Safari Blue is the name of both an operator and a style of trip that it pioneered in the 1990s: a full day sailing a traditional dhow through the Menai Bay Conservation Area, the large protected bay at the south-west corner of Unguja. Similar “blue safaris” are now run by many companies.
The day follows the tide: snorkelling over coral, a stop on a sandbank that surfaces at low water, a swim in a lagoon enclosed by mangroves and coral cliffs, then a long seafood lunch — typically grilled fish, lobster or slipper lobster, calamari and fruit — under the trees on Kwale Island.
Top things to do at Safari Blue & Menai Bay
Sail and snorkel
Guides lead two snorkelling stops when conditions allow. Humpback and bottlenose dolphins live in the bay and are sometimes seen from the boats.
Lunch on Kwale Island
The meal is the centrepiece: seafood from the grill, rice, and a tasting of tropical fruits. A huge old baobab on the island is a favourite photo stop.
Swim in the mangrove lagoon
At high tide boats slip into a sheltered natural pool for a swim — accessible only when the water is high enough.
How to get to Safari Blue & Menai Bay
- From Kendwa: trips start from Fumba, in the far south-west. Allow at least an hour and a half to two hours by road each way, with a pickup around dawn.
- Booking: the Safari Blue lagoon trip can be reserved online; check at checkout whether transfer from the north is offered and what it costs.
Insider tips
- It is a long day from the north. Consider doing it on the way to or from a night in Stone Town, which halves the drive.
- Take plenty of sunscreen, a hat and a long-sleeved top — there is little shade on a dhow.
- Vegetarian and other dietary needs can usually be catered for if you say so when booking.
Best tours & tickets for Safari Blue & Menai Bay
These well-reviewed experiences are the simplest way to see Safari Blue & Menai Bay from a Kendwa base:
Full-day sea trip from $90 Zanzibar: Safari Blue Lagoon Trip with Snorkelling and Lunch
The famous full day among the sandbanks and islets of the Menai Bay conservation area. It starts from Fumba in the far south-west, so from Kendwa you should allow well over an hour and a half by road each way — an early start, but many visitors call it the best day of their holiday.
- Dhow sailing and guided snorkelling in Menai Bay
- A sandbank stop and a swim in a mangrove lagoon
- Seafood lunch, tropical fruit and soft drinks
