Baraza Resort & Spa

Baraza Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive boutique resort on Bwejuu Beach on Zanzibar’s south-east coast, about an hour’s drive from the airport, alongside its sister hotels The Palms and Breezes. With only 30 villas, it feels intimate and personal.

Every villa has a living area, an en-suite bathroom, tea and coffee facilities and a terrace with sun loungers and a private plunge pool. Villas come with one or two bedrooms, and the two-bedroom Presidential Villa adds a private garden and a larger pool — the resort’s most private retreat.

There is as much — or as little — to do as you wish. A large spa with a lap pool and yoga room, a gym and two tennis courts cater for wellness and fitness, and a well-equipped children’s club keeps younger guests busy. An on-site PADI five-star dive centre runs courses from beginner to professional, and at The Water Club along the beach you can try windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing.

Baraza is all inclusive, with five places to eat and drink, fresh seafood daily and a resident Taarab band playing traditional Swahili music in the evenings.

The east coast has large tides: at low tide the sea retreats far across the reef, revealing rock pools and seaweed farms, and swimming is best around high tide. With a private plunge pool on every terrace, there is always somewhere to cool off.