Zanzibar Nightlife: The Island’s Magical Nightlife

Let your hair down, feel the music, grab a drink and let the Zanzibar nightlife take you on one of the most epic evenings of your life! So, bookmark this blog, book your ticket and let’s get the fun started.

See also: Where to Stay in Zanzibar

Zanzibar nightlife

The truth is that Zanzibar bars aren’t like the ones you may be more familiar with back home. You see, given its British colonial influences and Muslim culture, most of Zanzibar nightlife centres on the sundowner tradition. You don’t have to wait for night to strike before the fun begins.

The culture is very much as soon as the sun begins to descend, the lights are up, the music is up and so are your spirits! You will surprisingly notice that things tend to quiet down a little after midnight, which makes sense since sundowners start pretty early. That being said, don’t let that deter you from visiting this incredible island as there is still a terrific scene for dancing and drinks.

Stone Town, the island’s urban center, offers the most opportunity for a night on the town. Nungwi, at the northern tip, and Jambiani and Paje, on the eastern coast, also have popular bars and beach clubs.

Here are some of the constant favorites among tourists and locals alike:

Stone Town nightlife

Some of the most vibrant Zanzibar nightlife can be found in Stone Town! This is definitely one of the go-to spots to have a few drinks, take in the views and let loose after a long day.

See also: The Best Markets in Stone Town, Zanzibar

6 Degrees South

This café on Shanghai Street gets high marks for its happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weeknights, and Friday nights with live Afro Jazz and themed disco. This way you get cheaper drinks and some of the best entertainment. What more could you ask for?

Dharma Lounge

Located near the State University of Zanzibar, the Dharma Lounge is a natural for students and the younger international crowd who are looking for a modern club where they can boogie into the wee hours of the morning on a large dance floor. Give the youth a run for their money and show them how its done!

Garage Club

Get ready for some dancing at this eclectic (and air-conditioned!) disco with house, hip-hop, reggae, and Afro-European pop; the club rocks until sun-up on weekend nights, making it the most popular disco in Stone Town. Look for the black and white zebra striped walls across the street from the Starehe Club.

Kendwa Rocks

On those Saturdays that fall during, or near, the full moon, Kendwa Rocks Beach Hotel hosts its famous Full Moon Party, right on the white-sand beach, for music and dancing under the stars. The rest of the month, partiers can dance the night away Monday through Saturday at the hotel’s lounge bar, The Rocks.

Starehe Club

This chill nightclub is very popular with the Zanzibaris, making it a great place for visitors who want to meet and chat with locals. Quiet ambiance and a great location on the balcony overlooking the bay make the Starehe club the place for a tranquil evening on the town.

Sweet Easy

Plenty of seating, a pool table, good food, and a well stocked bar make this restaurant and lounge a popular evening hangout for visitors and locals alike. The Sweet Easy reportedly has the best beer selection in town, with a wide range of choices from around the world.

Forodhani Gardens

If you’re looking for fun after dark, but want to avoid the usual clubs and pubs, try heading down to Forodhani Gardens.  The street market comes alive at night with performers, food stalls, and vendors. Don’t forget to bring a picnic blanket and come early to find a great spot on the grass. A lively scene for people watching, this seafront park is the place to be for visitors and locals alike. When you spend an evening at Fordhani Gardens, you really get a feel for the local community.

Nungwi nightlife

Gerry’s Bar

On the beach, Gerry’s gets high marks for its friendly staff and laidback atmosphere.  Though a bit further down the beach than other Nungwi beach bars, visitors say it’s well worth the hike. Called an “excellent place to chill” by one TripAdvisor fan, Gerry’s enjoys a perfect spot right on the water in Nungwi Beach. Be sure to arrive early to catch the sunset.

Cholo’s Disco Bar

Right on the sand, Cholo’s is party-central on Nungwi Beach, attracting a more adult crowd of 30-somethings for drinking and dancing. For great food, a fun atmosphere, good drinks, music, and crashing waves in the background, head for Cholo’s; past visitors say you’re in for a very fun evening.

Paje nightlife

Paje by Night

The beach bar at the Paje by Night hotel is a fun place for tourists to hang out, and it holds regular theme parties for the bold, such as its Glow in the Dark and Bubble Bath Jacuzzi parties. Offering plenty of dancing and cold beer, this is a “come as you are” kind of bar, perfect for after a day on the beach or kite surfing.

Jambiani nightlife

Red Monkey Lodge

Usually a quiet bar on the beach at Jambiani, the Red Monkey Lodge hosts a weekly Monday Blues that is a huge hit for locals and visitors alike.

From casual beach parties to discos, and performing arts to people watching, Zanzibar has an abundance of evening entertainment options for everyone.

The Star Hotel

This local hotspot has all of the things you would need for the perfect night out. This spit features an impressive bar, a large, shared lounge area and a gorgeous garden. There is also evening entertainment to get you dancing the night away!

Apart from the great Zanzibar nightlife…

Now that your evening plans are sorted, why not look into planning a Zanzibar spice island sailing adventure to explore the islands during the day, go parasailing, join a guided jet ski tour or go all out and book a Zanzibar all day excursion tour.

You can also head to Mafia Island in Tanzania, it’s just a 30-minute flight south of Zanzibar. Also, check out the other day trips from Zanzibar.