Zanzibar - Docking
Unguja – Stone Town
Anchoring
Stone Town port is busy with ferries and shipping and anchoring here can be uncomfortable. Anchor in about 9-10m. Decent holding but rolly – the ferries will power through with no regard for wake. It can also be very rolly in July/Aug with the SW wind in the morning and SE in the afternoon.
Dinghies can be left on the small beach in front of the Mercury Bar, where for a small tip one of the bar guards will keep an eye on it. Take care with the tides and be sure to haul the dinghy far enough up the beach. The staff at the Mercury Bar can help with finding a taxi.
Marinas
Zanzibar Marina, also known as Azam Watersports Marina is located a couple of miles north of Stone Town. The marina is situated behind the Hotel Verde Zanzibar. The marina entrance is exposed to the west and north. The marina charges US$50/night for berthing and US$20 to leave your dinghy there.
Unguja – Other Anchorages
There are good anchorages found all along the western side of Unguja, with the best shelter being in Menai Bay, or inside Peet’s Inlet in the south and inside Tumbatu Island in the north.
In settled weather, there is an excellent beachfront anchorage at Kilindi, in the far north (05° 45’ 09”S, 039° 17’ 17”E). Be mindful of the close-in reef and coral heads as you enter. Don’t anchor in less than 20′ of water, at high tide. Water visibility is very good in Kindle.
Anchor off Kendwa Beach where the Kendwa Rocks Hotel is welcoming to visiting cruisers. Anchoring here less rolly than Stone Town but more touristy. Anchoring at Mkokotoni is very calm.
Pemba
Pemba Lagoon is a mini-archipelago which provides numerous anchoring options.
Last updated: August 2023
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Port Navigation
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Whilst we were anchored off Kendwa Beach, we hired a car and had it delivered to Kendwa Rocks hotel. The hotel said we could park it overnight in their car park for no charge which was great and we returned the favour by having food and drinks at the restaurant (wasn’t necessary, but we thought it the right thing to do). You need to pay $10USD for a driving permit and we paid about $26USD/day for a 4wd suzuki.
Thank you Kim for all this great feedback as you cruise – it’s so very helpful. Not sure if you’ll have seen the recent Tanzania Cruising Notes published a few days ago which might come in handy – https://www.noonsite.com/report/tanzania-comprehensive-cruising-notes/.
We checked into the country in Dar es Salaam but sailed to Zanzibar a couple of times and used the transire process. We anchored off stone town in about 9-10m – decent holding but rolly and the ferries will power through with no regard for wake. It can also be v. rolly in July/Aug as SW in the morning and SE in the afternoon. Then took the dinghy in to the beach next to Mercurys restaurant/bar. From there a short walk to the port avoiding all the ferry ticket sellers. The customs office for the transire is easy to find – just go through the port gates and turn right then its a little portacabin office inside the dhow shed (which is next to where all the dhow boats are moored offloading their goods). Immigration are at the port as well but next to the entrance.
We investigated the cost for leaving the dinghy at the marina and was advised it was $20USD. The marina charges $50USD per night for berthing.
We found the anchorage at Kendwa Beach to be less rolly but more touristy. Anchoring at Mkokotoni is very calm.
Zanzibar now provides pretty much the only real Marina in East Africa north of Richards bay Tuzi Gazi (given the state of Tuzi Gazi docks there in June 2017 it may not viable anymore). Azam Zanzibar marina S 06 8.184 E 39 12.66 currently provides 18 full docks with water, shore power and other facilities. it is being enlarged to about 40 berths.
The developing company Azam is the biggest marine company in Tanzania and it seems they plan to develop a yachting hub and add a variety of marine services including the shipyard, technical services and more. The marina is managed by a very helpful South African couple, Mike and Nicole
+255 745 028 606 https://web.facebook.com/azamwatersportsmarina
SV Toybox August 2018
Stonetown : nous sommes arrivés à Zanzibar, début avril 2016 : mouillage dans le port de Stonetown, dans 15 mètres d’eau, au milieu des ferries, à la pointe nord, pas très confortable, mais pas guère d’autres possibilités pour mouiller,( debut mousson SE ). Concernant le dinghy , pour aller à terre, nous l’avons laissé chaque jour sur la petite plage devant le MERCURY’S BAR , où moyennant un petit pourboire un des vigiles du bar avait un oeil dessus.
Attention lors marées hautes,monter le dinghy tout en haut de la plage,et bien l’assurer:mais le gardien et le personnel du bar sont vraiment coopératifs.Nous avons trouvé une averie : demander au Mercury’s les coordonnées,ils connaissent, un taxi nous a amenés,c’est environ à 2 kms du port; nous avons fait tamponner les passeports au quai d’arrivée des ferries.
En ce qui concerne le “transire”,il faut d’abord aller aux port pour les customs, ensuite trouver le “bureau des Transire”” au port des dhows, mais là, l’employée nous a réclamé la somme de 3000 shillings (1,5€ environ)pour l’établir pour l’île de Mafia ( alors que c’est normalement gratuit), et pas de reçu ! Nous avons essayé de discuter, en vain. Ce n’est pas le prix que ça coûte, mais c’est le principe. A part ça, Stonetown vaut vraiment la peine de s’y arrêter ! Christine et Jany / Voilier Filopré /