Johari Beach Resort, Kizimkazi Zanzibar

We recommend the Johari to couples on honeymoon or seeking disconnection, far from the bustle of Nungwi and Paje. Families will appreciate the family rooms and the calm beach, ideal for children. Traveller profile: those who prioritise authenticity and calm over nightlife, ready to rent a car or organise excursions from the south.

The resort adopts traditional Swahili architecture: makuti roofs (braided palm leaves), lime-washed walls, carved wooden shutters. The buildings are low, scattered in a tropical garden facing the beach, respecting the scale of the surrounding village. Minimalist interiors blending Zanzibari furniture (four-poster beds, wooden chests) and contemporary comfort (air conditioning, high-end bedding). The ensemble comprises a maximum of fifteen rooms, guaranteeing an intimate atmosphere.

The main restaurant serves revisited Swahili cuisine: grilled fresh fish, octopus curry, spiced pilau rice, tropical fruits from the Kizimkazi market. Continental breakfast with freshly squeezed fruit juices, homemade chapati, made-to-order omelettes. The beach bar offers cocktails with local rum and sugarcane juice. Room service available, simplified yet effective menu for dinners in the room facing the sunset.

Kizimkazi lies at the far south of Zanzibar, 1h15 drive from Stone Town and 1h30 from the international airport. The village remains authentic: 12th-century mosque, traditional fishermen, no mass tourist development. The resort beach overlooks the Menai channel, a renowned spot to observe humpback dolphins (excursions from 6am). Calm environment, few restaurants or shops nearby, plan for a rental car or transfers organised by the hotel.