Ever wondered what it’s like to drive along palm-lined roads with the Indian Ocean on your side? Zanzibar’s coastline offers some of the best beach drives in East Africa. Jambiani welcomes you with white sand, fishing boats, and a slow-paced village life. As you travel north, the scenery shifts toward the untouched beauty of Muyuni. In this blog, you’ll get a full guide on the best beaches to visit, where to stop, and why renting a car in Zanzibar is the easiest way to explore it all.
The Jambiani to Muyuni road trip covers around 87.4 kilometers and takes about 1 hour and 42 minutes. There are no direct bus routes between the two villages, so renting a car is your only practical option.
The route begins in Jambiani and follows Jambiani Road through peaceful coastal areas like Paje and Bwejuu. It then veers inland past small towns and countryside. A few local turns bring you to Muyuni Beach in Kijambani. GPS or offline maps can be helpful for the final stretch, where signs can be limited.
Driving from Jambiani to Muyuni gives you complete control. You can pull over at roadside cafés, explore quiet fishing villages, or walk along empty beaches. The roads are paved for most of the way, and driving in Zanzibar follows the left-hand side. Outside larger towns, traffic is light and easy to manage. Bring a valid driver’s license and, if required, an International Driving Permit (IDP). Fill up in towns like Paje or Makunduchi, because there are fewer fuel stations further north.
Jambiani is a peaceful village on Zanzibar’s southeast coast. It's about 56 kilometers from Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, where you’ll most likely pick up your car rental. The village stretches along a long beachfront, offering space to walk, swim, or relax. It’s an 11-minute drive from Paje, where you’ll find fuel stations, ATMs, and basic supplies before hitting the road.
With less traffic and more open space, Jambiani is ideal for starting your drive. You won’t deal with city congestion, and the route from here connects smoothly to Jambiani Road, which leads north toward Muyuni. Here are best things to do in Jambiani:
Kuza Cave is a natural limestone sinkhole in North Jambiani, approximately 8-minute drive from Paje. The cave is about 50 meters in diameter and has a freshwater pool formed over 250,000 years through rainwater erosion of soft limestone. The water is generally around 3 meters deep, with some sub-caves extending deeper.
To access the cave, you must cross a small bridge and descend a few steps, using ropes. The site is open daily from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM; no prior booking is required for basic visits. Entry fees range from $5 to $10 USD. The Kuza Cave Culture Centre also offers cultural activities, such as African dance and drumming lessons, Swahili cooking classes, and art and craft workshops. The center also houses a Swahili House Museum, which showcases traditional architecture and artifacts.
Jambiani Beach stretches over 6 kilometers along Zanzibar’s southeast coast. It’s wide, flat, and made of soft white sand, perfect for long walks at any time of day. During low tide, the sea pulls back, revealing tidal pools and seaweed farms. Local women gather seaweed here by hand, and it’s common to see fishermen preparing their boats or nets along the shore. The beach is rarely crowded, offering a quiet space to watch daily life unfold.
You’ll also find places on the beach offering activities like deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, and kitesurfing. The nearby waters are home to tuna, marlin, and barracuda—great for full-day fishing trips. For diving, schools like Nakupenda Diving at The Loop take guests to coral reefs full of stingrays, turtles, and seahorses. Steady side-shore winds also make this one of Zanzibar’s best kitesurfing spots.
Jambiani is one of the best places in Zanzibar to enjoy fresh seafood right by the shore. Many beachside restaurants offer daily BBQs featuring the catch of the day. These include grilled lobster, octopus, prawns, calamari, and snapper served with sides like coconut rice or chapati. The menu features only freshly caught fish and shellfish at Lost Soles Bar, located at Garden Beach Bungalows. Their popular dishes include whole grilled fish and octopus served with passion fruit sauce and fresh lime.
Fadhil Restaurant offers a simple but satisfying menu of grilled seafood, rich coconut-based curries, and local sides like mandazi (fried pastry) and chapati (flatbread). For a more refined setting, La Shira Restaurant features a rooftop bar and serves various seafood dishes. They host special BBQ dinners on Saturdays, accompanied by live music, offering dishes like grilled calamari, prawns, and seafood platters.
Most places are casual, open-air setups with tables in the sand. Meals are made to order, and the seafood is sourced from local fishermen each morning.
Sail the Jambiani coast aboard a traditional wooden dhow for a 2.5-hour adventure. Tours start near the Passion Boutique Hotel and cost about $20 for two people. The boat glides over clear waters toward the reef, where you can snorkel among colorful fish, starfish, and octopus.
Snorkeling gear is included, and an English-speaking guide leads the trip. After your swim, enjoy fresh local fruit on board. The tour operates daily, with flexible booking and a free cancellation policy up to 24 hours in advance. Note that low tide can affect return times, but guides are experienced in adjusting.
Muyuni is a quiet coastal village in northeast Zanzibar, known for its wide beaches and calm, shallow waters. Unlike busier areas like Nungwi or Kendwa, Muyuni is primarily undeveloped. It’s a great final destination for your trip after Jambiani because it gives you more space to relax, swim, and enjoy clear views of offshore Mnemba Island. The drive north also lets you see a more rural side of Zanzibar. Here are things to do in Muyuni:
Muyuni Beach in Matemwe is a quiet coastal spot on Zanzibar’s northeastern shore. The beach features flat white sand and shallow waters ideal for swimming. Visitors often cool off in the clear sea while spotting small fish around their feet. Muyuni has very little algae compared to other beaches.
You’ll find a peaceful lodge on a cliff, hidden behind palm trees. It offers private beach access, a restaurant, a beach bar, and deck chairs. You can see the Indian Ocean and even spot Mnemba Island in the distance. This private area feels like a retreat, especially at high tide when water cuts it off. You can walk to it in about 10 minutes at low tide.
The public section of the beach shows a slice of local life. At low tide, local women in sarongs work the seaweed farms, spreading and gathering algae. Seaweed is an important export product for Zanzibar and part of the island’s daily rhythm. Muyuni also serves as a departure point for boat trips to Mnemba Island. Many visitors come here for dolphin tours and snorkeling over coral reefs.
Visitors can embark on dolphin tours in Muyuni with better chances of seeing dolphins because of its close location to Mnemba Island. The waters near the island are known to attract dolphins regularly, making sightings more common than in other parts of Zanzibar. Tours usually depart from the main beach area near Matemwe village. A short 10-minute boat ride takes you to the waters surrounding Mnemba, where dolphins often swim in groups. The sea here is calm and clear, which makes spotting and swimming with dolphins easier and more enjoyable.
Muyuni Forest is a small woodland area found on Zanzibar Island, which belongs to Tanzania in East Africa. It lies near the village of Jozani in the southern part of the island and spans around 30 hectares.
This forest hosts several types of animals. Visitors may spot monkeys like the Sykes, red colobus, and vervet monkey. Different bird species, reptiles, and small mammals live in the area. The forest now draws ecotourists who enjoy its wildlife and peaceful setting. Local communities also depend on the forest for daily needs such as firewood collection and grazing animals.
The Zanzibar Jozani Forest & Muyuni Village Tour is a full-day private excursion offered by Fisherman Tours. It begins with a guided walk through Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, the island's only national park. Visitors can observe endangered red colobus monkeys, bush babies, duikers, butterflies, and various bird species here.
The tour continues to Muyuni Village, where guests experience local traditions. Villagers demonstrate crafts like rope making, basket weaving, and makuti plaiting. The visit includes a stop at the village school and an exploration of Ngonga Cave, known for its spiritual significance and healing ceremonies. This tour operates from Monday to Thursday.
The best time to go on a road trip from Jambiani to Muyuni is during Zanzibar’s dry season. These run from June to October and again from late December to February. During these months, the roads are dry and easier to drive on. The clear skies and warm weather also make the beaches more enjoyable.
Avoid traveling during the rainy months of March to May and November. Heavy rains can make roads slippery and limit outdoor activities. The views along the drive are best enjoyed when the weather is sunny, especially if you plan to stop at beach spots or take photos. Early morning departures are recommended. Traffic is light, and you’ll reach Muyuni before it gets too hot. Sunrise in Jambiani is also worth catching before you start the journey. If possible, plan your trip on a weekday to avoid crowds at the more popular beaches and stops.
The Jambiani to Muyuni route is one of the best Zanzibar road trips for beach lovers. You’ll pass quiet fishing villages, the best beaches in Zanzibar, and stretches of peaceful countryside. Renting a car with FinalRentals makes it easy to enjoy the ride. You can pick up your vehicle right at Zanzibar Airport and choose whatever fits your trip, whether a small car or something roomier. Booking online is quick; you get instant confirmation with the option to cancel if plans change. It’s a simple way to make the most of the journey.
