Kendwa Sea Temperature Today

Beaches

Kendwa Beach is a long stretch of white sand backed by palms and hotels. On Zanzibar's east coast the sea retreats far out at low tide, but at Kendwa the water usually stays deep enough for swimming through most of the tide. Nungwi, reached along the shore at low tide or by a short drive, has a busier beach with more restaurants, while parts of the coast between the two are rocky. The sea temperature on this page is measured off the northern part of Kendwa Beach.

Things to do

Sunset cruises on traditional dhows leave from Kendwa Beach, and boat trips go to Mnemba Atoll, a marine conservation area off the north-east coast, for snorkelling and diving among reef fish and, at times, dolphins. In Nungwi, the Mnarani turtle conservation pond cares for sea turtles, and wooden dhows are still built by hand on the beach. Stone Town, the historic centre of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about an hour and a half's drive south, and day trips combine it with a spice farm, Prison Island with its giant tortoises, or Jozani Forest and its red colobus monkeys.

Weather and best time to visit

At Kendwa the sea stays above 25 °C / 77 °F all year, even in the coolest month.

Kendwa has a tropical climate with two rainy seasons: the long rains, usually from March to May, and shorter rains around October to December. June to October is drier and a little cooler, with steady trade winds, and January to February is hot and mostly dry; both are popular periods on Zanzibar, though the timing of the rains varies from year to year. The west-facing beach is more sheltered from the south-east trade winds than the east coast.

Hotels and where to stay

Accommodation in Kendwa ranges from large all-inclusive resorts to bungalows and small lodges, most of them directly on the beach. Nungwi, to the north, is livelier, with more bars and restaurants within walking distance.

Signature hotels: Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa

Airport and getting there

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), near Zanzibar City, is about 60 km from Kendwa, roughly an hour to an hour and a half by road, usually by hotel transfer or taxi. Fast ferries from Dar es Salaam reach the port of Stone Town in about two hours, and flights link Zanzibar with mainland cities such as Dar es Salaam and Arusha and with safari airstrips.