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Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- Tanzania
- Best months
- Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb
- Avoid
- Apr–May (long rains), Mar (short rains tail)
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TZS
- Money
- Currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS). Tourism is still quoted in US dollars, but since 2025 the central bank requires local transactions to be priced and paid in shillings — check how your lodge bills; dollar notes older than 2013 or damaged are refused.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$35–60 excl. bed · Mid US$70–130 excl. bed · High US$180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodacom, Airtel, Yas (Tigo) and Halotel sell SIMs at airports; registration takes fingerprints and a passport.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Fire (alternate) 114
- Plugs
- Types D, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · UK three-pin is most common; some older round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Safari guide: About US$15–25 per vehicle per day from the group — check.; Kilimanjaro crew: About 10–15% of the climb price, shared per a published scale — check your operator's guide.; Camp staff box: About US$10 per guest per day.; Restaurant: 5–10% where no service charge.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; lodges provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and lodges; long-drops at some gates and picnic sites; squat toilets at bus stops.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Local meal at a village café | TZS 8,000–15,000 |
| Mid-range beach restaurant main | TZS 13,000–25,000 |
| Beer (Tusker, Kilimanjaro) at a beach bar | TZS 3,500–6,000 |
| Mnarani turtle aquarium entry | TZS 7,000 or about US$5 |
| Kitesurf equipment rental, half day / full day | US$60 |
| Yoga class, 90 min | US$20 |
| Dalladalla #116 from Stone Town | TZS 2,500–5,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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
Typical fares
- 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
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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 (2.2 mi) south) take a taxi or a boda-boda; agree the fare first. Dalladalla #116 runs from Stone Town's Darajani area to Nungwi.The village is small enough to walk: beachfront strip to the boat yard is about 15–20 minutes on sand. For Kendwa (2.2 mi (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 and do
Known for
- Swimmable beach at all tides
- Dhow boat yard and sunset cruises
- Mnarani sea-turtle aquarium
- Diving at Mnemba and Tumbatu
- Kitesurfing at Ras Nungwi
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kendwa | Taxi or boda-boda south along the coast road | About 15 min |
| Stone Town | Shared shuttle, private transfer or dalladalla #116 | 1.5–2 h |
| Matemwe | Taxi south-east along the coast | About 1 h |
| Paje | Taxi across the island via Stone Town | 2–2.5 h |
| Jambiani | Taxi across the island via Stone Town | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Jambo / HabariJAM-bo / ha-BA-ri |
| Thank you | Asantea-SAN-te |
| How much is it? | Bei gani?BEI GA-ni |
| No, thank you | Hapana, asanteha-PA-na, a-SAN-te |
| Where is the toilet? | Choo kiko wapi?CHO ki-ko WA-pi |
| Help | Nisaidieni-sa-i-DI-e |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Shikamoo' to elders, a handshake and small talk first; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Hands: Right hand for eating, giving and receiving; avoid: Using the left hand
- Dress on Zanzibar: Cover shoulders and knees in town; avoid: Beachwear in Stone Town
- Photos: Ask first; pay agreed fees in Maasai bomas; avoid: Photographing women on Zanzibar without asking
- Affection: Keep it private; avoid: Kissing in public, especially on Zanzibar
- Pace: 'Pole pole' — slow down; avoid: Showing anger in public
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nungwi yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Swimmable beach at all tides
- Dhow boat yard and sunset cruises
- Mnarani sea-turtle aquarium
- Diving at Mnemba and Tumbatu
- Kitesurfing at Ras Nungwi
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Zanzibar Commission for Tourism: zanzibartourism.go.tz/
- Tanzania Tourist Board: www.tanzaniatourism.go.tz/
- Wikivoyage: Nungwi, revision 5310455 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5310455
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nungwi
Nipeleke kwenye anwani hii, tafadhali
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Dar es Salaam; several countries keep consulates or honorary consuls in Stone Town (check before you travel).
Tipping is expected for guides, boat crews and porters; 5–10% at restaurants is common where no service charge is added.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nungwi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.