Zanzibar Rainy Season: What It's Like, Should You Go

How many rainy seasons does Zanzibar have? Two, with a dry gap between them

Zanzibar gets 2 rainy seasons a year: the long rains (Masika) from March to May, starting in late March, and the short rains (Vuli) in November and early December. They differ in character. In between there is a short dry spell in January and February, and a main dry season from June to October with sunshine and temperatures around 30°C.

Annual rainfall is about 1,650–1,900 mm. That number sounds dramatic until you see how it is spread: the sources describe showers and bursts, and Tim’s own experience below points the same way, with long sunny gaps even in the wet months.

Here is the calendar in one view:

• March to May: long rains, April the wettest month, late March the start.
• June to October: main dry season. October is generally dry, with rain increasing toward the end.
• November to early December: short rains, brief sporadic showers, and in recent years mostly nice weather.
• January to February: a short dry spell before the long rains.

Cyclones are not a planning issue for most trips. The cyclone hazard for Zanzibar is classed as very low.

For planning, decide first whether you can live with a ruined afternoon here and there. If you can, the shoulder months are good value. If you cannot, book the dry window.

Tim’s note from Michamvi

November is usually the small rainy season. Some rain is possible, but in recent years November has mostly been nice, the wind drops and the island is quiet, which makes it a lovely time to come. The big rains normally start in mid-April; from the end of April through May it rains, and that can mean one to two weeks of full sunshine or rain from morning to evening. The island is very empty then, and May is cooler. At the end of May and in June the rain slowly stops, the evenings are pleasant enough for a sweatshirt at the beach, the days stay warm and everything is green. I think early June is the best-value month, with good weather, a good vibe and still low-season prices. In my experience the east coast around Michamvi gets less rain than Stone Town or the middle of the island, and standing water drains quickly in the sandy ground.

How wet is the long rains season? April averages 6.6 inches

Expect 6.6 inches of rain in April, the wettest month, according to Weather Spark. That is a long-term average, and individual years swing around it, so do not read it as a forecast for your week.

What the sources describe is a pattern, not a wall of water:

• The rain comes as afternoon tropical downpours, which can be heavy. In Tim’s experience a wet day in May can also run from morning to evening, so the afternoon pattern is a tendency, not a rule.
• Humidity stays high, and underwater visibility is reduced.

The practical consequence is that you plan the day around the afternoon, which is when the sources place the heavy rain. Put outdoor plans in the early hours and keep the rest of the day flexible. Do not stack a boat trip, a walk and a dinner reservation into one afternoon and expect all three to survive.

Wind is a second factor. April and May are transition months with unreliable wind, so a kitesurfing trip is the wrong reason to come. The reliable Kusi south-east trade wind blows from June to October, peaking in July and August. The Kaskazi north-east monsoon runs from December to mid-March.

What closes in April and May? Some hotels, and Matlai for part of it

Some hotels close in April and May, so check before you pay a deposit. Most hotels shut for a few weeks to a month for renovation and staff holidays. This is the most common surprise in the long rains, and it is easy to avoid with one email.

One example: Boutique Hotel Matlai in Michamvi Pingwe on the east coast closes for four to six weeks in April or May, decided each year; in 2027 it is closed from mid-April to mid-May. Tim Hennig, who writes this guide, is General Manager of Matlai.

Dive visibility is the other thing the rain touches. In the dry season visibility is commonly 20 to 30 metres, and in the rainy season it can drop to 5 to 15 metres, with many dive operators reducing their schedules. If you are travelling for diving, the month-by-month dive guide is the better place to start.

How much cheaper is low season? It depends on the hotel

Prices usually come down in the long rains, but how much depends on the hotel. Properties with many empty rooms may cut deeply, and hotels with steady demand move less. No reliable average discount figure exists, so ask each hotel for its own low-season dates and rates.

The low-season calendar and the weather calendar do not match. Low-season windows reflect demand, not rainfall, and they are often wider than the rainy seasons themselves. Look at the hotel’s own dates, then compare them with the months above.

If a price looks too good for April, ask three things:

• What is closed?
• What are the cancellation terms?
• Do the boat trips run?

A cheap room with no boat trips is not cheap.

What can you do on a wet afternoon? Stone Town, Jozani and the evening markets

Take Stone Town as the wet-day base, since the airport is close. The airport is about 6 km south of town, and the transfer takes about 15–20 minutes. Check opening hours for the Old Fort and the Palace Museum on the day, since some sights close or change hours.

Other options that work indoors or under cover:

• Taarab: the music style originated in Zanzibar in the 1880s and blends African, Arab, Indian and European traditions. Ask your hotel where a concert is on.
• Dinner by reservation: Emerson Spice Rooftop Tea House in Stone Town serves dinner by reservation. Ask about seating when you book.
• Forodhani Gardens night market: it runs about 18:00–21:00 daily, and most stalls take cash. It is open-air, so a downpour ends the evening early.

Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park is the nature option. It covers 50 km², it is Zanzibar’s only national park, and it lies 35–38 km south-east of Stone Town, a drive of 40–45 minutes by road. The Zanzibar red colobus lives there. It is Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is found only on Unguja and two small neighbouring islands. Go for the species, not the weather.

If your base is on the south-east coast, Stone Town to Paje takes about 1 hour by car and Stone Town to Jambiani 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.

Do you need malaria tablets? A doctor’s call, with some local context

Check with a doctor first, because malaria transmission on Zanzibar is perennial, and a peer-reviewed study finds peaks in the rainy months. The CDC says risk exists in all of Tanzania below 1,800 m, Zanzibar included, and advises travellers to consult a doctor about prophylaxis. Start with that. The health guide has the wider picture.

Local context from Tim Hennig, General Manager of Matlai, who has lived on the island since 2011: he has never taken malaria tablets, and this is not medical advice. On the beach coast the sandy ground drains and there is more wind. Inland there is more standing water and less wind. Long-term residents mostly do not take tablets. Many guests arriving from safari do. Guests decide for themselves.

The evening routine is simple:

• Mosquitoes come out after sunset, so wear long light trousers in the evening.
• Put mosquito coils under the table. Matlai does this.
• Use repellent.

If someone feels unwell, MedExpress in Paje has a pharmacy, accepts foreign travel insurance, and its doctors can come out to Michamvi.

The most common guest problem at Matlai is the sun, not the rain: sunburn and dehydration. Drink a lot, and cover your head.

One admin item: entry insurance costs USD 44 per adult. You need ZIC if Zanzibar is your first point of entry into Tanzania, and NIC if you enter on the mainland, which applies since 1 October 2026. It is one policy per journey. Details are in the entry requirements guide.

How to book a low-season stay without regretting it: 3 steps

1. Check the dates against the calendar above. Is your week in the long rains from March to May, or the short rains in November? October is generally dry, so late October is the lower-risk shoulder pick, though rain increases toward the end of the month, so keep some slack. November has mostly been nice in recent years and is quiet.
2. Ask the hotel three questions in writing. Are you open on my dates? What is the cancellation rule if the weather ruins the plan? Which excursions run in low season? A hotel that answers clearly is one you can trust.
3. Build in transport slack. Michamvi is about 1 hour 15 minutes from the airport, and for an international flight you should leave about 3.5 hours before departure. In heavy rain, that margin is what keeps a missed flight off your list.

A word on the safari-beach combination. The Zanzibar when to go guide covers the timing, and the safari-plus-beach sequencing guide shows how to fit Zanzibar after the mainland. Watch the entry insurance there, because which policy you need depends on where you land.

Which season fits which trip? A quick matching table of opinions

Opinions on planning, not weather claims:

• First visit or a honeymoon: book the main dry season, June to October.
• Kitesurfing: June to October for Kusi, or December to mid-March for Kaskazi. Skip April, May and November, when wind is unreliable.
• Whale sharks off Mafia Island: October to March. Mafia is not part of the Zanzibar archipelago.
• Tight budget and flexible dates: the long rains can work if you accept closures and shorter outdoor days. Pay attention to the cancellation rules.
• Best value with good weather: early June, when the rain has stopped or nearly stopped, it is not too hot or too busy, and prices are still low-season.

Sea temperature stays roughly 25–29°C across the year, so the water is warm whenever you swim. That is one thing the rain does not change.

Rain on a beach trip is a nuisance when you have booked a tight schedule, and a pleasant pause when you have not. The travellers who handle the long rains best leave two or three days of slack. Build that slack in and the weather becomes a detail of the trip, not its verdict.

For the broader planning picture, start from the Zanzibar hub. The when to go guide linked above goes deeper on wind, kite and dive timing. Choosing a coast? The coast-by-coast beach guide covers which suits which travel style. For costs, see the cost-planning guide, and for the essentials such as SIM cards and tipping, the practical essentials guide.