East Coast Village & Beach Tour
A full day exploring Zanzibar's traditional east coast, from the seaweed farms and fishing villages of Bwejuu and Jambiani to the wide, wind-swept sands and kitesurfing scene of Paje.
Traditional Villages, Wide Beaches
Zanzibar's east coast, running through Jambiani, Bwejuu and Paje, offers a completely different character from the resort-heavy north and west coasts. Wide reef-flat beaches, a strong tidal range, traditional fishing and seaweed-farming villages and, at Paje, one of the world's best kitesurfing destinations thanks to consistent trade winds.
This full-day tour introduces you to the villages of Jambiani and Bwejuu, where women wade out at low tide to tend rows of seaweed lines, before continuing to Paje, where you can watch (or try) kitesurfing and relax on some of the widest, most photogenic sand in Zanzibar.
Life on the East Coast
Unlike the sheltered lagoons of the north coast, Zanzibar's east coast faces a wide, shallow reef flat that empties out dramatically at low tide, exposing hundreds of metres of sand and shallow pools. This tidal rhythm has shaped local life for generations, most visibly in seaweed farming, an industry largely run by local women who plant and harvest seaweed lines by hand in the shallows.
Further south at Paje, the same open exposure and consistent onshore trade winds that shape the tides also create some of the most reliable kitesurfing conditions in the world, drawing a growing community of kitesurfing schools and beach cafes alongside the area's traditional fishing character.
Full-Day East Coast Schedule
1
Pickup & Jambiani Village
Pickup from your hotel and a drive to Jambiani, a traditional fishing and seaweed-farming village on the southeast coast, where your guide introduces you to daily life along this quieter stretch of coastline.
2
Seaweed Farm Visit
A walk out onto the tidal flat at low tide to visit a working seaweed farm, meeting local women who explain the planting, growing and harvesting process that has become a major source of income for coastal communities.
3
Lunch & Bwejuu
A lunch stop at a local beachfront restaurant before continuing north to Bwejuu, a quieter fishing village with an especially wide, beautiful stretch of beach.
4
Paje Beach & Kitesurfing
The final stop at Paje, where you can relax on the wide sand, watch kitesurfers riding the trade winds, or arrange an introductory kitesurfing lesson (extra cost), before your return transfer to your hotel.
Included & Excluded
- Licensed local guide and driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Seaweed farm village visit
- Transport between all three villages
- Bottled water
- 24/7 Haven Trails ground support
- Lunch (own account, typically $8-15)
- Kitesurfing lessons or equipment rental (available on request)
- Gratuities for your guide and driver
- Personal items and souvenirs
Why Haven Trails Adventures
Based in Moshi, Tanzania, not a booking platform abroad. Our Zanzibar partners are deeply embedded in the island's hospitality and activity networks, with real-time knowledge of the best guides, boats and conditions throughout the year.
Every guide and boat operator working with Haven Trails is licensed by the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism and personally vetted for safety, professionalism and knowledge of the island's history, culture and marine environment.
Choose a small shared group departure or book the tour privately for your party alone. Either way, you get an unhurried, personal experience rather than being herded through a crowded, oversized tour bus itinerary.
A Haven Trails ground team is reachable throughout your Zanzibar stay for any change, question or unexpected situation. You are never navigating the island alone from pickup to drop-off.
Haven Trails prioritises locally-owned operators, community guides and marine conservation partners. A portion of every booking supports coral reef protection and community tourism initiatives on the island.
No hidden extras, no last-minute upsells at the dock. What you see at booking is what you pay, with clear notes on anything genuinely excluded, such as the Zanzibar marine park conservation fee.