Michamvi
Kae Beach faces west for sunsets, rare on the east coast
Updated
Michamvi is a quiet village on the south-east coast, south of Bwejuu, and it has one advantage no other east-coast beach can match: Kae Beach faces west, so you can watch the sun set over the sea. It is a rare sight on the east coast, where most beaches face east and miss the sunset.
The village is small and working, with a few guesthouses and a handful of restaurants. It suits travellers who want a quiet base with a unique sunset view and easy access to the south-coast attractions.
Highlights
Sunsets over the sea
Kae Beach faces west, so you can watch the sun set over the sea. It is a rare sight on the east coast, where most beaches face east and miss the sunset.
Quiet, working village
Michamvi is a small, working village with a few guesthouses and a handful of restaurants. It is quiet, friendly, and far less developed than the north coast.
Calm, shallow lagoon
At high tide the lagoon fills with warm, knee-to-waist-deep water over white sand; boats run out to the outer reef for snorkelling when the tide allows.
Easy access to Kizimkazi
Ten minutes south, Kizimkazi is the island's dolphin-watching village. Easy to split a stay or an evening between the two, with a short dala dala ride or a walk along the coast road.
Good for
- Sunsets over the sea
- Quiet, working village
- Calm, shallow lagoon
- Easy access to Kizimkazi
Know before you go
- Swimming follows the tide table: the flats empty at low tide and the water is shallow and warm at high tide.
- Fewer restaurants and shops than Paje or Nungwi; pick a guesthouse near the places you will actually eat.
- ATMs are scarce; bring cash from Stone Town or Paje.
- The transfer from Stone Town takes about an hour and a half by road.