Pongwe Beach Resort
What to ExpectPongwe Beach Hotel is a small, locally owned beach lodge on Zanzibar's quiet east coast, tucked into a secluded coral lagoon cove that The Telegraph called "perhaps the most magnificent in Zanzibar". With only 23 rooms, it is deliberately intimate—the kind of place where staff learn your name and your usual order by the second morning. The hotel has been locally owned since 2003 and holds a 9/10 rating from The Telegraph, which named it "the best value beach lodge in Zanzibar".
Who is trip for? The friends or couples looking for a polished, crowd-free beach stay to bookend a safari or simply to slow down on the Indian Ocean, Pongwe is built for exactly that.
Destination Overview
What Makes It Special
The cove. Pongwe's beach sits in a protected coral lagoon. At high tide, the water is calm and swimmable; at low tide, the reef flat opens for walking and tidal pool exploration. The east-facing position means sunrise comes directly over the water—one of the few spots on the island where the sun rises from the sea rather than behind the property.
Small scale, quiet atmosphere. Twenty-three rooms, not two hundred. No crowded buffets, no fight for sunbeds. Guests tend to return.
The food. Executive Chef Gabriel Le Roux, a World Master Chef, runs a daily-changing menu built around the morning catch from local fishermen. The Friday Swahili Buffet and Tuesday Beach Barbecue are popular enough to open to non-residents with advance reservation. One recent honeymoon guest put it simply: "every single meal blew us away"
The hotel has 23 rooms across six categories, all facing east toward the Indian Ocean and all within walking distance of the beach:
Cliff Ocean Suites: Private plunge pools, elevated sunrise views, and the most seclusion on the property. The honeymoon pick.
Cliff Ocean Superior Suite: A larger clifftop option.
2-Bedroom Beachfront Suites: Separate living areas and direct beach access. Best for families or groups.
Sea View Suite: Ocean-facing without the clifftop elevation.
Beachfront Room: Steps from the sand.
Garden Room: Wrapped in coastal forest, the entry-level category.
Amenities across rooms include private patios, free Wi-Fi, electric kettles, and daily housekeeping.
Self Discovery & Add-on Activities
Stone Town
The old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar, little has changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways. Stone Town has some excellent gifts shops with plenty of souvenirs and handicrafts to choose from; as well as a rather extensive selection of restaurants for lunch and dinner, and a refreshing cocktail watching the sunset.
Taxi trip takes 1 hour each way.
Sunset Dhow Cruise, Stone Town
View Stone Town from a different angle and imagine how the early sailors felt when they approached Zanzibar under the serenity of the sail and the gentle breeze. One Ocean based opposite Livingstone’s restaurant and NBC bank, operate an evening Sunset Cruise leaving the dive shop at 5.30pm – 7:00pm.
Spice Tour
The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without the cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and many other spices which brought the Sultans of Oman and the beginnings of the infamous slave trade; a good tour that includes opportunities to dazzle the senses with fresh spices.
Taxi trip takes 45 minutes each way.
The spice tour can be incorporated into a trip to Stone Town as the spice area is located on the way into town.
Marine Turtle Sanctuary, Nungwi
Mnarani, meaning 'place of the lighthouse' in Swahili, is located at Nungwi on the northern tip of Zanzibar Island. The pond is actually a large, natural tidal pool in the coral rock behind the beach. It was originally set up to rehabilitate and study marine turtles that had been caught in fishing nets, and the project developed to ensure that local baby turtles were also protected.
Conservation fee – US$ 4 per person payable in cash at Mnarani.
Some of the best snorkeling while in Zanzibar is near Mnemba Island. Snorkeling / diving with One Ocean Dive centre is an opportunity to explore the waters and to see the colorful fish and sea life. One Ocean Dive Centre is the longest running and most experienced dive center on Zanzibar and while their priority and emphasis is safety and responsibility; they have a great crew who know how to have fun with you!
Snorkelling & Diving at Mnemba Island
Booking Process
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To snag your room and lock in your rate, we need a 30% deposit when you book. Final balance must be cleared no less than 45 days to your arrival. Alternate payment schedules can be considered on a case by case basis
Just a heads-up, all bookings depend on availability and aren't fully confirmed until we get that first deposit.
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Cancel 91+ days out: You'll get your initial 50% deposit back, minus any small transaction or admin fees.
Cancel 61-90 days out: There's a 20% cancellation fee.
Cancel 31-60 days out: A 50% cancellation fee applies.
Cancel 30 days or less out: Unfortunately, no refund is issued at this point.
How to Cancel: Send us your cancellation request in writing. If a refund is due, we'll process it within 14 business days of getting your request.
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After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know—weather patterns, packing list recommendations, activity add-ons to consider, and more.
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Bookings are not transferable unless we've agreed to it in writing.
We highly recommend travel insurance for your trip!
As a booking company, we're here to help you secure your arrangements, but we hold no liability for any incidents that may occur during your trip, nor are we responsible for service disruptions, "acts of God" (like extreme weather), or changes made by other companies.
Please keep all your payment confirmations for your records!