Private Dhow Sail to Pungume Sandbank with Lunch

Kikungwi fishing shore and the south coast

Your sail begins at Kikungwi, a small fishing shore next to Kizimkazi at the southern tip of Zanzibar, about an hour's drive from Stone Town and from the east-coast beaches and a little longer from Nungwi. Here the dhows are pulled up on the sand, nets dry in the sun and the crew wade out to bring the boat close for boarding. It is a working village rather than a resort, which is part of what makes a dhow sail from Kizimkazi feel different from the busier trips off Stone Town.

Our driver drops you right at the shore, where the captain introduces the boat and explains the day. From here the dhow raises its sail or motors out, depending on the wind, across water that is sheltered by the island's south-western coast. Most mornings the sea is glassy, so even guests who worry about boats find the crossing comfortable.

Dolphin search off Kizimkazi

Kizimkazi is the best-known dolphin area in Zanzibar. Two species live here all year, bottlenose and the shyer Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, feeding along the reef edge where the shallow bank drops into deeper water. The captain heads for the spots where they are usually seen, cuts the engine and waits. If a pod appears close and calm, and the conditions are right, you may slip into the water with mask and fins and watch them pass beneath you.

We ask every guest to follow the crew's lead: no chasing, no touching and no crowding the animals. Dolphin watching in Kizimkazi is a privilege, not a show, and sightings are never guaranteed. Early departures give the best chance, as the sea is calmer and the dolphins are nearer the surface; this is why the sail leaves between half past eight and nine. Allow about an hour for the search before continuing to Pungume.

Pungume sandbank, a quiet islet in Menai Bay

Pungume is a small sandbank islet in the Menai Bay conservation area off the south-west coast, between Kizimkazi and Fumba. Unlike the crowded sandbanks near Stone Town, Pungume sees only a handful of boats a day, and with a private dhow you often have a whole side of it to yourselves. The sand is blinding white, the water in the lagoon is bath-warm and shallow, and a line of coral protects it from the open channel.

Depending on the tide the islet grows or shrinks; at low water there is a wide beach to wander along, and at high water you float where you stood an hour earlier. Plan to spend three to four hours here. A Pungume sandbank trip is one of the most rewarding things to do in Zanzibar if you want sea and silence rather than beach clubs, and the best time to visit is the dry season from June to October and from late December to early March.

Snorkelling on the Pungume reef

The coral around Pungume is healthy because the area is protected and lightly visited. With the masks and fins on board you can snorkel straight off the beach over gardens of hard coral, sea fans and shoals of small reef fish; sea turtles and rays are seen now and then, though never on demand. The crew point out the best entry points according to the current and stay close in the boat.

Beginners can keep to the knee-deep lagoon where the sand is dotted with starfish and sea urchins, while stronger swimmers follow the reef edge. Water shoes are useful on the coral rubble. Between swims there is time for a nap under the crew's umbrella or a walk round the islet, which takes only a few minutes at low tide.

Seafood barbecue lunch on the sand

While you swim, the crew grill lunch on the sandbank over charcoal: fish, prawns or lobster according to the day's catch, with rice, sauces, salad and tropical fruits, and plenty of drinking water. Lunch is served when your group is ready rather than at a fixed time. Let us know when booking if anyone needs grilled chicken or a vegetarian plate instead.

After lunch the dhow sails back to Kikungwi with the wind, usually in the early afternoon; the crossing takes under an hour. Our driver is waiting on the shore to return you to your hotel, and the whole day from pickup to drop-off is about six hours. Guests who make their own way can choose the Kikungwi meeting-point version, which lasts about four hours.