Fishing and dhow-building village at Zanzibar's northern tip, known for white sand, reef trips and sunset sails
Nungwi sits right at the top of Zanzibar's main island, about 56 kilometres north of Zanzibar Town, where the coastline bends around a point of coral rock and white sand. On the western side, resorts, bars and dive centres line a beach that faces the sunset. On the quieter eastern side, the village keeps more of its fishing character, with outrigger canoes pulled up on the sand.
For many visitors Nungwi is the place to unwind after Stone Town or a safari: days are spent swimming, snorkelling or diving on the reefs offshore, and evenings start with a sunset dhow cruise. Neighbouring Kendwa, a short walk or ride along the coast to the south-west, has a similar west-facing beach with a more laid-back feel.
Nungwi grew up as a fishing village and was for generations a centre of dhow building, with boatyards on the beach where the traditional wooden sailing vessels were shaped by hand. Farming of crops such as cassava, maize and beans supported households alongside fishing.
Tourism arrived late. Residents opposed it until the 1990s, and Nungwi's beach was one of the last in the area to see hotel building. Growth has since been rapid: hotel capacity more than doubled between 2008 and 2013 to roughly 1,000 rooms, and by the 2022 census the village had more than 30,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest settlement on Unguja. West Nungwi in particular has been transformed by resorts, restaurants and bars.
Despite the hotels, Nungwi remains a predominantly Muslim Swahili village where tourism now sits alongside fishing as the main source of income. Fishermen still head out in outrigger canoes and dhows, and their catch is sold on the beach in the morning. Beach boys sell excursions along the sand; a polite but firm answer usually works. Covering up when walking through the village, away from the beach, is appreciated.
Most days in Nungwi revolve around the sea. Dive centres and boat operators run snorkelling and diving trips to nearby reefs and further afield to the Mnemba Island conservation area on the east coast, and local captains offer fishing trips in traditional boats. Because the beach faces west, an evening dhow cruise with the sun setting over the Zanzibar Channel is a classic way to end the day.
Away from the water, it is worth walking through the village itself, where boatbuilders still work on wooden hulls and fishermen land their catch. Nungwi also makes a convenient base for day trips back to Stone Town, roughly an hour's drive away, or to the spice farms in the island's interior.
June to October and December to February are the driest periods and the most popular. The long rains from March to May bring heavier showers and some hotels close, and November and December can see shorter rains. From roughly December to March the north-east monsoon, the kaskazi, brings sea breezes that take the edge off the heat on the northern and eastern coasts.
Checked against the sources on 28 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Kendwa's long beach lies just to the south-west, and the Mnemba Island conservation area is reached by boat from the north-east coast. Stone Town is about an hour's drive south, and Changuu (Prison Island) can be visited by boat from there. Spice farms in the island's interior make an easy half-day trip.
Tanzania · 10 nights5★ LodgeTanzania · 8 nights5★ LodgeTanzania · 5 nights5★ LodgeThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 28 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
