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Major city · Tanzania

Nungwi

Stay 3–4 nights if you want a beach base with diving and no tide clock; skip if you want quiet — Nungwi is Zanzibar's busiest north-coast village.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
TZS
Best months
Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb
avoid Apr–May (long rains), Mar (short rains tail)
Airports
ZNZ · JRO
Nights
3–4
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 9Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a mult…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • East Africa ↗Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a multi-country trip: Uganda and Burundi check it for all arrivals, and a stop in Kenya or Ethiopia makes the next border ask for it.
  • East Africa ↗Advice for Ethiopia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Congo border areas can change within days; read your government's page the week you fly and before every regional flight.
  • East Africa ↗Price park, reserve and permit fees before comparing lodges: they are charged per person per day, often with VAT, and are fixed whatever bed you choose.
  • Tanzania ↗Apply for the Tanzania e-visa only on the official immigration portal; Zanzibar and, from 1 October 2026, mainland Tanzania each require their own US$44 inbound insurance bought from the state insurer's site.
  • Tanzania ↗Carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from or connect through a risk country such as Kenya or Ethiopia; see a travel clinic about malaria several weeks ahead.
  • Tanzania ↗Plastic carrier bags are banned; leave shop and duty-free plastic bags behind before you arrive.
  • Tanzania ↗Light aircraft between parks and to Zanzibar have strict baggage limits, usually soft-sided bags only and a low total weight (often around 15 kg); confirm the limit with your operator.

Nungwi sits at Zanzibar's northern tip, about 1.5–2 hours by road from Stone Town. Its selling point is practical: the beach stays swimmable all day because the tide range here is small, unlike the east coast. That makes it the easiest place to combine diving, kitesurfing and a dhow sunset without planning around low tide. It is also the busiest and most built-up beach village on the island, so pick it for access, not solitude.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Nungwi, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • BeerBeer (Tusker, Kilimanjaro) at a beach barTZS 3,500–6,000
  • Museum or sight ticketMnarani turtle aquarium entryTZS 7,000 or about US$5
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse dorm bed, a night, per personTZS 15
  • Mid-range bedBeach bungalow double room, a night, per roomTZS 90
  • High-end bedBeach bungalow double room, a night, per roomTZS 180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget TZS 45 · Mid TZS 100 · High TZS 220

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Swimmable beach at all tidesDhow boat yard and sunset cruisesMnarani sea-turtle aquariumDiving at Mnemba and TumbatuKitesurfing at Ras Nungwi
Airports
ZNZ Abeid Amani Karume International (Zanzibar) (About 1.5–2 h by road to Nungwi; shared shuttle or private transfer) · JRO Kilimanjaro International (Safari-side arrival; fly or ferry onward to Zanzibar first)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Nungwi: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

32°C

24°C

6 rd

Feb

32°C

24°C

5 rd

Mar

32°C

24°C

11 rd

Apr

30°C

24°C

16 rd

May

29°C

23°C

13 rd

Jun

29°C

22°C

6 rd

Jul

29°C

21°C

5 rd

Aug

29°C

21°C

5 rd

Sep

30°C

21°C

5 rd

Oct

31°C

22°C

7 rd

Nov

31°C

23°C

12 rd

Dec

32°C

24°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The village is small enough to walk: beachfront strip to the boat yard is about 15–20 minutes on sand. For Kendwa (3.5 km south) take a taxi or a boda-boda; agree the fare first. Dalladalla #116 runs from Stone Town's Darajani area to Nungwi.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Kendwa

go

Door to door: About 15 min

Taxi or boda-boda south along the coast road

Quieter sand and the full-moon party scene; easy half-day.

Stone Town

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Shared shuttle, private transfer or dalladalla #116

Do it as a transfer day, not a return day trip.

Matemwe

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Taxi south-east along the coast

Mainly a dive-transfer destination for Mnemba atoll.

Paje

overnight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Taxi across the island via Stone Town

Too far for a return day; move your base instead.

Jambiani

overnight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Taxi across the island via Stone Town

East-coast tide country; sleep there if you go.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Ras Nungwi (north tip)

The boat yard, lighthouse and kitesurf beach; walkable to most restaurants.

Nungwi beachfront strip

Resorts and bungalows on the sand, from budget bungalows to all-inclusive.

Nungwi village / Nungwi Road

Cheaper guesthouses 2–10 min walk from the beach; ATM and shops on the road.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
US$35–60 excl. bed
Mid
US$70–130 excl. bed
High
US$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Beach bungalow double room1 × 4 nights × TZS 90TZS 360
Food, local transport, entries2 × 4 days × TZS 100TZS 800
Shared shuttle Stone Town ↔ Nungwi, each way2 × TZS 10TZS 20
Private transfer Stone Town ↔ Nungwi, each way1 × TZS 55TZS 55
Two-tank dive at Mnemba or Tumbatu2 × TZS 110TZS 220
Dhow sunset cruise2 × TZS 15TZS 30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × TZS 15TZS 30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeTZS 152
Trip total≈ TZS 208 per person per day, bed includedTZS 1,667

2026 estimate in US dollars; international flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Local meal at a village caféTZS 8,000–15,000
Mid-range beach restaurant mainTZS 13,000–25,000
Beer (Tusker, Kilimanjaro) at a beach barTZS 3,500–6,000
Mnarani turtle aquarium entryTZS 7,000 or about US$5
Kitesurf equipment rental, half day / full dayUS$60
Yoga class, 90 minUS$20
Dalladalla #116 from Stone TownTZS 2,500–5,000

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Nungwi is generally a relaxed, safe beach village, but room and beach thefts are reported: use the hotel safe, carry little cash, and avoid walking unlit back lanes alone at night.
  • Sea urchins on the reef flat at low tide — wear shoes when wading out.
  • Theft from rooms and beaches happens; use the hotel safe for cash and passports.
  • Agree taxi and boat prices before you get in; there are no meters.
  • Some beach operators sell snorkelling trips with no safety gear — ask what is provided.
  • Ramadan dates and local holidays change restaurant hours; check locally.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
112
Fire (alternate)
114

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

NungwiNungwi

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Nipeleke kwenye anwani hii, tafadhaliTake me to this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance112
  • Fire (alternate)114

Embassy

Most embassies are in Dar es Salaam; several countries keep consulates or honorary consuls in Stone Town (check before you travel).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shared shuttle Stone Town → Nungwi: about US$10, 1.5–2 h
  • Private transfer Stone Town → Nungwi: US$50–60 per car
  • Dalladalla #116 Stone Town → Nungwi: TZS 2,500–5,000, slower

Say or show

  • Jambo / Habari — Hello (JAM-bo / ha-BA-ri)
  • Asante — Thank you (a-SAN-te)
  • Bei gani? — How much is it? (BEI GA-ni)
  • Hapana, asante — No, thank you (ha-PA-na, a-SAN-te)
  • Choo kiko wapi? — Where is the toilet? (CHO ki-ko WA-pi)
  • Nisaidie — Help (ni-sa-i-DI-e)

Tipping is expected for guides, boat crews and porters; 5–10% at restaurants is common where no service charge is added.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Nungwi. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb · avoid Apr–May (long rains), Mar (short rains tail) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ZNZ: last transfer times, shuttle vs private, night-arrival fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with anchors: Ras Nungwi boat yard, the beachfront strip, the village road, the turtle aquarium.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Mnarani aquarium, dive shops, kitesurf schools) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Tide and rain fixtures so beach days can be planned around the calendar, not the weather app.

Meanwhile

Back to Tanzania

Sources