The Matlai Journal
Travel Tips
18 stories in this category — browse all 54 posts, or start with the Zanzibar travel guide.
North Coast vs East Coast Zanzibar
Nungwi and Kendwa, or the quiet southeast? How Zanzibar's two main coasts differ on tides, swimming, crowds and what each one suits.
Planning a Wedding in Zanzibar: What Actually Works at Matlai
How a wedding at Boutique Hotel Matlai actually works — ceremony options, tide timing on Zanzibar's east coast, the legal paperwork, and…
Valentine's Day at Matlai: Dinner, the Spa, and the Heart in the Garden
A couples menu at Zatiny, side-by-side treatments at Bustani Spa, and the padlock heart in the garden.
Sauti za Busara: Zanzibar's Annual Music Festival
What Sauti za Busara is, how it has changed over the years, and how to combine an evening at the festival in Stone Town with a quiet stay…
Ramadan in Zanzibar: A Peaceful Stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai
What a Ramadan stay at Boutique Hotel Matlai actually looks like — quieter beaches, unchanged dinner service, alcohol still served as…
Why Fewer Rooms Mean More Luxury
What six rooms buy you that two hundred cannot — and who should book a resort instead.
Why March & April Are Zanzibar's Best-Kept Secret
The honest case for Zanzibar's two quietest months: what the rain actually does, what it costs, who it suits, and who should book June to…
A Day at Matlai: From Indian Ocean Sunrise to Dinner on the Beach
What a day at Boutique Hotel Matlai actually looks like: sunrise over the ocean, breakfast wherever you are, a morning set by the tide…
Escape the Autumn Fade: Discover the Everlasting Green of Zanzibar
Zanzibar doesn't have an autumn — the island stays green all year. A tour of the trees you'll actually see in the garden at Boutique Hotel…
Your Monthly Guide: When to Go & What to Expect
A month-by-month guide to Zanzibar's climate, fruit seasons and tourist seasons — from January's dolphins and mangoes to December's…
Your Zanzibar Checklist: So Nothing Goes Wrong! Part 2
Part two of the practical checklist: staying connected with a SIM or eSIM, getting around by taxi, self-drive or dala-dala, and what to…
Your Zanzibar Compass: Everything for Perfect Travel Preparation - Part 1
Before you pack your bags: flight routes to Zanzibar by continent, visa and mandatory insurance requirements, malaria prophylaxis advice…
Best Snorkelling and Diving in Zanzibar: Discover Marine Life
What to expect snorkelling and diving off Zanzibar's southeast coast: the marine life near Matlai, an honest take on the Kizimkazi dolphin…
Zanzibar's Tides and Moon Phases, and What They Mean for Your Stay
How the tide and the moon connect at Matlai — the sandbank that appears at low tide, moonrise after the full moon, and why The Rock and…
FAQ's before visiting Zanzibar
Get ready for your trip to Zanzibar with our essential FAQs, covering everything you need to know before you go! What and where is…
Celebrating Culture: Festivals and Celebrations in Zanzibar
Zanzibar's cultural calendar: Sauti za Busara in February, Mwaka Kogwa's Persian-rooted New Year ritual in July, the Zanzibar International…
Before you pack your suitcase
Useful information before coming to Zanzibar
The Best Time to Visit Zanzibar: A Month-by-Month Guide
Zanzibar month by month, with real rainfall and sea temperatures, and the trade-off each season asks you to make.