Zanzibar: The Swahili Spice Experience – Spice Tour + Culinary Journey
Free cancellation · Pickup included
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See dates on GetYourGuideKiwengwa, Tanzania: beach, caves, hotels and transfers
Tour
Zanzibar: The Swahili Spice Experience – Spice Tour + Culinary Journey
fromUS$32
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See dates on GetYourGuideVillage, beach and tide
What Kiwengwa is like
Kiwengwa is a village on the north-eastern coast5 of Unguja (Zanzibar Island), and you come here for the sand, the reef and a resort to come back to. Zanzibar itself is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania6.
Between Pongwe and Pwani Mchangani1
The hotels sit along the shore. Daily News names Melia Zanzibar, Diamonds Mapenzi Beach, Dream of Zanzibar and Ocean Paradise Resort7 among those on the Kiwengwa and Pwani Mchangani coast.
Low tide changes the beach completely. Here is what to expect:
- The sea goes out, uncovering hundreds of metres of beach8, says VOI Kiwengwa Resort.
- You can walk out over the flats: the Blue Bay hotels say guests can walk towards the reef at low tide9.
- The flats reveal traditional seaweed farming, mostly run by local women10, here and in neighbouring Pwani Mchangani.
Caves, reefs and day trips
Things to do around Kiwengwa
Your main days out from Kiwengwa are the coral caves in the forest reserve, dive trips to Mnemba Atoll, and spice tours or dhow cruises.
Cave Walk: US$24 per adult11
Kiwengwa Caves
The Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve, 20 km from Zanzibar Town, has coral caves with stalactites and stalagmites3. Kiwengwa Caves runs visits in the Kiwengwa Forest Reserve, and its Cave Walk has flat chamber floors and well-maintained steps11.
Everyone is given a disposable face mask, a hard hat and a rechargeable headlamp11, so you don’t need to bring a torch.
Kiwengwa Caves: Cave Walk prices
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Cave Walk | US$24 | US$18 (ages 6–11) |
| Cave Walk, young children | – | Free under 6 |
Kiwengwa Caves (operator)
Before you book:
- Cancelling needs at least 24 hours’ notice11.
- A guide in a non-standard language needs 48 hours’ notice by email or WhatsApp11.
- The Kiwengwa Challenge is not suitable for anyone with claustrophobia11.
Diving from Kiwengwa
One Ocean runs Mnemba Atoll trips from its Kiwengwa and Matemwe dive centres, with free transfers from hotels in Pongwe Bay, Kiwengwa, Pwani Mchangani and Matemwe12. For what’s out there, read up on Mnemba Atoll dive trips.
If snorkelling is the main reason for your trip, Nungwi on the northern tip counts good snorkelling and scuba diving13 among its draws.
Tours, skydiving and other days out
Daily News encourages visitors here to take spice tours, dhow cruises and village visits7. It also reports that skydiving arrived in Kiwengwa in 20247.
TUI puts the Cheetah Rock conservation centre on the west coast less than an hour’s drive5 from Kiwengwa. These bookable tours take in a spice farm:
Zanzibar: Stone Town, Spice tour & Prison Island with Lunch
Free cancellation · Pickup included
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See dates on GetYourGuideResorts and boutique stays
Is Kiwengwa a good place to stay?
Yes, if you want a beach resort: Kiwengwa mixes all-inclusives, family hotels and small boutique places, and the dive centre collects from hotels here.
Diamonds: up to 20% off 3+ nights27
| Stay | What you get | Price checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamonds Mapenzi Beach | All-inclusive; 87 bungalows (tour company figure) | Up to 20% off stays of 3+ nights | Diamonds Resorts (resort); africansafarigroup.com (tour company) |
| Kiwengwa Beach Resort | 45 km from the airport; 115 garden-view standard rooms | – | Kiwengwa Beach Resort (resort) |
| TUI BLUE Bahari Zanzibar | 207 rooms; Kiwengwa / Pwani Mchangani | £141 a night (Deluxe King); from $278 on halalbooking | TUI BLUE (resort); halalbooking.com (booking agent) |
| Melia Zanzibar | North-east coast, 45 km from Zanzibar Town | From €344 | HRS (booking agent); halalbooking.com (booking agent) |
| Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa | 30 acres of gardens; 582 m beach shared with Sultan Sands | – | Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar (resort) |
| Sultan Sands Island Resort & Spa | Rooms in the style of African rondavels | – | Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar (resort) |
| Ocean Paradise Resort | 98 rooms and suites | – | Ocean Paradise Zanzibar (resort) |
| Shooting Star Lodge | 14 to 18 rooms (sources differ), makuti thatch roofs | US$124 per person, basis not stated | Tanzania Odyssey (tour company); MyBoutiqueHotel (booking agent) |
| Mvuvi | Boutique seaside resort on the beach | – | Mvuvi Zanzibar (resort) |
| VOI Kiwengwa Resort | About 45 km from the airport; reef walks at low tide | – | VOI Hotels (resort) |
Hotel and booking-site pages as listed per row; each price is what that source showed for its own search, so compare like with like.
Travelling with children? Kiwengwa Beach Resort has 27 family suites with a pool view14, and TUI BLUE Bahari says it welcomes both families and couples15. Diamonds Mapenzi Beach includes a kids’ pool16 in its package.
The all-inclusive package at Diamonds Mapenzi Beach covers soft drinks, juices, water, tea, coffee, local beer, house wines, cocktails and selected spirits16. Speciality cuts, seafood and à la carte dinners cost extra16. To weigh it against other resorts, see where to stay for all-inclusive holidays.
At the small end, Tanzania Odyssey calls Shooting Star Lodge exceptionally good value for money17. Its Monsoon Villas come with a 360° view, a private pool and an open terrace18.
Check-in and check-out times matter if your flight lands early or leaves late:
| Hotel | Check-in | Check-out |
|---|---|---|
| Tembo Kiwengwa Resort | From 2pm19 |
By 11am19 |
| Blue Bay hotels (Bluebay, Sultan Sands) | From 2pm, earlier if available9 |
11am, late check-out may cost extra9 |
If nothing here fits, compare a beachfront hotel on another stretch of coast, or read up on where to stay in other parts of Zanzibar.
Beach bars and hotel kitchens
Places to eat in Kiwengwa
Kiwengwa’s named places to eat are beach bars and hotel restaurants, so expect to eat where you sleep or wander along the sand.
Mvuvi: open 8am–10pm daily20
- Mvuvi: Swahili and Mediterranean cooking, open every day from 8am to 10pm20 (checked October 2026).
- Beach bars: Daily News names Local Ocean, Pongwe Bay Lounge and Bahari View7.
- Shooting Star’s Monsoon Restaurant: à la carte lunch and dinner, including local seafood and Zanzibari dishes18.
- Bluebay’s Bahari Grill: fresh seafood on the beachfront21.
- Sultan Sands: Far Eastern fusion at the Kivuli Bar & Restaurant and Indian food at Cinnamon22.
- Ocean Paradise Resort: the Mawimbi Restaurant and the Jahazi Restaurant23.
- Diamonds Mapenzi Beach: ONDA Beach Restaurant on the Kiwengwa shoreline, plus private candlelit beach dinners at Suli Suli24.
Airport transfers and taxis
How do you get to Kiwengwa?
Take a taxi or private transfer from the airport: the Blue Bay hotels put the drive at 45 to 60 minutes9.
Airport to Kiwengwa: about 59 minutes4
| Transfer | Price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi or private transfer via MyTransfers | €374 (checked October 2026) |
A drive of about 45.63 km4 |
| TUI BLUE Bahari’s own transfer | About US$80 each way15 |
Arranged by the hotel |
| Bluebay or Sultan Sands transfer | Extra cost, booked in advance by email9 |
Arranged by the hotel |
Once you’re here, Wikivoyage rates a taxi or private car25 as the most comfortable way to travel outside Stone Town. For the cheap option, daladalas (minibuses) serve all the major villages very cheaply25.
Questions people ask
How many hotels are there in Kiwengwa?
Booking.com lists 108 hotels and places to stay in Kiwengwa.
Can you swim at Kiwengwa Beach?
Check the tide first: at low tide the sea goes out, uncovering hundreds of metres of beach.
How far is Kiwengwa from Stone Town?
About an hour's drive, according to Tanzania Odyssey (for Shooting Star Lodge on Kiwengwa beach).
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 35 sources · last checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- VOI Hotels (resort) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- MyTransfers (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- TUI (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Daily News (news) · checked October 2026
- VOI Hotels (resort) · checked October 2026
- Blue Bay Hotels Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Daily News (news) · checked October 2026
- Kiwengwa Caves (operator) · checked October 2026
- One Ocean (dive centre) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- Kiwengwa Beach Resort (resort) · checked October 2026
- TUI BLUE (resort) · checked October 2026
- Diamonds Resorts (resort) · checked October 2026
- Tanzania Odyssey (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Shooting Star Lodge (resort) · checked October 2026
- Tembo Kiwengwa Resort (resort) · checked October 2026
- Mvuvi Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Bluebay Hotels Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Ocean Paradise Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Diamonds Resorts (resort) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- GOV.UK (official) · checked October 2026
- Diamonds Resorts (resort) · checked October 2026
- africansafarigroup.com (tour company) · checked October 2026
- Kiwengwa Beach Resort (resort) · checked October 2026
- halalbooking.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- HRS (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- halalbooking.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- MyBoutiqueHotel (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Mvuvi Zanzibar (resort) · checked October 2026
- Booking.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 21 October 2026
- First written
