From Stonetown we travelled up North about 35 miles to Nungwi town which was originally a fishing village but is now a popular tourist destination.

Lucky for us we weren’t staying in or near a resort where most of the tourists were. We stayed in Bagamoyo Spice villa which was run by local people – all of whom were really friendly and provided a great breakfast and accommodation. It wasn’t ON the beach but only a  2 min walk away. We stayed here for 8(or 9) nights.

We were glad to finally step foot in the sea. The beach was pure white and varied in textures. The sea was a perfect cyan colour (turquoise too) and at low tide it was as clear as anywhere else you could go.

The beaches were beautiful and perfect for my brother to make sandcastles with.

We took to exploring both the East side and the West side of the beach that spread either way from where we stayed. If you went out far enough at low tide to bathe in the gorgeous pristine waters and looked out into the deeper colours of the ocean it felt as if you really were the only person on this planet and that all that beauty was for your eyes only.

On the tip of the beach there is a small turtle reserve run by local people which is a good place to visit.

 

The beach wasn’t very busy where we were (apart from local women and children collecting food) or anywhere else as most seemed to stay in their resorts especially in the afternoon when the sun was at it’s highest.

Maasai warriors (The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group who live in Kenya and Tanzania. They are well known for their distinctive culture and dress and they speak the Maa language) roamed the beach all the time trying to improve their English and get you to buy things from their stalls. They seemed to latch on to single women..but they were still very friendly and we learnt a lot about their culture.

Every evening, as we sat in the local restaurant we were rewarded with stunning sunsets.

Nungwi is a great place to relax and get a feel for Zanzibar island. Whether you are a resort type person or a person who prefers to hang with the local people, I would highly recommend visiting here even if it’s just for a day trip.