Zanzibar: Kiwengwa Caves

We were looking for something to do on the way back to Stonetown from Matemwe Beach and we saw that Kiwengwa Caves were nearby. The destination did not seem very popular and our taxi driver wasn't familiar with it. He tried to talk us into going to another cave but relented when I told him we should just check it out.

The caves were used historically for a variety of reason, including, according to the guide, hideouts for people during war time and prisoners and slaves awaiting transport. The local forest area was a huge resource for local people but the use was unsustainable and as a result, the caves and forest were gazetted as the Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve in 2005. The cave constructed the walkways and other infrastructure in 2009.

We were really impressed by the caves for their length and uniqueness. There are two passageways, a north and a south. The north side goes 200+ meters in and is full of bats which are cool to see and hear fluttering around. They are a small variety and seemingly harmless. We did see some pretty gigantic spiders which the guide claims are dangerous. Even when we reached the end there was space to continue if one wanted to crawl.

On the south side there were stunning natural holes in the ceiling offering a window to the forest. The light coming into the darkness was stunningly beautiful and roots of trees had grown through the top of the cave in several places. It was another 200 or so meters and we visited two separate chambers in that area.

The excursion did not take very long but was totally worthwhile. The guide had a few torches but they were low on battery and only a few worked well, so if you go it's best to bring your own head torch!

Zanzibar: Villa Kiva

Max relax

We recently stayed a few nights in Villa Kiva in Matemwe Beach and could not have been happier with our stay. The rooms were tasteful and furnished appropriately, the grounds were spacious and varied, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Even though it was the low season and thus wasn't at capacity, I think even with full occupancy there is enough space for it to not be crowded. We lucked out and got a great low season deal on an elevated seaview room. With a small porch we could sit and read while taking in the beautiful views of the ocean. We could even hear the ocean from our room at night.

The breakfast was phenomenal, with a huge spread of fruits and homemade pastries. The food in general was fantastic and the Italian influence (the owners are Italian) is evident. High grade olive oil, tastey espressos, and crispy breadsticks at dinner were all welcomed. The food was priced very fair and there was a good variety to mix it up over a couple of days. All in all it was a perfect place for us to unwind.

View from our room

Moonset in the morning.

Zanzibar: Matemwe Beach

Sunrise

We had some days off for Easter and decided to have a proper holiday of true relaxation. I'd heard that Matemwe Beach was one of the more chill and relaxed beaches and I was not disappointed. Visiting at the height of the off season meant there were very few people but also variable weather.

Matemwe's pristine white sand stretches out as far as one can see and although we walked the beach in both directions we did not spot the end of it on either side. We lucked out with the tide coming in at 4pm, an optimal time to swim. The water came right up to the property line of the hotel and the surf was powerful enough to be fun but enjoyable for even the novice swimmer. There were several groups of young Tanzanians that weren't comfortable with full submersion swimming but were happy to let the waves beat their bodies.

There were several local fisherman and local people going about their business and also a handful of touts offering snorkeling trips. They were persistent but not annoying and I'm sure if I wanted to go snorkeling I could have wrangled a good deal with it being low season and all.

There were a fair amount of properties but the beach was not what I would describe as crowded. There were two or three local food joints offering much of what the fancy hotels offered though their price discounts were not as dramatic as one might think. It's still great to have your options and not be stuck with your hotel's food.

All in all I absolutely loved Matemwe. A perfect serene and quiet beach for me to eat seafood, walk on the beach, swim in the ocean, and kick back and relax.

Fishing boat

The beach.