Nakupenda sandbank, Zanzibar: tour from Stone Town, prices and tides
Nakupenda ("I love you" in Swahili) is a white sandbank off Stone Town, surrounded by turquoise water. It is visited on a day trip by boat, almost always with a grilled seafood lunch served on the spot, and often with a stop at Prison Island. The sandbank moves with the tide: at high tide it shrinks a lot, at low tide it spreads out. The prices below are ranges from booking sites in October 2026 (including resellers, who add their margin): confirm what is included before you book.
Highlights
The clear water of the sandbank
Fine sand and shallow turquoise water: you swim, snorkel off the bank and have lunch under shelters set up by the organisers. There is no other shade.
Practical info
Tips
- Offers range from about 55 USD per adult for a Prison Island + Nakupenda trip with lunch, to about 150 to 165 USD for a day with hotel transfer, seafood meal, snorkel gear and a town visit, and up to almost 300 USD for an all-inclusive package with a Stone Town walk and a sunset dhow cruise. A private boat trip is listed at about 100 USD per adult, without the Prison Island entry fee. Check whether the island entry, drinks and snorkel gear are included. There is no solid shelter or shop: bring sunscreen, a hat, a towel and water. Beware of sunburn, the glare is strong. For the tortoises, see Prison Island; for a fuller day on the water, compare with Safari Blue.
How to get there
By motor boat from Stone Town, about 25 to 30 minutes according to the offers. Most agencies include hotel pickup in Stone Town; from the north or east coast, allow an extra transfer of about an hour or more.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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