Zanzibar named second best destination for an island getaway

Unguja. A new study by Bounce has named Zanzibar the second-best island getaway destination in 2024, beating other high-profile destinations such as Mallorca, Ibiza, and Sardinia.

The study shows that Zanzibar is only beaten to the top spot by Phuket, Thailand, with a variety of reasons informing the ranking, from beer prices to the number of beaches. In Africa, apart from Zanzibar, the only other island featured in the Top 10 is another Indian Ocean getaway – Mauritius.

Some of the factors that make Zanzibar stand out are its average temperature of 28°C in February, rainfall of up to 401 mm in April, warmest average sea temperature of 30°C in March, and the number of beaches that one can visit.

 Zanzibar’s average rainfall of 401mm is the highest recorded among any of the island destinations during the study.

“Often thought of as just one big tropical island, Zanzibar is a large cluster of over 40 islands. You can explore every island, many of which are virtually untouched by tourists, each full of culture, history, and shining white-sand beaches,” reads the study.

Compared to other destinations, hotel prices in Zanzibar remain low at an average of $160 per night, yet islands such as Bali, Indonesia, command an average price of $1,870 per night.

Even with the recent upheaval in the liquor business that sent prices to the roof , the price of local beer in Zanzibar remains relatively low at $1.93 (Sh5,000) compared to other destinations such as Sardinia, where the average price of beer is $4.28 (Sh10,000), making it the most expensive.

Top 10 Island Destinations

Phuket, Thailand

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Crete, Greece

Puerto Rico, Caribbean

Mallorca, Spain

Cozumel, Mexico

Mauritius, Africa

Aruba, South America

Bali, Indonesia

Ibiza, Spain

Sardinia, Italy