Sundowners & Full Moons: Zanzibar's Beach Bars

The easiest sunset drink in Stone Town, with harbour views and a slice of the town's history.

Sunset, during happy hour. Live music is usually on Saturdays, but not every week.

Walk in; no booking or entry fee. It's a short walk along the seafront from Forodhani Gardens.

Cocktails and cold beer at happy hour; grilled fish, seafood and pizza if you stay to eat.

• Bring shillings in cash — reviewers report the card machine often failing.
• Service can be slow when it's busy, and the food gets mixed reviews.

Feet in the sand and a sunset over the sea, a few minutes' walk from the old town's alleys.

Arrive before sunset for a table on the sand; happy hour is daily 17:00–19:00. Salsa night is Thursdays, 20:00–22:00.

Walk in; no entry fee, salsa night included. It's on Shangani beach, near the Park Hyatt.

Cocktails with your feet in the sand, then Italian pizza or seafood.

• Service can be very slow when it's busy — a recurring complaint.
• Some find portions small for the price.

Stone Town's liveliest late night out, and one of the few places still serving after midnight.

Happy hour (17:00–19:00) on the upper floors for sunset; Friday and Saturday nights for dancing.

Walk in; no entry fee. On Shangani Street, a minute from the seafront.

A Dawa — Zanzibar's vodka, lime and honey cocktail — or a cold local beer; there's a long list of single malts too.

• Cash only.
• Crowded and loud late at night — better as a bar than a restaurant.

Great vibes and one of the best places on the beach to swim, eat and chill — the most relaxed afternoon and sundowner in Nungwi.

Afternoon into sunset, when the boats come in and the sky turns orange.

Walk in along the beach; no booking or entry fee. It's at the fishing-village end of Nungwi beach.

Fresh juices with no added sugar and fresh-fruit cocktails, with the octopus salad, calamari curry or samosas.

• A beach bar first: relaxed, unhurried service — settle in for the afternoon.

The best Sunday in Nungwi, and a sunset view reviewers rate highly.

Sunday afternoon into the night, or any evening for sunset.

Walk in along the beach; sunbeds are for rent. Not to be confused with Kibanda Lodge, inland on the Nungwi road.

Reviewers praise the bartenders' cocktails; burgers, pasta and poke bowls to eat.

• Reviewers find it slightly expensive.
• Sunbeds cost extra.

A sure-fire sunset with music, cocktails and something for everyone — children included.

Sunset; the DJ plays daily from 16:00 to 19:30. Weekdays and early evening are quieter.

Walk in; no entry fee. Bar open 10:30 to midnight.

Sunset cocktails — reviewers mention a spicy margarita — and a good range of mocktails; wood-fired pizza and gelato.

• Busy, loud and touristy at peak times.
• Some reviewers find the food inconsistent.

A full beach day without the hassle — recommended especially for solo travellers — with a sunset DJ to finish.

A lazy day on a sunbed, staying for the DJ from about 17:00 to 19:00.

Walk in; sunbeds carry a minimum spend that goes on food and drink.

Smoothies and cocktails by day; tuna tartare, seafood salads and burgers.

• The music is loud at sunset.
• Fewer umbrellas than sunbeds — arrive early for shade.

A grown-up sunset from up high — cocktails on a rooftop with the whole of the Nungwi shore below you.

Arrive by 17:00, when happy hour starts and before the seats fill. DJ on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 17:00–20:00. Open daily 17:00–23:00.

No reservations — first come, first served. Adults only (no under-16s), and a minimum spend may apply for non-residents.

The passion dawa and the cocktail list, with sharing plates or sushi from the Cinnamon menu.

• Busy at sunset; seats go fast.
• Pricier than the beach bars, with a card surcharge.
• The hotel's bars and restaurants closed for the long rains in April and May 2026.

The full moon party is the one night out in Zanzibar that people plan a trip around.

Full moon party nights — in 2026 including 24 October, 21 November, 25 December and New Year's Eve; check the official calendar. Gates open at 19:00 with a BBQ buffet; reviewers say the atmosphere peaks after 23:30.

Buy party tickets in advance — they're cheaper the earlier you book, and VIP tables can be reserved. No outside drinks. On other nights, walk in. From Nungwi, take a taxi, a boat, or walk the beach at low tide.

Cocktails are the beach bar's speciality, with mocktails too; ceviche, tuna steak and sushi on the menu.

• Very crowded on party nights, with queues at the bars and few toilets.
• Don't drive back; arrange a taxi before the night starts.
• No parties during Ramadan.

One of the friendliest bars on a quiet stretch of coast: good cocktails, fair prices and a super-chilled vibe.

Late afternoon into the evening, ideally on a live-music night. The beach faces east, so the sunset glow is behind you.

Tide: Matemwe's lagoon drains a long way at low tide; swimming in front of the bar is only possible around high tide, which is also when the kitesurfers are out.

A hotel bar that welcomes outside visitors; no booking needed. Live-music nights aren't published, so ask the hotel which evening it's on.

Guests single out the signature cocktails — a spiced gin, the Dawa and frozen margaritas — with calamari and samosas to share.

• The music schedule changes; check before you plan an evening around it.
• Matemwe is quiet at night — this isn't a party beach.

The easiest-going bar in Kiwengwa — a beach lounge open to all, on a coast mostly lined with resorts.

An afternoon on a high tide, when the kiters are out. Open daily 08:00–22:00.

Tide: Kiwengwa's lagoon drains at low tide; the kiting and the view of the water need high tide.

Walk in; no entry fee, and non-guests are welcome.

Reviewers single out the turmeric drinks and cocktails, with grilled seafood or pizza from the charcoal grill.

• Wind can blow sand across the tables.
• Not a party venue — come to unwind.

A drink with water all around you — the novelty of a bar on stilts over the Indian Ocean.

Mid to late afternoon, as the tide comes in. It faces east, so there's no sunset over the sea.

Tide: At low tide the pier stands over sand flats; go at high tide, when it's surrounded by water.

Walk in for a drink; no entry fee.

Come for cocktails or a fresh juice; the seafood platter and octopus are the dishes people mention.

• Reviews of the food and service are mixed — treat it as a place for a drink and the view rather than a dinner destination.
• Opening hours differ between listings.

The chic way to spend a day on the east coast, with cocktails and the island's most famous view.

Late morning to mid-afternoon. The lounge is open daily 09:00–18:00; for evening drinks, Boho Social is open until 22:00.

Tide: At low tide the lagoon drains and people walk out to The Rock; at high tide the turquoise water reaches the deck.

The lounge works on a day pass, part of which goes towards food and drink; booking is highly recommended. Boho Social is open to walk-ins.

Signature cocktails and the aperitivo menu, with sushi or seafood from Boho Social.

• A hotel venue with a day pass, not a walk-in beach bar.
• Some reviewers find service slow at busy times.
• Card payments carry a surcharge.

The east coast's big sunset — one of the few places on this side of the island where the sun goes down over the sea, with a party to match.

Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunset for a swing or a front-row seat. Quiet by day; busiest at weekends.

No booking needed; many people come on organised sunset trips. Reports differ on an entry fee and on whether you arrive by boardwalk or by boat, so check on the day. Bring cash in shillings.

Rum cocktails — passion-fruit mojitos, piña coladas, and rum served in a fresh coconut — or a cold Safari or Kilimanjaro beer.

• Loud and crowded at sunset, especially at weekends.
• Seating is limited, and beach sellers work the crowd.
• No shows or music during Ramadan, reviewers report.

The same sunset over the water as Kae Funk, without the party — for a quiet drink as the sky turns orange.

From about an hour before sunset.

A resort bar: outside visitors are usually asked to register as day guests or spend a minimum at the bar. Phone ahead.

A cocktail or a cold beer at sunset; the resort makes its ice from bottled water.

• A hotel bar on the resort's terms, not a walk-in beach bar.
• Beach sellers work the public beach in front.

The most relaxed beach day in Paje — a swing, a smoothie, then a cocktail as the light goes soft.

Mid-morning to sundown; it closes at 21:30, so it's not a late spot.

Tide: At low tide the lagoon drains and the kites come out; swim around high tide.

Walk in along the beach; no entry fee. Open daily 08:00–21:30, with the bar from 11:00.

Iced lattes, fresh juices and smoothie bowls by day; cocktails and local craft beer later, and homemade coconut or salted-caramel ice cream.

• Busy with the kite crowd.
• Monkeys are about — keep an eye on your plate.

A proper cocktail on Paje beach, away from the party bars.

A shaded lunch, then sundowners into the evening. The sun sets inland here, so the light over the lagoon is soft rather than a sea sunset.

Tide: Paje's lagoon drains at low tide; swim around high tide.

Walk in; open daily 11:00–23:00.

The Negroni and the cocktail list; a tuna poke bowl or samosas to eat.

• Some reviewers find the portions small.
• Live-music nights aren't published — ask at the bar.

The south coast's best party, with serious DJs and your feet in the sand.

Late afternoon after kiting, then party nights. DJ days change through the season, so check @b4beachclub for the current line-up.

Tide: At night the lagoon is usually out; swim around high tide.

Walk in by day; it may charge entry on party nights.

Cocktails and cold beer; reviewers keep coming back for the burgers.

• Very loud, sometimes until dawn — bring earplugs if you're staying nearby.
• Not the place for a quiet drink on party nights.
• Not to be confused with B4 Boutique by Arabian Nights nearby.

Paje's sociable evening spot — wood-fired pizza, live music and a crowd that's spent the day on the water.

Evenings, especially Mondays in high season for the Swahili buffet and live music (19:00–22:00).

Walk in from Paje village; the restaurant is open daily 08:00–22:00.

A cocktail from the full bar with wood-fired pizza, pasta or a Swahili curry.

• Not on the beach — a short walk inland.
• More sociable bar-restaurant than all-night club these days.

Jambiani's friendliest bar — the place to meet people and stay round the fire.

Sunrise coffee, a high-tide afternoon by the pool, then evening drinks round the fire. It faces east, so there's no sea sunset.

Tide: At high tide the sea reaches the property; at low tide it pulls back to reveal the reef.

Walk in along the beach; open daily, roughly 07:00–22:30.

The signature cocktails; pizza, grilled fish or a tuna-avocado salad to eat.

• Come for the drinks and the atmosphere rather than a destination dinner.
• Food can take a while at busy times.

A lazy afternoon in a hammock with a cold-pressed juice — and one of the island's most memorable dinners once a month.

High-tide afternoons, then happy hour (18:00–20:00). Wednesdays for the barbecue; the last Friday of the month for Busati Night.

Tide: Jambiani's lagoon drains at low tide; swim around high tide.

Non-guests buy a day pass with a minimum spend, which comes off the bill that day. Cash or card.

Cold-pressed juices and homemade lemonades, cocktails with house-infused spirits, and Utengule coffee; the kitchen leans plant-based, with fish from Kizimkazi.

• The day-pass minimum spend surprises some walk-ins.
• A hostel crowd, so it can be busy.