
sandals
i brought two pairs, one that i could also wear at safari camp (thicker soles – those are listed in my safari blog here) and one for the beach only. but honestly, i was rarely ever in shoes at pongwe beach hotel, so don’t fret too much about it. just pack a super light weight, thin pair so they don’t add too much weight to your bag.
and that’s everything!! all in all you need very little for your time on zanzibar, which means you can most likely fit all of your clothes for safari and beach trip in one duffel and remain under the weight limit for the safari bush planes like i did. also, check out my guide on which toiletries and beauty products you’ll need to pack for your trip to east africa here!
as always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions! either leave a comment below or dm me on instagram @wear_this_there.
