White Sand Villas. What We Think. What a great place to stay! White Sand Villas near Page has raised the bar on Zanzuibar. The beach is great, and the private houses are very nice and roomy, making them perfect for both families and honeymooners. If you can afford it, it should be the first thing you do on Zanzibar.

White Sand Spa and High-End Villas

As the newest hotel on the island, White Sand Villas is pretty much everything we’ve dreamt of for Zanzibar. It’s our first choice for the best high-end lodging on the island. It’s private, quiet, and beautiful, making it a great place for a honeymoon in Tanzania. But, strangely enough, it’s also great for families, and the five-bedroom presidential house can even fit a large party of up to twelve people.

There are only 12 houses at White Sand, but they have different types of rooms. The resort is spread out over gardens and paths that run along a 2 km beach on the east coast. The gardens are beautiful, and every villa, whether it’s a one-room, two-room, or five-room royal villa, has its own sandy “garden” with a plunge pool and places to relax with beds and hammocks. All of them are big.

There are huge nets and blackout blinds over the floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors in each double or twin room. The air conditioning is built into the bed and net, along with a heavy, modern fan that is almost quiet. These are the little things that really matter!

The bathrooms are stylish and smart, with large “rainwater” showers inside and beautiful outdoor baths and showers surrounded by palm trees and frangipani flowers. The rooms are smart, simple, real, and very well designed—maybe even a bit too well, since they have a big living room with a TV. The air conditioning, fans, WiFi, baths, and coffee machines are all at their best.

It costs a lot, but if you can afford it, go for it. Compared to similarly priced hotels on the East Coast, it has more charm, privacy, and better sea swimming. However, because it is small and quiet, there aren’t as many things to do—almost none, unless you count a spa day or a game of table tennis. At this point, the coral sands haven’t been changed. There is some seaweed on them, but the hotel tries to get rid of it. The swimming is great at least twice a day during high tide, making this a great Tanzania beach resort.

Because it is easy to get to, Zanzibar is a great place to go after a tour in either the north or south of Tanzania. If you are short on time, a Southern Tanzanai Itinerary is better because the internal flights are easier and faster. From Dar es Salaam, it’s easy to get to either the wet and green Selous or the dry and arid Ruaha, or you can fly from either of those places to Zanzibar. After a long, exciting trip with lots of late nights and early mornings, there’s nothing better than sipping a cool drink on the beach.

The two parks go well together when you add a beach break on top of them. The Selous has many waterways where you can see hippos and crocodiles lying in the sun up close. Ruaha is proud of its large numbers of elephants and buffalo.

Make sure you visit Stone Town, a culture city, while you’re in Zanzibar. There is also the choice to stay in the city itself, which is a great place to stop after your safari. The Park Hyatt is our top pick. From the busy markets to the bars on the roofs, visiting Stone Town is a lot of fun.

There are many hotels and deals on Zanzibar, whether you are traveling with your family, on your honeymoon, or just want to take a long vacation. If you need help deciding which hotel and deal is best for you, please call one of our Tanzania experts.