Zanzibar North Coast

Accommodation Resorts and Hotels in Zanzibar North Coast.

The Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel.

The hotel could be the only first grade hotel at the north of the island. It looks out over the pristine beach and sandbars at low tide. The hotel buildings are from local material with palm-thatched roofs. There is an atmosphere of calm and tranquillity in colonial style surroundings.

Location – Approximately 3kms from the interesting fishing village of Nungwi and 1.5 hours drive from Stone Town. The walk along the beach at low tide to Nungwi Village is pleasant, but beware that at high tide the route along the beach is not accessible.

Accommodation – The 32 rooms have recently been upgraded and all now have air conditioning, are en-suite and very comfortably furnished. The lodge rooms at the rear of the site with views over the gardens. Superior Chalet Rooms where two rooms are built in each bungalow with verandas overlooking the ocean. Superior Deluxe Chalet are furnished to a very high standard and have uninterrupted views over the beach and ocean beyond. The newly built ocean suite provides undiluted luxury with a bedroom, living room leading on to a private terrace and plunge pool.

Facilities – Public areas, including the restaurant and two bars are spacious and airy, furnished with a colonial and sedate feel. It has a swimming pool and dive centre which organizes scuba diving, snorkelling and other water sports; the hotel arranges game fishing in a well-equipped boat.

Nungwi Village Beach Resort.

A new upper mid-range hotel adjacent to Nungwi village. It is the best of the hotels on this popular stretch of beach. Locally owned and managed, so there may be some hitches with the service, but the staff are friendly and helpful.

Location – Adjacent to the fishing village of Nungwi on one side and a number of guest houses on the other – yet sufficiently separate from them so they are not intrusive.

Accommodation – There are three grades of rooms, the best, Superior Sea Facing Rooms are large and well furnished with evening views of the spectacular sunsets. All rooms are en-suite and air-conditioned.

Facilities – The restaurant and bar are at the front of the Hotel almost on the beach. Meals are acceptable. There are two dive centres within 5 minutes walk. Among the many guesthouses nearby there are a choice of bars ad places to eat. There are a couple of shops in Nungwi Village, but stocks are limited and check sell-by dates.

Mnarani Beach Cottages.

If you are after a small, intimate and reasonably priced lodge on the quieter flank of the Nungwi Peninsula, Mnarani Beach Cottages is a great option. The bungalows are nestled privately in a cove near the lighthouse on the tip of Nungwi.

Divers will appreciate its reasonable proximity to the Mnemba Atoll (just less than two hours away) and for part-time partygoers the lively bars and restaurants of Nungwi are just 20-minute walk away.

There is a fantastic sandy beach where you can laze about on the sun lounges and develop that long-awaited golden tan. But the beach quality does vary according to the tides and time of the year, so there may be times when you need to walk a short distance to the western side of the peninsula to find a better beach to swim. We did not find this too much of a drawback though.

Zanzibar locals run the lodge. It was originally built in 1996 thanks to the enthusiasm of a young man, Nassor Salim Ali, from Pemba. Over the years, this simple resort has been added to and improved. The staff makes the place special.

They are always friendly and courteous and provide impeccable service. The gardens have been well maintained and you will find name plaques on the trees and shrubs so you can learn more about the local vegetation.

Mnarani is the only lodge development on either side, so you are not inundated with hoards of tourists. Thank goodness! Its location fairly close to the village means you get to see the goings-on in a typical fishing village. However, do not expect to find all the facilities of a large beach club at Mnarani.

There is not much in the way of water sports, no dive centre and no swimming pool. But you can go out with a local Zanzibarian on the lodge’s dhow to enjoy a day of sailing, fishing or snorkelling. Mnarani’s dhow is a rather high-tech for these parts and is probably the envy of most of the traditional fishermen.

It is fitted with outboard engines, short-wave radios, GPS and fish finders, and all kinds of fancy fishing rods.

Your days at Mnarani can be spent relaxing and enjoying the freedom of being able to walk on a long stretch of beach. There is also a local village where they build dhows and the Mnarani Aquarium to visit.

There are 17 comfortable rooms at Mnarani Beach Cottages, situated along sandy paths in the greenery. They are all en-suite with hot water and mosquito nets.

The 12 standard makuti-thatched cottages are small, arranged in pairs and face the sea. They are furnished in simple Zanzibar style and are decorated with fresh blue, pink and white shades. If you’re into star signs, you’ll enjoy the names of these rooms.

The four new apartments are more spacious and are recommended for couples or families, since the children can sleep downstairs in the lounge and adults upstairs (in an open-air bedroom). They have a kitchen and one downstairs bathroom.

There is also a romantic wooden honeymoon cottage called Mahaba House. It is situated at the edge of the property for privacy and has its own garden and access to the beach. Mahaba is an open-plan, double-storey cottage.

There is a kitchenette and sitting room (with cushions on the coir floors and hammocks for lazing) on the ground floor, which leads out onto a large balcony (great for relaxing over sundowners).

The bathroom has both a bath and shower (uncommon in Zanzibar). Upstairs is an airy bedroom with a large bed decorated in local style with wooden floors and reed matting covering the walls. It’s open to the sea breeze. If you cannot go without music, no matter how much you love the sound of the ocean, there is a CD player.

Dining:
Mnarani Beach Cottages has a fantastic restaurant where you can sample local cuisine. You’ll be offered lots of freshly caught seafood, literally bought straight from the fishermen as they return with their morning catch for preparation that evening.

Dinner is usually served on the terrace close to the sea. You can also enjoy barbeques on the beach under the stars. Vegetarians and non-fish eaters are catered for, so let us know well before your visit what you would like.

The restaurant aims to please, but needs to order specific requirements way in advance. It is certainly one of the highlights of Mnarani.

There is also a small bar among the palms, which protrudes out over the rocks to provide exquisite views of the lagoon. This is the place to gather with other guests to enjoy a round of sundowners and a game of the traditional Zanzibar game bao.

(Do not leave Zanzibar without learning how to play!) If the mood is right, the staff suggests packing in a round of soft drinks and taking the boat out to enjoy sundowners on the water.

Mnarani Beach is situated near the village of Nungwi, on the northern tip of Zanzibar. It is located on the eastern side of the lighthouse and is a 20-minute walk along the beach from the festive bars and restaurants of Nungwi Village. It is about a one-and-a-half hour drive from Stone Town.

General facilities: Restaurant, Bar & Motorised dhow

Activities include diving trips to Mnemba Atoll can be arranged with Nungwi operators. Mnarani has a dhow to take you snorkelling or deep-sea fishing (kingfish, tuna, marlin) You can walk along the beach to see the local dhow builders, friendly people in the village and the fishing market. Visit Mnarani Aquarium. Laze about on sun lounges or hammocks on the beach.

Amaan Bungalows

This where it all happens in Nungwi. If you are looking to be at the centre of all the action in Nungwi, then this is definitely the place. The place is full of vibey younger people. They have a huge array of facilities from a dive shop to an internet caf? to a boutique. You could actually just stay here and not go anywhere else if you liked, as it is all here.

However, we would recommend checking out the area around Amaan Bungalows, as there is a lot to do and see, for example the dhow building facilities in the area, the local village and plenty of lovely beaches to walk on. There is some excellent fishing in the area and they have a fantastic dive shop run by a South African affectionately known as “brew”. The facilities at the hotel are excellent, and the pricing is very good.

The hotel is locally owned and run by a Kenyan chap, Andrew. They are centrally located in Nungwi, making them easily accessible to the villages and surrounding areas. We like the vibe of the place, as it is always busy, there is always something to do or a place to go. They have a festive pub in the Blue Sea restaurant, which can go on until the early hours of the morning. If you enjoy partying, then this pub, together with Cholo’s just up the road, should keep you going during your stay.

Rooms:
Amaan Bungalows rooms have been divided up into 4 categories, however, we will not sell type D rooms, as they are way too basic.

The best rooms by far are the Sea Front Rooms. These 5 rooms are located just about in the ocean on a cliff. They have a fantastic balcony where you can sit and overlook the ocean enjoying cocktails. These rooms are bigger than the other rooms, and come furnished in a Zanzibar style. The rooms could do with a woman’s touch though, just to make it that little bit cozier. They have en-suite bathrooms with hot water.

The 10 Type A rooms are located behind the sea front rooms in a U shape facing on to the gardens. These are comfortable with en suite bathrooms and a hot water shower.

They have 14 type B rooms, located further away from the beachfront. These are pretty basic, with en suite facilities, but only cold water in their showers. It is very hot in Zanzibar, and often hot water is not a prerequisite, however if you like that little bit of warmth in your water, then the Type A rooms would definitely be better.

The 10 Type C rooms are for backpackers with shared ablution facilities and are very basic.

All rooms have mosquito nets and ceiling fans.

Dining:

The hotel has 3 restaurants, Fat Fish Restaurant, LionFish Restaurant. The Blue Sea has replaced the old Fish King restaurant since their rebuilding. Breakfasts are served in the Blue Sea Restaurant, which consists of a buffet of eggs, fresh fruit, variety of breads and fresh juice.

Lunches and dinners are served at the Fat Fish or Lion King and are a combination of local cuisine and international food. Seafood is always a specialty here. All dinners and lunches are served from the a la carte menu. The food is very good, and you also have a large variety of other restaurants in the area (within walking distance) if you wish to try something else.

Location:
Amaan Bungalows is located in Nungwi, about 65 km from Stone Town. It should take about 1½ hours to get there from town.

Baobab Beach Bungalows

This is one of the places we have been meaning to get up and running for ages but have been waiting for it to “mature”. The first time we went along to have a look it was so new that it did not look good. The place was looking fantastic. The gardens have developed nicely. The manager, Victor, is a superb chap, and finally we feel they are ready to provide guests with value for money and quality accommodation.

Baobab Beach Bungalows is located in Nungwi, south of the Nungwi Village and the main hub near Amaan Bungalows.

The layout of the lodge is a bit awkward. The main reception area is located very far back in the lodge, then they have built the lodge in a U-shape facing out towards the ocean. There is a large area of landscaped garden between the two sides and it looks like the lodge goes on for miles and miles. There is method in their madness, as it gives a nice feeling of tranquillity not having your neighbours right on top of you.

The restaurant area is fantastic, located on the beachfront, and situated on one of the prettiest stretch of beach in the area. Guests are able to enjoy fantastic views of the ocean whilst enjoying meals or cocktails served in the bar area.

They have also recently included a conference centre, which is very well priced. We would be able to arrange conferences for you up to 70 people at the hotel. Please ask one of our sales staff for more details.

We find the staff to be very friendly, particularly the management, and we could see how this filtered down the ranks. The area and location is ideal as you are suitably far away from the noise. The lodge is perfectly situated if you want some peace and quiet and is sufficiently close and within walking distance to the multitude of shops, restaurants, bars and dive centres in Nungwi.

Baobab Beach Bungalows has 50 rooms in total consisting of 21 Bungalows, 19 Lodge Rooms and 10 Deluxe Rooms.

The deluxe rooms are by far the best as they are located closest to the beach. These rooms have air-conditioning and a lovely veranda. They also feature a small fridge, double beds and ceiling fans. For the price of the rooms, they are definitely the best in this class of accommodation.

The Bungalows are situated further back than the deluxe rooms, some facing the ocean and some facing out on to the gardens. These rooms are comfortable with ceiling fans and twin or double beds.

Finally, the bungalows are situated close to the entrance to the lodge. The rooms are in a long line facing each other with a pathway running through the centre. These rooms are pretty basic, but very comfortable. If you are on a bit of budget, these are definitely the best.

All rooms have en suite facilities with hot water. Being new, they are in good condition and kept neat and tidy by the staff. One thing we really like is the bathrooms are new, clean and nicely tiled. All rooms have showers.

This is one of the most pleasant places in the area to sit and enjoy your meals or drinks. The restaurant is right on the beachfront. They serve a combination of traditional food and international cuisine. The restaurant also serves to patrons from other hotels so can get busy, as they are well priced. Meals are served from an a la carte menu and breakfast is from the buffet.

Baobab Beach Bungalows is located in Nungwi, about 65 km from Stone Town.

Hotel facilities:
Restaurant
Main Bar
Entertainment rooms with billiards
Conference centre catering for up to 120 people. The conference centre also includes a TV, VCR, LC Projector, PA System, flip chart
Satellite television.
Laundry service.
Room facilities:
Choice of double or two single beds
Mosquito nets
Air conditioning (deluxe rooms0
Ceiling fan
Fridge (only deluxe rooms)
Veranda
Hot water facilities
Activities:
Diving, snorkelling
Motorbike, car and bicycle hire
Volleyball
Services:
Massage service
Various tours can be arranged, like spice tours
Laundry service

The hotel is open all year round.

*See other relevant general information.

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