Kendwa is a resort in the north of the island near the larger Nungwi and is one of Zanzibar's most luxurious holiday destinations.

The local beach is definitely the nicest I have visited on Zanzibar and you can swim in the sea even during low tide, unlike the beaches on the east coast.

There are also some great 5* resorts in Kendwa.

What I liked in Kendwa:

• Beautiful wide beaches where you can swim even at low tide.
• luxurious and well rated hotels
• breathtaking sunsets

But apart from the beach and resorts, Kendwa offers virtually no other activities or an authentic town centre. For local life, you'll have to head to Nungwi, about 5km away.

The best beach in Zanzibar?

I've read on various discussion forums that Kendwa is the best beach in Zanzibar. And I have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Not only is the beach long, but it is also extremely wide at the level of the town centre - certainly the widest of all beaches in Zanzibar.

The whole beach is oriented westwards, so you can watch beautiful sunsets from here.

Algae-free and tide-free beach

Kendwa Beach is a beautiful clean beach with very fine white sand that does not suffer from algae build-up as much as the beaches to the east.

In addition, the sea here is a little deeper than on the east coast, so even at low tide you can swim quite well in the sea.

Water activities on offer

Thanks to the large number of hotels on the beach, there are also a corresponding number of water sports (jet ski and sailboat rides, pedal boat rentals, snorkelling trips, etc.).

If you arrange the activity locally (this applies mainly to boat trips), you always have to haggle on the price and run the risk of paying for the trip with a not very reputable company.

In this respect, I prefer to recommend booking through getyourguide.com, where you can find all the reputable Zanzibar agencies.

Admission to the beach

Although the beach is lined with some of the most luxurious hotels in Zanzibar, beach access is free for all.

The hotel resorts have set aside their own sections always about 20-30 metres from the shore, and the space between them and the sea is freely accessible to anyone.

Holidays with a tour operator - the best hotels

Kendwa has several hotels that are mainly used by tour operators and travel agencies from Europe. Generally, Kendwa is referred to as the best and most luxurious resort in Zanzibar.

Kendwa holidays are great for those who love the beautiful beaches accessible all day and at low tide, the wide range of activities and the nice clean environment.

We recommend checking out tours to these hotels:

• Palumbo Kendwa **** - generally the cheapest tour hotel of average quality for the price, about 250 metres from the beach.
• Zuri Zanzibar ***** - one of the largest and most luxurious resorts in Zanzibar with a beautiful private beach
• Riu Palace Swahili ***** - top luxury resort without compromise in the quiet northern part of Kendwa

Best hotels on booking.com

Kendwa is also a good choice if you're travelling around Zanzibar on your own.

You'll also find some cheaper hotels from 100 usd per night

We would recommend these cheap hotels:

• Sunset Kendwa Beach **** - A local resort right on the beach with great value for money
• SunSeaBar Beach Resort *** - a very cheap resort popular especially with young people on the southern outskirts of Kendwa

And how much does a night at the most luxurious hotels cost? Check out the prices at Zuri Zanzibar, Riu Jambo or Kilindi Zanzibar.

How to get there

If you're travelling to Kendwa as part of a package holiday through a travel agent, you'll be taken directly to your hotel from the airport by free bus. The journey usually takes between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on traffic.

Kendwa Beach is about 1.5 km from the main road where the 116 dala-dala bus service (towards Stone Town and Nungwi) passes.

However, these services are often extremely crowded, so it is better to go to Kendwa by rented car or taxi.

Approximate taxi fares to Kendwa are as follows:

• Zanzibar Airport - 65 usd
• Stone Town - 60 usd
• Nungwi - 15 usd

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