Zanzibar, off Tanzania's coast, is the beach half of a classic "safari then coast" East Africa itinerary — but it stands on its own too. Nungwi and Kendwa on the north coast have calm, swimmable water at any tide; the east coast around Paje and Jambiani trades that for East Africa's best kitesurfing conditions. Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage old town, adds genuine history and a very different pace from the beach resorts.
The island runs on a monsoon rather than the mainland's rain pattern — late June through October and December through February are the driest, warmest windows, while March through May's long rains push many resorts into their lowest rates of the year.