Zanzibar weather by month & the best time to visit
Tanzania · coastal city break · tropical — wet & dry seasons climate
The best time to visit Zanzibar is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 93/100), with August and September close behind. Zanzibar averages about 2,836 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 27°C / 81°F and roughly 13 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Zanzibar is July, then August and September. The dullest month is April (68/100, 256 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Zanzibar?
Zanzibar gets a lot of sun: around 2,836 hours a year. July (93/100) is noticeably better than April (68). It ranks #10 of 15 destinations in Tanzania for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,867 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around April, carries about 56% of the annual 1,009 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 84 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 62 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
| February | 86 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 51 mm | 12 | 31° / 88°F |
| March | 74 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 119 mm | 12 | 31° / 88°F |
| April | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 27° / 81°F | 256 mm | 10 | 29° / 84°F |
| May | 68 | 28° / 82°F | 26° / 79°F | 186 mm | 9 | 29° / 84°F |
| June | 90 | 27° / 81°F | 25° / 77°F | 29 mm | 8 | 28° / 82°F |
| July | 93 | 27° / 81°F | 24° / 75°F | 13 mm | 9 | 27° / 81°F |
| August | 93 | 27° / 81°F | 24° / 75°F | 14 mm | 10 | 27° / 81°F |
| September | 92 | 28° / 82°F | 24° / 75°F | 22 mm | 11 | 27° / 81°F |
| October | 84 | 28° / 82°F | 25° / 77°F | 64 mm | 12 | 27° / 81°F |
| November | 77 | 29° / 84°F | 26° / 79°F | 101 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| December | 79 | 30° / 86°F | 27° / 81°F | 92 mm | 11 | 30° / 86°F |
Sea temperature in Zanzibar by month
The sea off Zanzibar is warmest in February at around 31°C / 88°F, and coolest in July at 27°C / 81°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Zanzibar compares month by month: Zanzibar vs Dar es Salaam · Zanzibar vs Mombasa · Zanzibar vs Arusha · Zanzibar vs Moroni · all comparisons
Zanzibar: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Zanzibar?
Zanzibar is a coastal city break in Tanzania with a tropical — wet & dry seasons climate — the sea reaches 31°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Zanzibar get a year?
Zanzibar gets about 2,836 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?
The sunniest time to visit Zanzibar is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 93/100 (with August and September close behind). Expect daytime highs around 27°C / 81°F.
What is the least sunny month in Zanzibar?
April is the least sunny month in Zanzibar, scoring 68/100 with about 256 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Zanzibar?
The sea in Zanzibar ranges from about 27°C (July) to 31°C (February). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Zanzibar?
The typical midday UV index in Zanzibar peaks around 12 (extreme) in February, easing to about 8 (very high) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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