Teenagers can be the least rewarding of travel companions, requiring electronic access at all times and emitting a seen-it-all-before vibe. Yet there are no restricting age limits to adventures, they can journey any distance, and they have more of an appreciation for local culture. With its world-class watersports, fascinating history and beautiful beaches, Zanzibar makes for a terrific trip with teens. We’ve chosen 5 of the best hideaways…
Indigo Beach, Bwejuu
If your family includes kids of varying ages, this friendly barefoot beach hideaway, an hour from Stone Town, is a great option. It welcomes children over 4 and has a kids’ club during school holidays for those up to 10. There are also 2-bedroom family bungalows, and the WiFi signal reaches the infinity-pool area where there are loungers and bean bags. Meals (featuring much local seafood) are taken in a Bedouin tent in the lush gardens, and there are bikes to rent.
Activities:
- Diving
- Snorkelling
- Fishing
- Boat trips
- Cycling
- Creative workshops (seasonal)
Matemwe Beach, North Zanzibar
For those on more of a budget, this unpretentious and sociable guesthouse is a winner. There’s a super beach with a fringing reef on your doorstep, plus a large circular pool. You get unlimited WiFi for a one-off payment, and families stay in 2-storey suites with beach or bush views. The food is excellent, with buffet dinners twice weekly.
Activities:
- On-site dive school
- Snorkel the reef
- Cruise around the lagoon on the hotel’s dhow
- Hire a bike and cycle to Matemwe village
- Sail or fish with local fishermen
Dhow Inn, Paje
Paje is a world-class kitesurfing destination, with sections for experts and 2 safe lagoons for beginners – ideal for the teen who thinks they’ve done it all. Try this well-priced and immaculate retreat, spread around 3 sparkling swimming pools, with its own private patch of sugary beach and free WiFi throughout.
Activities:
- Kitesurfing
- Scuba diving and snorkelling
- Boat trips to spot dolphins
- Visit Jozani Forest to see the endemic Red Colobus monkey
- Games room
- Volleyball
Fundu Lagoon, Pemba Island
This is the place to come to celebrate exam results or enjoy the last proper family holiday before teenagers fly the coop: it’s a truly special and secluded spot. Arrive by ferry then speedboat (or a twice-daily propeller plane) to find irresistibly simple tented rooms, thatched roofs, a long palm-fringed beach and no children under 12. By day splash in the hilltop infinity pool overlooking the ocean; by night, marvel at the canopy of stars overhead.
Activities:
- Superlative diving (some consider it the best in Zanzibar)
- Snorkelling
- Sailing and fishing
- Misali Island marine sanctuary – sea caves and nesting turtles
- Kayaking through mangroves
- Cruising in the dhow at sunset
Breezes Beach Club, Pingwe
If you want to fly and flop after a gruelling exam schedule, head to this one-stop-shop beach resort. All rooms have sofabeds that are ideal for those travelling with one teen, otherwise book 2 adjacent bedrooms; some have balconies. There are no fewer than 4 restaurants to satisfy even the most gigantic of appetites, plus there’s a dive centre on site. And the internet room will enable bragging about the trip to friends back home…
Activities:
- On-site dive centre
- Snorkelling
- Hire bikes and cycle to local villages or to the headland
- Windsurfing and sea-kayaking
- Tennis courts on site
- Spa treatments, a Jacuzzi and steam room
- Day trips to Dolphin Bay