The most beautiful natural sites to discover Zanzibar Archipelago

A 12 km southwest of Zanzibar Island, Chumbe Island has been a private protected area since 1994. It is the first marine park established in Tanzania, managed by the Chicop Island Coral Park, which has received numerous international awards. We recognize the island to its great lighthouse, built in 1904, before which ferries pass. Chumbe Island's eco-tourism complex is one of the few environmentally friendly Africa: solar electricity, compost toilets, recycled and recycled rain water…

With a superb sea view, the main building, which includes restaurant, kitchen and reception, is an ancient English colonial house. The seven bungalows on the island are built in natural materials and effectively protect the rain and wind. Walls, floors and roofs are wooden and leafy. Without necessarily staying in the complex, we can reserve days with and around the island: boat transfer, picnic, drinks and snorkeling included. The surrounding funds are particularly rich. Dolphins and diving are of high quality.

Dolphins. Whichever option you choose (arriving by boat from Nungwi-Kendwa or arriving in Muyuni by car and then by boat to the atoll), you start by going out to sea to look for the dolphins (unless you don't want to do so, in which case you'll have to say so). The large number of boats (around 30 around small groups of dolphins) makes this a difficult moment, so we advise you to skip it and take the time to observe and swim with the dolphins on a dolphin-only excursion to Kizimkazi. The waters are rough, so you'll soon be tossed about, and Mnmeba is often cloudy, so if the weather is unstable, you'll soon feel cold.

Snorkeling. Go straight on to stage 2, with a break in the sandy lagoon with waist-deep water for a swim. You then have two options: go to the boat mooring next to the snorkeling reef south of Mnemba Island (US$ 3 per person conservation fee), which is in excellent condition and very beautiful to watch, with dozens of colorful fish, some of them in tight schools. You can also moor on the sandbar to the west of Mnemba (opposite Matemwe), to snorkel on this reef (US$ 25 per person conservation fee), but you'll need to plan ahead when planning your excursion. Be aware that a receipt is given to captains by the authorities, who collect the money from the boats. If the weather conditions don't allow you to go there, refuse to go behind the island of Mnemba (to the east), where the captains take tourists by default when the waters are rough. There's absolutely nothing to see there except large sea urchins and rocks! Be sure to check the conditions of your excursion before embarking.

The grill. As an option, you can have lunch in the group restaurant on Muyuni beach, just past the Emerald Resort. Traditional grilled fish, seafood and sea cicadas are served, as on all the island's boat tours. You can also enjoy a swim on Muyuni beach, the only one in this part of the island free of sea urchins and coral. But the place isn't really charming, and it's better to reserve this grill for Nakupenda, Pungume or Safari Blu, as it's served on a sandbank or island. On the other hand, we recommend lunch at Sunshine Marine, right next to Muyuni, to enjoy a good meal in a lovely setting and take a dip in the pool, with a view of Mnemba just opposite.

Prison Island owes its name to an Arab merchant who kept slaves here from Bagamoyo before selling them. A prison was built by the Sultan in 1893, but never used; its ruins can still be seen. The island is home to giant land tortoises, imported centuries ago from the Seychelles. Some are over 100 years old. The trick is to feed them and scratch their necks. There are also free-roaming peacocks, and the beach is superb. Combine with snorkeling around Bawe Island and grilling at the Nakupenda sandbar.

Nicknamed the "secret beach", this little paradise is no longer a secret: there's a café-restaurant on the rock overlooking it and new lodges. Visitors come here to discover a beach that has remained untouched, as it is wedged between coral reefs battered by waves at high tide. So we come to admire it at low tide. Situated in a reserve populated by red colobus monkeys and planted with gigantic baobabs, the scenery is really pretty. The reef is very close here, and whales and dolphins can be spotted offshore.

Along the road from Paje to Jambiani, you'll see several signs pointing inland to natural caves. Kuza Cave is one of the oldest, while Maalum has just opened to visitors. In both cases, you can bathe in pure, crystal-clear, cool water, while vegetation envelops the cave walls. Maalum is a cave more open to the sky, with more light and a pleasant wooden pontoon for lounging and taking photos. Entrance is also much more expensive.

Pungume is an alternative excursion to Safari Blu, popular for decades but overbooked. The advantage of the Pungume excursion is that it's only done by private boat (you don't get stuck on a boat with other people like on Safari Blue), but it's more expensive in a small group. The corals are better preserved, and the seafood is grilled on a sandbar uncovered at low tide (beware of sea urchins), not on an island. A real change of scenery. We leave from Uzi when we come from Stone Town.

By continuing on 4 km after Mkoani, we reach a very beautiful beach facing that of Wambaa, across the bay.

This is the evening's must-see show at Michamvi Kae, facing Chwaka Bay, on the beach facing the sunset. An ideal spot in the mangroves for a drink (accompanied by a kebab or home fries, but the food isn't great) on a sofa or hammock to the swinging sounds of reggae during the day. Every evening, acrobats perform impressive human pyramids. A large bonfire burns and crackles, adding an enchanting touch. The atmosphere is family-friendly at the start of the evening, then more youthful and festive, even electro. On Sundays, the Sunset Beach Party is more intense and admission is charged, but it's worth the show. The show takes on contemporary dimensions, with incredible performances, body make-up and Afro-electro music (J Crew Dancers) that make a welcome change from traditional acrobatic shows. Live bands and electro DJs are also invited. We recommend arriving by pirogue from Michamvi Pingwe before sunset. Since 2023, the beach has been transformed to limit the number of entrances (unpaid to the site) and to deal with soil erosion, so you soon find your feet in the water with the sandbags forming a dike, which is a shame. The mangrove behind is magnificent, and just to the right of Kae Funk, we recommend a trip to the village beach, where children play in the water every evening. An authentic atmosphere set against the backdrop of Konokono's luxury hotel bungalows on stilts.