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Aerial view of Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar with turquoise water, white sand, catamarans and a palm-lined shore.

Zanzibar Weather

Zanzibar Weather Month by Month

Temperatures, sea conditions, and rainfall for every month — so you can pick the perfect time to visit.

Grilled prawns and octopus on a vendor's hot plate at the Forodhani night food market in Stone Town.

Zanzibar Weather in April

Zanzibar weather in April — the wettest month, with heavy long rains, high humidity, the year's lowest prices, and the quietest beaches on the island.

Two Maasai men in red shuka robes walking along a white-sand Zanzibar beach with wooden dhow boats offshore.

Zanzibar Weather in August

Zanzibar weather in August — dry, sunny, and cool with brisk trade winds, the peak of high season, perfect for diving the west coast and kitesurfing the east.

Aerial view of Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar with turquoise water, white sand, catamarans and a palm-lined shore.

Zanzibar Weather in December

Zanzibar weather in December — hot, bright, and increasingly dry as the short rains fade, with festive crowds, warm seas, and peak holiday-season prices.

A traveller relaxing on a sunbed beneath a thatched palm umbrella on a quiet Zanzibar beach.

Zanzibar Weather in February

Zanzibar weather in February — hot, bright days, warm seas, and the island's best diving visibility, with the Sauti za Busara festival in Stone Town.

Palm trees and thatched umbrellas on the white sand of Paje Beach beside the turquoise Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar Weather in January

What the weather is really like in Zanzibar in January — temperatures, sea conditions, rainfall, and whether it is a good time to visit the island.

Aerial view of Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar with turquoise water, white sand, catamarans and a palm-lined shore.

Zanzibar Weather in July

Zanzibar weather in July — peak dry season, with sunny skies, pleasant cooler temperatures, fresh trade winds, and the island's busiest, most popular beaches.

Palm trees and thatched umbrellas on the white sand of Paje Beach beside the turquoise Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar Weather in June

Zanzibar weather in June — the start of the long dry season, with sunny skies, lower humidity, calm west-coast seas, and pleasant southeast trade winds.

A local Zanzibari woman in a colourful kanga gathering a fishing net on a sunlit tidal beach.

Zanzibar Weather in March

Zanzibar weather in March — still hot and humid as the long rains begin, with cheaper prices, quieter beaches, and lush green landscapes across the island.

Hands holding an open annatto pod with bright red seeds on a Zanzibar spice farm tour.

Zanzibar Weather in May

Zanzibar weather in May — the long rains ease through the month, leaving lush green scenery, low prices, and increasingly bright days toward the dry season.

A local Zanzibari woman in a colourful kanga gathering a fishing net on a sunlit tidal beach.

Zanzibar Weather in November

Zanzibar weather in November — the short rains arrive with brief, scattered showers between sunny spells, plus warm seas, lower prices, and quiet beaches.

Palm trees and thatched umbrellas on the white sand of Paje Beach beside the turquoise Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar Weather in October

Zanzibar weather in October — warm, mostly dry days as the dry season winds down, with calm seas, softening winds, and quieter beaches before the short rains.

The weathered stone ramparts of the Old Fort in Stone Town, Zanzibar, under a blue sky.

Zanzibar Weather in September

Zanzibar weather in September — dry, sunny, and warming gently as the trade winds ease, with clear seas and great diving before the high-season peak passes.