Zanzibar: Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkeling and Lunch
Free cancellation · Pickup included
fromUS$90
See dates on GetYourGuideFumba, Zanzibar: Fumba Town, the beach and getting there
Snorkelling
Zanzibar: Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkeling and Lunch
fromUS$90
If you book on GetYourGuide from here, we may earn a commission; you pay nothing extra. Affiliate disclosure
See dates on GetYourGuideThe lie of the land
Where Fumba is on Zanzibar
Fumba is a quiet base for boat days on Menai Bay, within easy driving distance of Stone Town. Fumba village sits at the end of the Fumba Peninsula, in the south-west of Unguja, and looks out over Menai Bay3.
Fumba Town: about 15 km from the airport2
The peninsula has a few parts you’ll hear about:
- Fumba village and Fumba Beach: the old settlement, where tour boats and local fishing boats4 pull up on the sand.
- Fumba Town: a new planned town a few kilometres north of the village2.
- The Fumba Free Economic Zone: a special economic zone covering the whole peninsula3, which takes in the port and the new stadium.
The planned town
Fumba Town (Silicon Zanzibar)
Fumba Town is where you’ll find shops, a supermarket and holiday flats close together. It’s a planned urban development also known as Silicon Zanzibar2, with a 1.5 km5 seafront.
1.5 km seafront5
What’s there:
- By its own account, a supermarket, a library, a food court and a beach bar1.
- The Pavilion, the commercial centre, with shops, offices, food and drink, and medical and sports facilities5.
- Holiday flats let on Airbnb. One host describes the town as a gated community with security at the entrance6.
Afcon City and the new stadium
Fumba is getting a football stadium for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations7, seating about 32,0002. The Daily News reported on 19 August 2026 that officials expected it finished by December 2026 or January 20277.
Fumba Port, on the peninsula’s south-eastern coast, is set to become Zanzibar’s main import hub2 once its expansion is finished.
Boat days on the bay
Fumba Beach, Menai Bay and Safari Blue
Fumba Beach is the starting point for boat days in Menai Bay. At 470 km²8, the Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibar’s largest marine protected area.
Menai Bay: 470 km² protected area8
The bay has resident dolphins: a count in 1998 recorded 160 bottlenose and 69 humpback dolphins8. Kwale Island lies in Fumba ward, inside the Menai Bay conservation area4, and it’s where Safari Blue runs its restaurant9.
What a Menai Bay boat day from Fumba costs
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Menai Bay marine-park fee, per day (non-East Africans) | US$10 | US$5 (ages 5–15) |
| Safari Blue Original Experience | US$85 (15+) | US$45 (ages 6–14) |
| Safari Blue Private Dhow Charter | US$550 for 2, then US$85 per extra guest | – |
| Safari Blue Bubble Boat | US$250 per boat + US$85 per adult | US$45 |
The Citizen (news); Safari Blue (operator)
Safari Blue says everything is included, from snorkelling gear to food and drinks all day9. The private charter explores Menai Bay and returns to Fumba under traditional sail10. For the trip in detail, see Safari Blue boat tour prices and options.
The same daily marine-park fee12 applies at Mnemba, so budget for it on a Mnemba snorkelling tour as well.
A beach lodge on the bay
Where to stay in Fumba
From £138 a night on i-escape14
Fumba Beach Lodge is the beach stay on the peninsula to look at. Tribes says it’s in the Menai Bay Conservation Area, in Zanzibar’s remote south-west13. It has 26 en-suite rooms13 in grounds shaded by baobab and palm trees.
Booking sites quote different prices for Fumba Beach Lodge, so compare before you book:
| Booking site | Listed from |
|---|---|
| i-escape | £138 per night14 (checked October 2026) |
| Coolstays | £184 per night14 |
| Timbuktu Travel | US$310 per person per night, as a tailor-made trip15 |
What the lodge offers, according to the agents that list it:
- Freedom Destinations lists the Garden View Room with breakfast and dinner included16.
- An open-air restaurant serving local dishes, international food and fresh seafood13.
- A bar built from a traditional dhow16, with happy hours.
- Timbuktu Travel says it has a two-kilometre private beach with three sandy coves15.
- i-escape says the Blue World dive centre is on site and children are welcome14.
i-escape lists the lodge as open all year14, which helps in April, when most beach lodges are closed17. For more options, compare beach hotels around the island or read where to stay in Zanzibar area by area.
Food on the peninsula
Where to eat in Fumba
You can eat in Fumba Town, at the lodge or at a restaurant on the shore:
- Fumba Town: a food court and a beach bar1.
- Fumba Beach Lodge: its open-air restaurant with local dishes and fresh seafood13.
- Membe Kayak Club: it calls itself a beachfront restaurant near Fumba, with a menu that mixes local flavours with global influences18.
Membe Kayak Club is at Abuja Street no. 4, Fumba18. It opens every day from lunchtime to 9pm, with evenings on Fridays, Saturdays or by reservation18 (checked October 2026).
There are more places to eat elsewhere on the island if you’re touring around.
Getting there
How do you get to Fumba from Stone Town?
You drive: Fumba Beach Lodge is a 20–30 minute14 trip by road from Stone Town. From the airport, Fumba Town is closer still.
20–30 minutes by road14
| Trip | Distance or time |
|---|---|
| Airport to Fumba Town | 15 minutes5 |
| Airport to Fumba village | roughly 20 km3 |
| Stone Town to Fumba Beach Lodge | 20–30 minutes14 |
Most visitors reach the island on a ferry or catamaran from Dar es Salaam, or fly into the airport about 5 km south of Zanzibar City19. From there, pick whichever suits your trip:
- Taxi: the simplest door-to-door option.
- Lodge transfer: Fumba Beach Lodge can arrange a private transfer from the airport14.
- Tour pickup: if you’re only coming for Safari Blue, book its hotel pickup.
For car hire and other options, see taxis, car hire and other ways around Zanzibar.
Before you go
Questions people ask
Is there a clinic near Fumba?
Yes. Urban Care Clinic has a clinic in Fumba Town, and its emergency department in Zanzibar is open 24/7.
When is the rainy season around Fumba?
Rain peaks from March to May, with a smaller peak in November and December.
What currency do you need in Fumba?
The Tanzanian shilling (Tsh), as everywhere on Zanzibar.
Is it safe to visit Fumba and Zanzibar?
GOV.UK advises against all but essential travel to parts of Tanzania and reports incidents in Stone Town, at hotels and on tourist beaches. Check its latest advice before you go.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 24 sources · last checked October 2026
- Fumba Town (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- The Citizen (news) · checked October 2026
- Airbnb (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Daily News (news) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Safari Blue (operator) · checked October 2026
- Safari Blue (operator) · checked October 2026
- Safari Blue (operator) · checked October 2026
- The Citizen (news) · checked October 2026
- Tribes (tour company) · checked October 2026
- i-escape (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Timbuktu Travel (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Freedom Destinations (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Expert Africa (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Membe Kayak (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Urban Care Clinic (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- GOV.UK (official) · checked October 2026
- GOV.UK (official) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 21 October 2026
- First written
