The Safari Blue, Zanzibar — Attraction in Unguja

A great day out spent with extremely friendly and professional staff that look after you from start to finish. Communication was fantastic throughout, with multiple WhatsApp messages throughout the booking process and we were collected on time from our hotel at the exact meeting time. Don’t be put off when you arrive, as the beach is covered with hundreds of people from different resorts and it gets a little bit chaotic with not much organisation. However once you get on your boat it is smooth sailing. The boats are comfortable and spacious, with alcohol, soft drinks and water provided. Throughout the day snacks are also given, including fruits, homemade peanut butter chocolate bites and other treats. Initially you visit a small sand raised island for photos before beginning the snorkelling. You are taken to two snorkelling areas. Both were sadly a little disappointing. The first was too murky to see anything, and where the waters were clear there was nothing to see but dead coral. The second site you could see a reef but little marine life. Perhaps it is luck of the draw, and on other days will be better, but for a snorkelling excursion it was a little poor on this occasion. The blue lagoon you are taken to after is beautiful. On the main island, lunch makes up for the snorkelling, and really made our day. You are seated on long 20 seater tables by your boat name and called up table by table for lunch to be served to you. The bbq included lobster, chicken, fish, calamari and prawns. With rice, bread, cornflour cakes and sauces to accompany. Beer is included and there is also a bar where you can purchase additional alcohol. You get two hours on the island. Enough time to enjoy lunch and explore, with lots of shops nearby. This is the cheapest place for souvenirs and paintings. With items like fridge magnets just $2 and paintings in the range of $30. You will not find cheaper anywhere else in Zanzibar. The final treat came when you return to the mainland, and instead of using the motor, the staff put up the sail and you sail back. It is a really incredible experience. Overall a great day out and we would book again, it just needs to find a few better sites for the...

TL;DR - Bad experience.

It was unfortunate that we requested not to swim in coral reefs as that damages them however we still ended up going to a coral reef and told we could swim here. We also visited the giant tortoises... it says in the entrance “do not feed the tortoises” yet they give us food to feed them. The babies are locked in a 6x8 cage. The entire area is full of poop and the tortoises do not get to roam free at all. They’re captive and do not have the ability to escape the hands of tourism except probably at night time. It was extremely sad to see that people not only cage them but some people will pay a ton of money just for an instagram pic. One girl I saw was trying to hold the tortoise back to get a “good pic” and nobody stopped her although the tortoise was clearly trying to avoid her. We decided to skip out on the dolphins as some others we met along the trip mentioned how they cornered the dolphins and left their propellers on to herd them in a circle. Just hearing that made me cringe and I couldn’t do it. While snorkeling I was having trouble with my goggles and the captain nor the other workers even offered assistance. I didnt even get to swim. The snorkeling also only lasted about 15 minutes... we spent most of our day on the beach catching rays. If I wanted to spend time on the beach I’d go to Cancun. I wanted to experience something different but Sadly most of my experience was seeing greed. The beaches are beautiful, the water is great, the animals are lovely. The food was awesome as well. However my rating isn’t on just this, it’s also on Safari Blue & the greed surrounding tourism. My group and I were very discouraged and we decided to skip out on the last day. I hope whoever reads this, please do some research! Many groups pose as conservationists only to take advantage of you...

This experience was truly exceptional, and I highly recommend it.

First, the logistics were seamless; I was conveniently picked up from and dropped off back in Nungwi. The team was incredibly well-organized. Upon arrival at the main meeting point, don’t be concerned by the number of people you see. The team efficiently divides everyone into smaller groups (ours had 16 people, and it never felt crowded), each assigned to separate boats.

The sandbank was breathtaking—unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We were fortunate to visit during a very low tide around the full moon. We were also incredibly lucky to spot dolphins and even swim with them, which was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip. The snorkeling experience was fantastic—long enough to savor and truly immerse yourself in the beauty of the underwater world.

Lunch exceeded expectations. It was served buffet-style on a charming island, and I enjoyed fresh grilled fish, beans, lentils, and rice. There was also chicken and meat for those interested. The local fruits were abundant, and the crew thoughtfully explained each one in detail. The lunch area seemed to be privately managed by the company, and it featured sunbeds, perfect for relaxing after the meal. If you're interested in souvenirs, there are plenty of small local shops nearby.

One lovely surprise was when the crew sailed the boat after lunch instead of using the engine—a peaceful and delightful touch. Drinks were provided onboard (soda, water, and beer), along with fresh fruit and a local sweet treat.

As for concerns about crowding, I personally didn’t feel it was an issue. Perhaps we were lucky with the timing, but if it was the case, we’re all tourists contributing to the scene being crowded, and I think that’s just part of...