Calendar
The same beach is a different product in different months
The wind that makes the south-east world-class for kitesurfing is the wind that makes lying on it less appealing.
Two monsoons
Zanzibar’s year runs on two monsoon seasons: a hotter, calmer one and a cooler, windier one, with rainy periods between them.
The calm season is hot and humid with flat water — the diving and snorkelling season, and the one most honeymoons are booked into. The windy season is cooler and breezier, which is pleasant to be in and which brings consistent wind to the exposed coasts.
What each does to each coast
| Calmer, hotter months | Cooler, windier months | |
|---|---|---|
| North | Hot, flat, busy | Breezy and pleasant; still swimmable |
| North-east | The diving season — clear, flat water | Choppier; visibility more variable |
| East and south-east | Gentler, quieter, warmer | Kitesurfing season; the coast comes alive |
| West | Hot and still | Breezy, and good for sailing |
Neither column is better. They are different holidays on the same sand.
The rains
The long rains, broadly around April and May, are the one period to plan around. Rain can be heavy and prolonged, and a number of hotels close entirely for part of it.
There is a shorter rainy period later in the year which disrupts a great deal less — typically afternoon storms rather than days of rain, with plenty of sun between them, and rates to match.
If somebody offers you a very cheap week in the long rains, that is why.
Heat and humidity
The calm months are genuinely hot and humid, particularly inland and in Stone Town where the alleys hold the heat and there is no breeze.
On the coast it is more comfortable, because there is almost always some movement of air. If you are sensitive to heat, the windier months are more pleasant and are underrated for exactly that reason.
Which months for which traveller
- Divers and snorkellers: the calmer, flatter months, for visibility.
- Kitesurfers: the windier months, on the south-east, without question.
- Honeymooners who want flat blue water: the calm months, accepting heat and higher rates.
- Anybody sensitive to heat: the windier months, which are more comfortable and less expensive.
- Value seekers: the shoulders either side of the peaks, and the short rains if you accept afternoon storms.
- Everybody: avoid the long rains unless the price is the point and you know what you are buying.
One more calendar note
Ramadan moves through the year and changes the atmosphere in Stone Town considerably — many restaurants closed during daylight, the town quiet by day and alive after dark. Beach resorts operate normally.
It is worth knowing rather than avoiding, and it is one of the more interesting times to be in the town if you plan around it.
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