Kendwa Rocks Beach Hotel sits directly on the white sand of Kendwa Beach, on the northwest coast of Unguja Island, Zanzibar. It's one of the oldest and best-known hotels on this stretch of coast, and much of its reputation rests on an event it created itself: the Full Moon Party, held there since 1996.
According to the hotel's own account, the Full Moon Party began with a group of friends and guests who decided to celebrate a full moon night on the beach with a bonfire, acrobatics and drumming. Nearly three decades later, the monthly event draws thousands of visitors from around the world, with international DJs, fire shows, live music and dancing until sunrise, plus a buffet spanning Zanzibari, Indian, Arabic, Thai, Indonesian and Western cuisine. It's now described as one of the largest nightlife gatherings on the East African coast, and the hotel keeps a photo archive documenting the party's evolution over the years.
Accommodation is split across several categories: Pool Bungalows with a private deck and plunge pool; the Family Pool Bungalow, built for larger groups; Theme King and Theme Twin rooms with local furnishings; standalone Coral Stone Bungalows set in the tropical gardens; Historical Suites decorated with Zanzibari antiques; and more affordable Standard and Economy rooms, furnished with reclaimed dhow wood and sea views from the upper floors. Every room has air conditioning, a fan, a private bathroom, a digital safe and mosquito nets.
The hotel runs two restaurants serving Swahili and international cuisine, a breakfast buffet, and the beachside Mermaid Bar for cocktails and drinks overlooking the Indian Ocean. A bonfire is lit on the beach every sunset, and through the week the hotel runs a Wednesday cocktail-crafting class, dance nights and the Rocks Lounge Club, open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10pm. Diving, snorkelling, canoeing and beach volleyball are all available nearby.
Kendwa Beach is known for having almost no pronounced low tide, which keeps the water swimmable nearly all day — a rare trait on this stretch of Zanzibar's coast, where most beaches expose wide sandbanks at low tide. On foot, via a sand passage that's only exposed at low tide, it takes around 20 minutes to reach Nungwi Beach. Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) is about 60km/37mi away, with transfers available on request for an extra fee, and Zanzibar Town (Stone Town) is roughly a one-hour drive.
On Booking.com, the hotel scores 8.1 out of 10 ("Very Good") from 1,117 reviews, with location rated especially highly at 9.3/10. On Tripadvisor it holds 4.1 out of 5 from 2,176 reviews — ranking as the 2nd-best-rated hotel out of 16 in Kendwa — with over 2,000 traveller-submitted photos on its profile. Check-in is from 2pm and check-out between 10am and 10:30am; a photo ID and credit card are required at check-in. Children of all ages are welcome and there's no minimum check-in age, though cots and extra beds aren't available. Pets are not permitted, cash, Visa and Mastercard are accepted, and there's no on-site ATM, so guests are advised to withdraw cash before arriving.
A short walk away lies the Zanzibar North Coast, the region that brings together this part of the island's main beaches and tourist infrastructure.
It's held monthly, on the night of the full moon, with DJs, fire shows, live music and an international buffet. The event has run since 1996 and is organised by the hotel itself.
Yes. A sand passage along the shoreline links the two beaches and is exposed at low tide, making for roughly a 20-minute walk to Nungwi.
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) is about 60km from the hotel. Transfers can be arranged directly with the hotel for an extra fee.
No. Per the hotel's published policy on Booking.com, pets are not allowed.
There's no ATM on site, so it's best to withdraw cash before arriving in Kendwa.
Less than 30 minutes by car.
