Diamonds Mapenzi Beach

You stay at Diamonds Mapenzi Beach on the east coast of Zanzibar, where the gardens run down to Kiwengwa’s shoreline. The resort is all-inclusive, so meals and drinks are covered from arrival. Rooms have private verandas — some face the garden, others the sea — and the spa offers treatments with local ingredients.

The beach is the reason the resort is here. You can walk straight onto the sand from the grounds, and the water is warm enough to swim year-round. The restaurant serves seafood and Zanzibari dishes, with spices grown on the island. The bar looks out over the water, and the pool is set back in the gardens.

Kiwengwa is quieter than the busier beaches to the south, with fewer boats and vendors along the shore. The resort runs excursions to Stone Town and the spice farms, but many guests stay on the beach, swimming and reading under the palms. The gardens are thick with frangipani and coconut trees, and the rooms are built to catch the sea breeze.