Bawe Island Zanzibar: snorkelling from Stone Town, prices, duration and which tour to choose
Bawe is a small island off Stone Town, about ten kilometres away according to Wikipedia. It is private: a luxury resort of 70 villas opened there in 2024, so you do not land on the island; you swim and snorkel from the boat around the reef. The typical trip lasts 3.5 to 4 hours, with about 30 minutes by dhow each way and 2 hours in the water. For a truly good coral outing, other Zanzibar sites are better (see below); Bawe is mainly a short, cheap snorkel from Stone Town. Prices are from booking sites in October 2026: confirm what is included.
Highlights
Clear water near Stone Town
Illustration taken on a sandbank near Prison Island: the same turquoise water as on the trips to Bawe, but this is not Bawe.
Snorkelling around the reef
You swim and watch the fish from the boat; there is no beach open to the public on the island.
Sandbank and lunch combos
Some offers add Bawe to a sandbank (Nakupenda or Nyange) with a barbecue, for about 4 hours.
Practical info
Tips
- Which offer to choose: the cheapest is a private 4-hour outing (dhow, drinks, fruit, mask and snorkel, entry fees) shown from 65 dollars, rated 4.0 from 6 reviews; one review says the meeting point changed and island guards sent the group away several times, with only 2 hours of snorkelling out of the 4 advertised. A half day of 3.5 to 5.5 hours from 79 dollars (private boat, fruit, water, gear, optional hotel pickup) is rated 4.7 from 3 reviews: it is the safest choice on GetYourGuide, but with very few reviews. The same operators also sell at 79 dollars a Stone Town meeting-point option (3.5 hours, no pickup) and at 180 dollars a private 5.5-hour version with hotel pickup. A full day at 297 dollars per person with lunch exists, but it costs more than Bawe justifies. Combined sandbank and barbecue packages start around 25 to 75 dollars. Our view: if you mainly want to swim in turquoise water and have a seafood lunch, take Nakupenda or Prison Island instead; for real snorkelling, choose Mnemba, Chumbe or Safari Blue. Currents can be strong: follow the guide's instructions. For the full day, read Stone Town and Prison Island: which tour.
How to get there
By dhow or motorboat from Stone Town harbour, about 30 minutes each way according to one offer Many offers have a meeting point in Stone Town; hotel pickup is optional From the north or east of the island, allow a transfer of about 1 hour or more
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
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