Zanzibar weather in December at a glance
Zanzibar weather in December is 31°C by day, 24°C at night and a 28°C sea. The short rains, the vuli, end during the month: showers are frequent in early December and sporadic by Christmas. The beach weather holds all month. What changes is the price.
| Daytime high | 31°C (88°F) |
| Night-time low | 24°C (75°F) |
| Sea temperature | 28 to 29°C |
| Rainfall | about 110 to 190 mm, depending on the source |
| Rainy days | 12 to 17, mostly short showers |
| Sunshine | 8 to 10 hours a day |
| Wind | the kaskazi, from the north east, settling in |
| Daylight | about 12 h 28 min at the solstice |
Things to do in Zanzibar in December
December suits the sea. The water is warm, the mornings are usually calm, and the trips below run all month. The one rule: book boat days for the morning, before the wind picks up and the sea gets choppy.
Safari Blue is a full day in the sheltered Menai Bay in the south west: dhow, snorkelling, sandbank and a seafood lunch. It is the day out that worries least about December wind.
The boat trip to Mnemba atollfrom Kendwa adds dolphins and the island's best snorkelling reef. Leave on the first departure of the day: the dolphins are easier to find and the boats fewer.
A sunset dhow cruise from Nungwi or Kendwa is the cheapest of the three. The sun sets around 18:30 in December, so boats leave in the late afternoon.
Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkeling and Lunch
- 7 hours
- Hotel pickup included
- Free cancellation
4.6(674 reviews)
from$90per person
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From Kendwa: Mnemba Boat Trip and Dolphin Snorkel Adventure
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation
4.7(1,491 reviews)
from$55per person
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Sunset Dhow Cruise in Nungwi & Kendwa free pick up
- 2.5 to 3 hours
- Hotel pickup included
- Free cancellation
3.9(376 reviews)
from$19per person
Check prices & availabilityAll activities in Zanzibar
Rain in Zanzibar in December: the end of the short rains
How much rain falls in Zanzibar in December depends on who you ask. Zanzibar.com gives 108 mm, holiday-weather.com 194 mm over 17 days, and weather2travel sits between the two with 12 to 13 rainy days. The gap comes from different stations and different years, and from a month that starts wet and ends dry. Plan on roughly 110 to 190 mm, most of it in the first half.
A December shower is nothing like the April rains on our Zanzibar weather by month page. It is a short downpour, then sun and steam. Humidity sits around 67%, so it feels hotter than 31°C.
Early December or Christmas week in Zanzibar
The month splits in two, and the split is about money more than weather. Up to around 20 December you get the tail of the rains at close to normal prices. After that the weather improves and the island moves to festive rates until the first days of January.
| 1 to 19 December | 20 December to early January | |
|---|---|---|
| Rain | Still some showers, usually short | Rarer and lighter |
| Hotel prices | Close to normal, deals are common | The highest of the year |
| Availability | Easy, even at a few weeks' notice | Full resorts, minimum stays |
| Boat trips | Running, a few cancelled after a squall | Running, boats are busier |
| Best for | Couples and budgets with flexible dates | School holidays and New Year's Eve |
What to do in Zanzibar when it rains in December
Keep a dry plan for the odd wet day. Stone Town works in any weather: covered alleys, museums, coffee houses, and the Forodhani night market once the sky clears. A spice tour happens under the trees and does not mind a shower. Jozani forest and its red colobus monkeys are at their greenest after the rains. Move a boat trip, not a land trip, if the forecast turns.
Sea temperature and wind in Zanzibar in December
The sea is 28 to 29°C, among the warmest of the year. No wetsuit is needed for snorkelling.
December is when the wind changes. The kaskazi, the north east monsoon, takes over from the light winds of November and blows until about March. Early in the month the change can leave the sea choppy on the east and north coasts for a day or two, and diving visibility varies from one week to the next. Divers who want the clearest water should look at diving in Zanzibar before choosing a site.
North or east coast in December
The tide matters more than the wind. On the east coast, in Paje, Jambiani or Kiwengwa, the lagoon empties for hundreds of metres at low tide, so you swim at high tide only. In the north, Nungwi and Kendwa stay swimmable at almost any tide. Our Zanzibar tides guide shows the swimming windows by beach, and north vs east coast helps you pick a base.
Sunrise and sunset in Zanzibar in December
Zanzibar is close to the equator, so the days barely change: about 12 hours 28 minutes of daylight at the December solstice. The island is on East Africa Time (UTC+3) and has no daylight saving.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| 1 December | 05:59 | 18:26 |
| 16 December | 06:04 | 18:33 |
| 31 December | 06:12 | 18:40 |
In practice, dolphin trips leave around 6 am, just after sunrise. And the west-facing beaches of Nungwi and Kendwa get the sunset over the sea, which the east coast does not.
Zanzibar at Christmas and New Year: what it costs
The second half of December is the most expensive fortnight of the Zanzibar year. UK tour operators list Christmas and New Year 2026 packages (20 December to 4 January) from £2,239 per person at Kiwengwa Beach Resort, £2,619 at the DoubleTree in Nungwi and £3,129 at Royal Zanzibar, flights included (valueaddedtravel.com, checked 3 November 2026). Our Zanzibar holiday packages page explains what those prices cover.
Booking alone, expect three extra costs the rest of the year does not have:
- A gala dinner supplement on 24 and 31 December, often compulsory. At the Golden Tulip near the airport it is $40 per adult and $20 per child aged 5 to 12, paid at the hotel. Large beach resorts charge more. Ask for it in writing before you pay.
- A minimum stay. Bluebay Beach Resort, for example, asked for seven nights between 27 December and 2 January in its 2024 rates.
- Fewer deals, earlier. The usual advice is to book three to six months ahead. Family rooms in the north go first.
The cheaper December: fly out on 1 to 10 December and you pay close to normal rates for weather that is already good most days. The same room can cost a lot more two weeks later. Check the full picture on our Zanzibar budget page.
Christmas in Zanzibar with kids: where to stay
For a family Christmas, base yourself in Nungwi or Kendwa: the beach stays swimmable at almost any tide, so the children are not waiting for the sea to come back. These three are on our list of family hotels in Zanzibar. Check the festive supplement on each before booking.
Photo: Expedia GroupRoyal Zanzibar Beach Resort
Nungwi
8.6247 Hotels.com reviews
A large resort ten minutes up the coast at Nungwi, sold with or without all inclusive, with a free kids' club. The family pick if Gold feels too grown up.
See prices for my dates
Photo: Hotels.comRiu Palace Zanzibar
Nungwi, north
All inclusive on the northern tip, where the sea stays in all day. Adults only until November 2025 and a family resort since, which many package listings still get wrong. One of the resorts Expedia puts forward on its Zanzibar page.
See prices for my dates
Photo: Hotels.comGold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa
Kendwa
72 rooms on the same beach around a large lagoon pool. Sold half board or all inclusive, and a Gourmet plan adds the à la carte restaurant and premium spirits.
See prices for my datesHotels.com ratings recorded in November 2026. Partner links to Hotels.com: prices and availability depend on your dates, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
New Year's Eve in Zanzibar: Kendwa and Nungwi
The New Year's Eve parties are in the north. Kendwaholds the biggest beach party, with live bands and fireworks at Kendwa Rocks, and Nungwi's hotels run their own. Elsewhere it is a resort dinner. Book a taxi back in advance: drivers are scarce after midnight. More on the island's nightlife.
Public holidays in Zanzibar in December
Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 25 and 26 December, are public holidays in Tanzania. So is 9 December, Independence Day, which marks the independence of Tanganyika, the mainland, not of Zanzibar. Banks and offices close, but beaches, restaurants and boat trips carry on.
Christmas is a resort festival here, as Zanzibar is mostly Muslim. Outside the hotels and a few churches in Stone Town, 25 December is an ordinary working day. Dress modestly in town, as on our Zanzibar safety page explains.
Is December a good time to visit Zanzibar?
Yes. The sea is warm and the rain rarely lasts long. December is a better month than November and close to January and February. The only question is the date:
- Flexible dates: go early in the month, for the price.
- School holidays: go for Christmas, book early and budget for the supplements.
- Divers and kitesurfers: December works, but February is better for divers and July for kitesurfers.
To compare December with the other months, see the best time to visit Zanzibar.
What to pack for Zanzibar in December
- Light cotton or linen, and one long-sleeved layer for air-conditioned rooms and the evening breeze.
- A packable rain jacket or a small umbrella for the first half of the month.
- Water shoes for coral and sea urchins at low tide on the east coast.
- SPF 50 and a hat: the December sun is high and burns through cloud.
- Repellent: mosquitoes like the wet weeks. Read our Zanzibar health page on malaria.
- Shoulders and knees covered for Stone Town and villages, and something smart for the gala dinner.
Questions people ask about Zanzibar weather in December
Is December a good time to visit Zanzibar?
Yes, with one condition: know which half you are booking. The first two or three weeks close the short rains, with showers but low prices and quiet beaches. From about 20 December to early January the weather is drier and the island is at its most expensive. The sea is 28 to 29 degrees the whole month.
Does it rain every day in Zanzibar in December?
No. The sources count 12 to 17 days with some rain, but a December shower in Zanzibar usually passes quickly. Whole grey days are rare and get rarer as Christmas approaches.
Is Zanzibar a good place to visit during Christmas?
For a beach holiday, yes: it is one of the driest and warmest weeks of the year. Christmas is not a local festival, as the island is mostly Muslim, so the celebrations happen in the resorts with gala dinners on 24 and 31 December.
Is Zanzibar very expensive at Christmas?
It is the most expensive fortnight of the year. Christmas and New Year packages from the UK for 2026 start at about £2,239 per person and pass £3,000 in the larger Nungwi resorts. Many hotels also add a compulsory gala dinner and a minimum stay.
What month is best to go to Zanzibar?
For the best weather, June to October and February. December is a good choice if you avoid the most expensive dates or accept them for the holidays. Our month by month guide compares the twelve months.
How far ahead should I book Zanzibar for Christmas?
Three to six months is the usual advice for the Christmas and New Year fortnight. For a family room or a specific resort on the north coast, book as early as you can: the best rooms go first and minimum stays start around 27 December.
Is the sea warm in Zanzibar in December?
Yes. The water is 28 to 29 degrees, warm enough to snorkel for an hour without a wetsuit. What changes is the wind and the tide, not the temperature.