1. Nungwi Beach – The Sunset Ceremony
- Setting: Open beach
- Guest capacity: Up to 50 guests
- Best for: Sunset ceremonies, evening receptions
- Distance from airport: 60 km (approx. 1 hour)
Nungwi sits at Zanzibar’s northern tip and faces west, which means genuine golden-hour sunsets directly behind your ceremony, every evening of the year. The water stays calm and shallow close to shore, making it ideal for beach setups with chairs, a decorated arch, and dinner on the sand afterwards. Traditional dhow boats anchored offshore give your photos an authentically Zanzibar character you won’t find anywhere else.
Nungwi is also one of the few Zanzibar beaches where tidal changes are minimal, so setup and timing are straightforward. It’s our most requested sunset venue.
- Consistent west-facing sunsets year-round
- Calm, clear water ideal for photos
- Multiple beachfront access points
- Easy access to Stone Town and airport
“The ceremony took place right on the beach at low tide at Nungwi. Getting the marriage certificate recognised back home was completely straightforward. I still can’t believe how easy the whole process was.”
– Sophie & Oliver, Nungwi, July 2025
Learn more about Nungwi Beach →
Interested in Nungwi for your ceremony? Get a free consultation →
2. Kendwa Beach – The Celebration Venue
- Setting: Open beach
- Guest capacity: Up to 50 guests
- Best for: Celebrations with guests, full-day events
- Distance from airport: 55 km (approx. 50 mins)
Kendwa is unique among Zanzibar’s beaches: minimal tidal changes mean you can swim, set up, and celebrate at any time of day without worrying about the water retreating. For couples planning a larger celebration, a ceremony followed by a beach dinner and dancing – Kendwa gives you the space and flexibility to do it all in one location.
The beach stretches for several kilometres, so your ceremony has room to breathe. Kendwa is also known for its vibrant atmosphere, making it the natural choice for couples who want their wedding to feel like a genuine celebration rather than a quiet elopement.
- Swimming possible at high and low tide, no tidal surprises
- Ample space for ceremony, reception and dinner setups
- Soft white sand, ideal for barefoot ceremonies
“The team handled everything, the coordination with the registrar, the beach décor in Kendwa, even the coconut cocktails afterwards. It all came together perfectly.”
– Charlotte & James, Kendwa, May 2025
Learn more about Kendwa Beach →
Interested in Kendwa for your ceremony? Get a free consultation →
3. Paje Beach – The Photographer’s Choice
- Setting: Lagoon beach
- Guest capacity: Up to 50 guests
- Best for: Photography, intimate ceremonies
- Distance from airport: 50 km (approx. 45 mins)
Paje is on Zanzibar’s southeast coast and produces the turquoise water shots you see on travel magazine covers. The shallow lagoon creates an extraordinary contrast of blues and greens that photographers love, especially at low tide, when natural sandflats extend outward and create an almost surreal foreground for ceremony photos.
Paje is less crowded than the northern beaches, giving your ceremony more privacy and a more intimate feel. It is also one of the more budget-conscious venue options without any compromise on beauty.
- Exceptional turquoise water colours, best on the island for photography
- Natural low-tide sandflats create unique ceremony settings
- Less crowded than northern beaches, more privacy
- Kite surfing backdrop adds a dynamic visual element
“We got in touch just three weeks before our date. Everything went smoothly. The pavilion at Paje looked stunning and the photos were exactly what we’d hoped for. The sunset that evening was honestly unreal.”
– Emily & Tom, Paje, February 2026
Interested in Paje for your ceremony? Get a free consultation →
4. Matemwe Beach – The Secluded Escape
- Setting: Secluded northeast beach
- Guest capacity: Up to 50 guests
- Best for: Privacy, intimate elopements, sunrise ceremonies
- Distance from airport: 55 km (approx. 50 mins)
If privacy matters most, Matemwe is the answer. This northeast coast beach sees far fewer tourists than Nungwi or Kendwa, and retains a genuinely untouched quality, no beach bars, no crowds, just coral sand, reef, and open water. The beach faces east, so morning ceremonies here catch beautiful soft light, with the silhouette of Mnemba Atoll visible on the horizon.
Matemwe is the preferred choice for couples planning a true elopement or a very small ceremony with just a handful of witnesses, the setting does the work without needing any elaborate decoration.
- Remote, low-footfall beach, maximum privacy
- Pristine coral reefs visible from the shoreline
- Stunning views of Mnemba Atoll
- Ideal for sunrise and early morning ceremonies
Learn more about Matemwe Beach →
Interested in Matemwe for your ceremony? Get a free consultation →
5. Jambiani Beach – The Cultural Backdrop
- Setting: Village beach, southeast coast
- Guest capacity: Up to 50 guests
- Best for: Authentic atmosphere, cultural experience, smaller budgets
- Distance from airport: 55 km (approx. 50 mins)
Jambiani offers something none of the other venues can: a genuinely local, living backdrop. The beach runs alongside a traditional fishing village, and the combination of white sand, seaweed farming, and dhow boats creates a Zanzibar that feels real rather than resort-polished. For couples who want their wedding to feel like an experience, not just an event, this is the venue.
The beach changes dramatically with the tides, which creates different scenic options throughout the day. Jambiani is also the most accessible option for couples working with a tighter budget.
- Authentic village atmosphere, the most culturally rich setting on the island
- Dramatic tidal variation creates multiple ceremony settings in one beach
- Less commercialised than northern beaches
- Most affordable venue option without compromising on beauty
Learn more about Jambiani Beach →
Interested in Jambiani for your ceremony? Get a free consultation →
6. Nakupenda Sandbank – The Most Exclusive Setting in Zanzibar
- Setting: Private sandbank, open ocean
- Guest capacity: Up to 20 guests
- Best for: Ultimate privacy, truly unforgettable elopements
- Tide-dependent: Yes, ceremony timing planned around tides
Nakupenda, which means “I love you” in Swahili, is a natural sandbank that appears from the Indian Ocean, surrounded by turquoise water on all sides. There is nothing around you except sea, sky, and sand. No resort, no other guests, no background noise. Just the two of you and the ocean.
A sandbank ceremony at Nakupenda is available with any of our packages. It requires planning around the tides, we handle that entirely, and access by boat from Stone Town (approximately 20 minutes). Guest numbers are naturally limited by the size of the sandbank, making it best suited to intimate elopements or very small ceremonies of up to 20 guests.
If you have ever seen a photo of a wedding on a sandbank in the middle of the Indian Ocean and thought “that’s it”, his is that place.
- Completely surrounded by ocean, total privacy
- vailable with any wedding package as a venue upgrade
- Ceremony timing coordinated around tides by our team
- Access by boat from Stone Town (approx. 20 mins)
- Maximum 20 guests, intimate by nature
Learn more about Nakupenda Sandbank →
Dreaming of a sandbank ceremony? Get a free consultation →
