Visit Tanzania's Swahili Coast, Tanzania

Tanzania’s Swahili Coast is nearly always overlooked as visitors flood to the more famous Zanzibar Archipelago.

Those who do look closer however will discover one of Tanzania's most beautiful wilderness areas.

Beaches and Swahili towns

The beaches are idyllic — long stretches of deserted sand, interspersed with sleepy Swahili towns and tiny fishing villages. Once, the towns were important centres of trade, and home to Arab slavers, Swahili merchants and, later on, German colonials. Nowadays the trade has largely moved elsewhere and towns are quiet and gently crumbling.

The beautiful beaches however, remain. Stunning hideaways can be found amidst the tropical languor that pervades the coast and that soon catches up with visitors too.