The Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania

Waking up to the sounds of the waves crashing onto the shore from your bed is what real luxury is all about – and, it is very easy to make it happen through ‘The Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania’.

The country has more than 1,000 miles of coastline, mostly graced with beautiful beaches. Although, sea beaches are not the only beaches in the country, tourists tend to flock to Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika to get different flavor of the gorgeous freshwater beaches in Tanzania.

While the goal of vacationers traveling to Tanzania is to see the country’s major tourist attractions like Mount Kilimanjaro or Serengeti National Park, it’s always enjoyable to end your adventurous trip in one of Tanzania’s spectacular beaches.

With hundreds of miles of coastline available in Tanzania, you can choose to sunbathe on urban beaches, pulsing with people or unwind along isolated swaths of silky sand, anything you can think of, there are the Top Beaches in Tanzania to give you a fantastic experience and relaxation.

Nonetheless, not all beaches are created equal, and just because one summer hotspot is popular doesn’t mean you’ll be a fan of it. If you’re planning a summer vacation to Tanzania and you’re a beach lover, knowing which beach is the best fit for you and the people you’re going to travel with, is important. If you choose a wrong beach, you have a tour to forget.

It is so important to know the top beaches in the country, and this will definitely help you and your travel companions have an unforgettable Tanzania safari.

From the beautiful Indian Ocean beaches in Zanzibar to the coolest Tanganyika and Lake Victoria beaches in Tanzania mainland, Tanzania will provide you with full package when it comes to top beaches in the country.

Below are our choices of the finest beaches in Tanzania:

Mafia Island

Mafia claims a list in our Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania.

Mafia is said to have derived its name from Swahili words “mahali pa afya”, a phrase that means a ‘healthy dwelling place’.

Mafia Isn’t poor in History!

This island is known to be exposed to the overseas trade as early as the 8^th Century. During this period, Mafia became an important harbor for Arabian boats to facilitate trade between the people of East Asia and those of East Africa.

In the mid of 1820, Mafia experience a decline of its population in one of its towns that was attacked by cannibals from Madagascar. With over 200 cannibals arriving with about 80 canoes, many locals were eaten while others were taken to slavery.

Beach Experience in Mafia

If you have ever visited any of Mafia beaches, you may then be surprised that we have included Mafia in our Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania. Well, Mafia has no finest beaches, to be honest.

However, it is other water activities in Mafia that make this Island claim the name on our list.

If you’re a lover of beach activities such as Scuba diving, Spot Fishing and Snorkeling, Mafia should be a place for you, and you won’t regret your time there. You won’t find the best beaches to do the above activities in entire Tanzania than in Mafia.

Matema Beach

Matema Beach, which is a freshwater beach in Lake Nyasa, is another beach you should give a visit among the Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania.

Lake Nyasa, the host of this beautiful beach, is the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, the ninth largest lake in the world by area-and both, the third largest and second deepest lake in Africa. Lake Nyasa, also known as Lake Malawi, is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world.

The other thing about Matema Beach is its big waves in the afternoon which make it much fun to swim in. It is also at this time when the sun is very wild to the extent that sands get hotter, making an escape to swimming even more enjoyable.

If you’re looking for scenic beaches in Tanzania, make Matema Beach your choice. The views of Livingstone Mountains, for example, are simply out of this world!

Go in the Waterfall in Matema

This also, makes Matema Beach even the best. Matema has a lot of things to do to refresh. Apart from laying on the beach and swimming all day, you can take a hike to Mwalalo Falls and explore the stunning waterfalls to make your experience even more rewarding.

Lake Victoria Beach

When it comes to freshwater beaches, look no further, Lake Victoria is a place to go to. Lake Victoria is among the best beaches in Tanzania that will definitely give you a memorable experience.

In the 1850’s, John Speke and Richard Burton were in an expedition to locate the source of the longest river in the continent, the Great Nile River. When they found this beautiful lake, local people were calling it ‘Nyanza’, and John Speke renamed it, ‘Victoria’, after the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901.

Victoria is the largest lake in Africa by area and the world’s largest tropical lake. It is also the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, by surface area, after Lake Superior in North America. As if that wasn’t enough, in terms of volume, Lake Victoria is the world’s ninth-largest continental lake.

Having said so, seeing Lake Victoria is itself an experience worth visiting. With beach holidays, boating and canoeing as well as fishing, Lake Victoria is among the best especially if you are looking into exploring the western parts of the country.

Kendwa Beach

Kendwa is, without doubt, one of ‘The 8 Top Beaches in Tanzania’. With its clean water, sand and fantastic tides, Kendwa offers the best swimming experience. Many beach lovers who have visited this beautiful beach usually acknowledge that Kendwa beach is among the best places to visit in Zanzibar. Its fantastic nightlife makes Kendwa the best beach in the world. In addition, it’s one of the two locations in the world (alongside Thailand), where you can experience a full moon party at its best.

Generally, temperatures in Zanzibar archipelago are high throughout the year. The warmest period is from October to March. During these months, the maximum temperature hovers around 31/33 degrees Celsius (88/91 °F) and the humidity is considerably high. With its coldest water of all the islands of Zanzibar, Kendwa beach provides an ideal environment for beach experience.

Saadani National Park

There is no place like Saadani in Tanzania, so are its beaches. In Saadani National Park, is the only place in Tanzania where you can view animals basking along the Indian Ocean shores. No other wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania borders the sea.

You may be surprised to find out that in Saadani four of the Big 5 Animals, can be spotted (with a bit of luck). The Big 5 Animals are; Lions, Elephants, African Cape Buffaloes  and Leopards.

Other animals found in Saadan National Park are such as; Hartebeests, Waterbucks, Monkeys, Sables, Warthogs, Hippos and Crocodiles.

This park is the best mix of both bush and beach experience. Saadani may not have the finest beaches but the scenery makes up for that, and rightly so.

Paje Beach

Talking about white sands, swaying Palm Trees, gorgeous turquoise oceans and stunning sunsets, that is a Paje Beach in summary. And that is what makes it among ‘The Top 8 Beaches in Tanzania’.

Unlike Kendwa, Paje Beach has high tides as well as cool air and privacy. It is also an excellent beach for Kite Surferers.

Nakupenda Beach

Nakupenda is a Swahili word to mean ‘I love You’, and visitors really love this beach. At Nakupenda beach, you can enjoy the following: Sand bathing, relax on sandbank, motorboat riding, discover marine life around the sandbank, enjoy the seasonal fruits and seafood, brilliant birdlife, snorkeling and a visit to Prison Island.

Below is a Nakupenda beach scoring by flightnetwork.com

Nungwi Beach

Nungwi was recognized in CNN’s List of ‘100 Best Beaches of the World’ in 2014. CNN say “Nungwi is one of the rarest beaches in Zanzibar, untroubled by severe undulations of high and low tides, making it perfect for all-day water activities”

You really can’t speak of The Top Beaches of Tanzania without including Nungwi. This gorgeous beach has a lot of activities to offer such as walking tours, sunset cruises, diving and parasailing, to mention a few.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt about it, Tanzania is a fantastic destination for beach-lovers. With many beautiful spots along its shores and between the Mainland and Zanzibar Island, Tanzania has a plethora of sandy shores, rocky cliffs and spectacular views for you to pick from.

So what beach are you going to visit on your holiday in Africa?