Zanzibar White Sand
Harmonious hamlet
Spice Island sands
Cast off your cares – and your shoes – at Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa, a barefoot resort nestled in the palm-flecked fringe of Paje Beach, one of the most beautiful strips of sand on Zanzibar’s south-east coast. Traditional palm roofs and sun-bleached timbers make the villas look like they’re part of a rustic fishing village, separated by gardens of lush exotics and bright-blooming flowers. But as the hotel’s name suggests, it’s the sugary sands that take centre stage. Out on the beach and beyond, you’ll find plenty of diversions: open-air spa huts, for instance, or kitesurfing at the hotel’s expert-led school. In the evenings, toast the sunset on the rooftop champagne bar, before descending to dinners that make the most of Zanzibar’s spice farms, including saffron-dusted tiger prawns and fragrant fish curries.
Planes
Zanzibar International Airport is closest. Flights from the UK involve a stopover – the fastest routes often go via Istanbul or Muscat. It takes around an hour to drive from the airport to Zanzibar White Sand, and luxury transfers with onboard wifi can be arranged by the hotel. For up to four guests, transfers are available upon request for €90 each way. Transfers for five or six guests can be arranged for €160 each way; for seven to ten guests, it's €230 each way.
Automobiles
Most people choose to leave the driving to the locals, who’ve grown up with the oft-chaotic conditions on the roads. Driving along the coast and rural areas tends to to be calmer, but Stone Town should be avoided unless you’re a veteran driver with experience negotiating Zanzibari roads. (If you do decide to hire, the Smith24 team can arrange it.)
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
As its name suggests, this hotel’s all about the beach. The long, flat strip of sand that runs along the coast is what put Paje on the sun-seeker’s map, sought not only for its forget-the-world character and suitability for sunset walks, but because of the crystal clear water that laps the shore. This makes for excellent snorkelling – for the best experience, get the hotel to take you out the reef on a boat. The southeast coast’s diminutive waves have also led to the Zanzibar becoming one the world’s best kitesurfing destinations. The hotel has its own highly regarded kitesurfing school, open from 15 June to 15 September and 15 December to 15 March. Zanzibar’s Unesco-protected capital, Stone Town, is on the island’s west coast, around an hour’s drive from the hotel. The rich history of this Swahili trading town is written on its walls, with buildings cycling between Indian, Arabic, European and East African architectural styles. One of the city’s most famous features are its ornate doors, which grace nearly every building of note. Many are carved from thick slabs of teak or mahogany and decorated with artwork that reflected the occupation and social status of the owner that commissioned them. Another Zanzibari hallmark are the pungent spice markets, which have been a mainstay in Stone Town for as long as people can remember. The best way to get to grips with this rich heritage is on a spice tour – they can be a little touristy, but most involve a visit to a spice farm in a local village, making them one of the best ways to experience rural Zanzibari life. For more natural thrills, journey into Jozani national park, a sometimes swampy landscape that allows the trees and ferns to thrive, supporting a large population of indigenous red colobus monkeys.
