The unique selling point: Swimming without low tide?
You often hear and read this from Zanzibar experts:
Nungwi and Kendwa are the only places on the island where the sea doesn’t recede hundreds of meters. Thanks to their location at the northern tip and the deeper coastal areas, you can swim here 24 hours a day.
On the east coast (Paje/Jambiani), you’d have to wade 1-2 km over coral at low tide to be able to swim – here in the north, you have consistently deep blue, turquoise water.
My experience is that even in the north, the water recedes quite a bit at low tide in some places. This isn’t the same everywhere, and those traveling with children also want to enjoy times with shallow water.
Others want to take their first steps on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or swim and also appreciate times with calm, shallow water.
The bottom line: it depends!