THE ULTIMATE ITINERARY FOR EXPERIENCING THE BEST NIGHTLIFE THAT THE ISLAND HAS TO OFFER
EID MUBARAK! AS WE ENTER THE EID CELEBRATIONS OF RAMADAN, IT IS TIME TO ROLL UP THOSE SHORTS, LET LOOSE AND UNWIND. ALTHOUGH ZANZIBAR’S POPULATION IS LARGELY MUSLIM, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET DOWN. ON THE CONTRARY, YOU’LL FIND A VIBRANT NIGHTLIFE IN MANY PARTS OF THE ISLAND, BUT THE BEST PARTIES ARE FOUND ON THE EAST COAST.
THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT ZANZIBAR IS THAT THERE IS A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY, EVEN BETWEEN BUSINESSES, SO MOST BARS OR HOTELS HAVE THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE DAYS TO HOST EVENTS. FROM LIVE MUSIC AND THE BEST AFRO-BEAT TO REGGAE SUNDOWNERS AND UNDERGROUND DJS, THE EAST COAST HAS IT ALL FOR ANY AGE. JUST REMEMBER, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER 2 AM.
MONDAY
CRAZY MONDAYS AT RED MONKEY + AFTER PARTY AT CORAL ROCK HOTEL
CRAZY MONDAYS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS AND HAVE GROWN A RENOWNED REPUTATION BECAUSE OF THAT. THIS IS THANKS TO MARK DIELER AND KRISTINE PUKITE, THE BRAINS, BRAUN AND BEAUTY BEHIND RED MONKEY LODGE. FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, THEY HAVE BEEN HOSTING SOME OF THE MOST MAGICAL ARTISTS AND COLLABORATIONS RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE OCEAN. FROM TANZANIAN’S OWN MUSIC GROUPS, SUCH AS JOHN MAKINI AND DAMIEN SOUL, TO INTERNATIONAL NAMES, LIKE JOSS STONE AND SONA JOBARTEH, YOU’LL FIND THE MOST SENSATIONAL ACOUSTIC ACTS AND JAM SESSIONS THAT THE ISLAND HAS TO OFFER. MAKE SURE YOU GET THERE EARLY AND GRAB SOME DINNER WITH A VIEW, BECAUSE IT FILLS UP FAST.
CHECK OUT GUITOAST MEDIA AND ZANZIFILMS FOR MORE ZANZIBAR MEDIA
ONCE THE JAM SESSION COMES TO A CLOSE, HEAD OVER TO CORAL ROCK HOTEL FOR THE AFTER PARTY. MOST PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED AFTER HAVING A LAZY SUNDAY. OWNER AND CORAL ROCK WIZARD, NEIL CAVE, IS ALWAYS BRINGING IN THE FRESHEST UNDERGROUND DJS SO YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS A BEAT. YOU’LL BE SEEING THESE GUYS AGAIN ON SATURDAY.
ENTRANCE TO RED MONKEY: VARIES DEPENDING ON EVENT. CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE
ENTRANCE TO CORAL ROCK: FREE
HAPPY HOUR AT CORAL ROCK 6-8 PM
FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT CRAZY MONDAYS AT RED MONKEY AND CORAL ROCK HOTEL.
TUESDAY
HOTEL ON THE ROCK STARTED THEIR PARTIES LAST SEASON AND THEY – ARE – FIRE. YOU’LL FIND A MIX OF LOCALS, RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS GATHERING AND HITTING BACK JAGERMEISTERS BEFORE HITTING THE DANCE FLOOR. THE BEATS VARY FROM WEEK-TO-WEEK SO YOU’LL HAVE TO CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE TO KEEP IN THE LOOP. THEY HAVE A NEW CHEF IN THE HOUSE COOKING UP A STORM SO STOP IN FOR A BITE BEFORE DANCING TO KEEP THE FEET MOVING!
ENTRANCE: FREE
HAPPY HOUR: 9-11 PM
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT HOTEL ON THE ROCK.
WEDNESDAY
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A GOOD OLE TEDDY’S PARTY TO GET YOU BUMPING PAST HUMP DAY. ORIGINAL TEDDY’S IS A BACKPACKERS SO THEY ARE BASICALLY A PARTY ON THEIR OWN. ANY NEWCOMERS OR PARTYGOERS WITH THE STAMINA TO MAKE IT TO WEDNESDAY WILL BE FOUND AT TEDDY’S. IT IS A LIVELY ATMOSPHERE WITH MOSTLY REGGAE MUSIC FUELLING THE FIRE, AND BITES TO EAT NEAR THE BAR, WHICH MAKE THE PERFECT DRUNCHIES. A WONDERFULLY CHILLED AND WARM PLACE TO GRAB A DRINK WITH FRIENDS FOR HUMP DAY.
ENTRANCE: 5 000 TZS
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT ORIGINAL TEDDY’S PLACE.
THURSDAY
THURSDAYS AT DEMANI HAVE BEEN DOPE SINCE THE START. AROUND 8 PM THEY START THEIR SWAHILI STYLED-BUFFET – DELICIOUS AND A DEFINITE FAVOURITE BUT OH-SO-DANGEROUS. I ALWAYS SEEM TO FORGET HOW MUCH I’M EATING BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING LIVE MUSIC THEY HAVE PLAYING, USUALLY CONSISTING OF LOCAL GROUPS LIKE THE WAKUSHI LIVE BAND. ONCE DINNER IS OVER, THE BAND IS REPLACED BY A DJ, THE TABLES ARE MOVED OUT AND FULL BELLIES HIT THE POOL OR DANCE FLOOR (USUALLY BOTH). IT IS ALWAYS A GREAT NIGHT WITH GOOD FOOD, GOOD VIBES AND GOOD PEOPLE.
ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET: 20 000 TZS
ENTRANCE WITHOUT DINNER: 5000 TZS
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT DEMANI LODGE.
CREDITED TO GUITOAST MEDIA AND ZANZI FILMS
FRIDAY
MOST PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT THE JAMBO BEACH PARTY EVEN BEFORE THEY HAVE ARRIVED TO THE ISLAND. THAT WAS AT LEAST THE CASE FOR ME. IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE BUSIEST PARTY ON THE EAST COAST. YOU’LL FIND EVERYONE FROM THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES AND EVEN PEOPLE COMING FROM TOWN TO MAKE THIS FRIDAY BEACH PARTY. IT IS DEFINITELY AN EXPERIENCE – IF YOU DON’T LEAVE DANCING LIKE THE LOCALS DO THEN YOU ARE NOT DOING IT RIGHT. THIS PARTY GOES TILL EARLY MORNING, SO PACE YOURSELF AND HAVE A GOOD TIME!
ENTRANCE: 10 000 TZS.
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT JAMBO BEACH BAR.
SATURDAY
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS ON THE ISLAND AND I’M SURE AFTER SEEING IT, IT’D BE ONE OF YOURS TOO. SET LITERALLY ON TOP OF A ‘CORAL ROCK’ HANGING OVER THE OCEAN, CORAL ROCK MAKES THE PERFECT PLACE TO SPEND YOUR SATURDAY. PICTURE THIS: YOU WALK INTO A HUMBLE ENTRANCE THROUGH THE VILLAGE, DIMLY LIT YET WELCOMING. YOU TURN THE CORNER AND ARE LEFT DUMBFOUNDED BY THE SIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU – A SCENIC INFINITY POOL SURROUNDED BY ENDLESS OCEAN. YOU TRY TO FORGET THE VIEW AND HEAD TOWARDS THE RESTAURANT FOR THEIR FAMOUS SATURDAY BUFFETS. COCONUT CURRY, SPICED RICE, CHAPATI, PASTA AND SOME OF THE FINEST SWAHILI DELICACIES AND MEATS LINE YOUR VISION. YOU EAT UNTIL IT HURTS AND THEN ONCE YOU START FEELING THE THIRD DRINK FROM THEIR HAPPY HOUR SPECIAL, TABLES ARE MOVED, ONE OF CORAL’S HANDPICKED DJS HIT THE TURNTABLES, AND YOU GET ONE OF THE BEST PARTIES IN PARADISE. NEED I SAY MORE?
ENTRANCE: FREE
DINNER: VARIES DUE TO THEME NIGHTS. CHECK OUT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE
HAPPY HOUR 6-8 PM
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT CORAL ROCK HOTEL.
SUNDAY
AN ENTIRE WEEK OF PARTYING CAN TAKE A BIT OF A TOLL ON YOU. ENTER KAE FUNK, A BEACH BAR AND LODGE LOCATED ON THE BEAUTIFUL PENINSULA OF THE MICHAMVI VILLAGE. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE ONLY PLACE THAT YOU CAN WATCH THE SUN SET ON THE EAST COAST, MAKING IT JUST PURE MAGIC AND THE PERFECT CURE FOR ANY HANGOVER. MAKE YOUR WAY OVER TO KAE FUNK IN THE AFTERNOON, GRAB A S.U.P. BOARD AND PADDLE YOUR WAY INTO THE SUN, OR GRAB A DRINK AND BASK IN SOME VITAMIN SEA ON THE NEARLY EMPTY WHITE POWDERED BEACH. THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING SETTING TO THE END OF ANY DAY, AND EVEN AFTER READING THIS, YOU’LL NEVER BE PREPARED FOR THE BEAUTY YOU’LL CATCH THERE. JUST SIT BACK, RELAX, AND ENJOY THE SHOW.
ENTRANCE: FREE
FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT KAE FUNK.
BIG SHOUTOUT TO GUITOAST MEDIA AND ZANZIFILMS, ALEXANDRA BAIER PHOTOGRAPHY AND GILLIAN TYLCOAT PHOTOGRAPHY.
WANT TO WORK WITH THEM? CHECK OUT THEIR PAGES BELOW!
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4 Comments on "THE BEST NIGHTLIFE ON THE EAST COAST OF ZANZIBAR"
THIS GUIDE! You’re setting the tone we need to step our game up girl! xoxo
Guuurl staawp <3
This is such awesome insider information on nightlife in Zanzibar! Definitely bookmarking for our next trip to Tanzania! Missed Zanzibar last time and not gonna make the same mistake this time. Thank you for sharing!
Damnnnnn, if only this guide was around a few months ago when I was in Zanzibar. I can’t even remember the name of the club we ended up at every night, but this would’ve come in handy!! Next time!