North Coast FamilyBeach

Just after breakfast a six year old is already up to her knees in the sea, then her waist, then floating on her back, and the water barely stirs. On the north tip of Zanzibar the tide makes little difference: the seabed shelves away quickly, so the water stays deep enough to swim in the morning, at noon and again before supper. That is why we chose Nungwi and Kendwa for this Zanzibar family beach holiday.

We begin with one night in Arusha, a soft landing after the long flight into Kilimanjaro, with lawns to run on and an early bedtime. A short flight the next morning carries the family over patchwork farms and out across the channel to the island. Then the week slows right down. Older children can join an optional snorkelling trip to Mnemba Atoll, counting striped sergeant majors in water as warm as a bath. In Nungwi village the dhow building yards ring with the knock of adzes on timber, and the smell of freshly cut wood and shark oil hangs in the air; it is a short walk along the sand and a good afternoon out. An optional sunset dhow cruise ends a day on the water. Every excursion is an optional extra, run by the island operator you choose and never bundled into the price.

That is the Savannah & Sands difference. Every cost is itemised before you book: island fees and levies, lodging, flights and transfers, activities, and the total. No hidden markups, no vague family package. You choose your beach hotel in Kendwa or Nungwi. Once you have booked, a local Expert looks after you on WhatsApp until you fly home.

The north coast works year round, with steady weather typically from June through February. Six nights in one place, one bag unpacked, and a week of salt, sand and early nights.