Surfing Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a beautiful little island in the Indian Ocean with a tropical climate, warm water, and a great vibe. It has become a very popular destination for water lovers, as it is a top destination for divers and kitesurfers.
And the surfing conditions here are better than what many people would imagine, surf in Zanzibar and get stoked with us while we discover the uncrowded reefs.

Wave Surfing  Zanzibar offers some good conditions for all levels of students. You find uncrowded and untouched surf spots along the southeast coast, Paje Beach, Jambiani Beach, and Dongwe beach with mainly right-hander waves.

We run our surf trips on a daily basis and all trips are scheduled according to the tides. Our trips need a minimum number of participants and are limited in spots. Each trip is around 3.5 hours long and time spent in the waves is between 1.5 – 2 hours depending on the conditions.

The beginner lessons are always held in Dongwe, where we’ve found a great little beginner wave. This spot on the inside of the reef stays small even on big swell days and provides a safe learning environment for newbies.

The spot can still be a lot of fun on the soft boards if you already have some experience, as the waves are long and great to just cruise down the line.

Surfing lessons and surf trips need to be well-timed, as surfing in Zanzibar is limited to 1.5 – 3 hours of good surf a day. The reason being is the big tidal changes on the island. Surfing lessons need to be timed to the pushing mid-tide to get the beginner surf spot working at its best.
The more advanced surfing spots start to work with the last hour of the dropping tide and best over low tide and the first push after the tides change.

The Zanzibar reef is not as dangerous as some other tropical island surfing spots. It’s generally flat and rocky. Some surfing spots can be home to many sea urchins spikey frustrations you don’t want to stand on) but our beginner-friendly spot is almost urchin-free.

Dolphins are seen regularly along the coastline and often join you for a surf session. Local fishermen often gather and watch the first surfers in Zanzibar as we discover new spots all around the island.

When Is the Best Time For Surfing Zanzibar?

During the December to March season, we do get anti- cyclones in the Indian ocean which can send some proper ground swell our way, and that’s when all sorts of surf spots start working.

Surfing lessons need to be timed to the pushing mid-tide to get the beginner surf spot working at its best.
The more advanced surfing spots start to work with the last hour of the dropping tide and best over low tide and the first push after the tides change.

• We surf different spots suited for all level surfers