Best time to visit Zanzibar
Month-by-month weather averages for Zanzibar.
Zanzibar, Zanzibar Urban/West, Tanzania
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.9 °C / 86 °F | 26.7 °C / 80 °F | 43 mm / 1.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 30.4 °C / 87 °F | 26.8 °C / 80 °F | 33 mm / 1.3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 30.4 °C / 87 °F | 26.4 °C / 80 °F | 124 mm / 4.9 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 29 °C / 84 °F | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 247 mm / 9.7 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 24.7 °C / 76 °F | 142 mm / 5.6 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 28 °C / 82 °F | 23.8 °C / 75 °F | 36 mm / 1.4 in | good month |
| July | 27.6 °C / 82 °F | 23.1 °C / 74 °F | 20 mm / 0.8 in | good month |
| August | 27.7 °C / 82 °F | 23 °C / 73 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | good month |
| September | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 22 mm / 0.9 in | good month |
| October | 29.1 °C / 84 °F | 24.4 °C / 76 °F | 55 mm / 2.1 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 29.5 °C / 85 °F | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 106 mm / 4.2 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 30 °C / 86 °F | 26.3 °C / 79 °F | 97 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- June–September
Why these months
June · good
In its favour: precipitation 36 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 30.4 °C / 87 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily high 28 °C / 82 °F, wet days 9.1 days.
Against: average daily low 23.8 °C / 75 °F, relative humidity 79%.
July · good
In its favour: precipitation 20 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, feels like (high) 29.4 °C / 85 °F, average daily high 27.6 °C / 82 °F, wet days 6 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days.
Against: average daily low 23.1 °C / 74 °F, relative humidity 78%.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 30.2 °C / 86 °F, average daily high 27.7 °C / 82 °F, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 7.5 days.
Against: average daily low 23 °C / 73 °F, relative humidity 78%.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 6.6 days, average daily high 28.3 °C / 83 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 31.6 °C / 89 °F, average daily low 23.4 °C / 74 °F, relative humidity 77%.
Beach and swimming
Hot, dry and sunny. Penalises the monsoon hard.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: good
- Best
- January–February, June–October
- Good
- November–December
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: average daily high 29.9 °C / 86 °F, precipitation 43 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, feels like (high) 34.5 °C / 94 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, average daily low 26.7 °C / 80 °F.
Against: wet days 10.4 days.
February · best
In its favour: average daily high 30.4 °C / 87 °F, precipitation 33 mm / 1.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, feels like (high) 35.5 °C / 96 °F, wet days 8.1 days, wind (daily max) 20 km/h / 12 mph, average daily low 26.8 °C / 80 °F.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 28 °C / 82 °F, precipitation 36 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 30.4 °C / 87 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily low 23.8 °C / 75 °F, wet days 9.1 days, wind (daily max) 20 km/h / 12 mph.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 27.6 °C / 82 °F, precipitation 20 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, feels like (high) 29.4 °C / 85 °F, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, wet days 6 days, average daily low 23.1 °C / 74 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 27.7 °C / 82 °F, precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 30.2 °C / 86 °F, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 7.5 days, average daily low 23 °C / 73 °F, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 28.3 °C / 83 °F, precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, feels like (high) 31.6 °C / 89 °F, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 6.6 days, average daily low 23.4 °C / 74 °F, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 29.1 °C / 84 °F, precipitation 55 mm / 2.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 33.6 °C / 92 °F, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, average daily low 24.4 °C / 76 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 10.7 days.
November · good
In its favour: average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, feels like (high) 35.1 °C / 95 °F, days with heavy rain 2.9 days, average daily low 25.4 °C / 78 °F, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: wet days 18.9 days, precipitation 106 mm / 4.2 in.
December · good
In its favour: average daily high 30 °C / 86 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, days with heavy rain 2 days, feels like (high) 35.6 °C / 96 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph, average daily low 26.3 °C / 79 °F.
Against: wet days 20.9 days, precipitation 97 mm / 3.8 in.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is پیست اسکی پولادکف, Pooladkaf Ski Resort, 4282 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 34.5 °C | 35.5 °C | 36.4 °C | 34.3 °C | 32.2 °C | 30.4 °C | 29.4 °C | 30.2 °C | 31.6 °C | 33.6 °C | 35.1 °C | 35.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.8 days | 0.6 days | 3.5 days | 7.8 days | 4.2 days | 0.6 days | 0.2 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 1.2 days | 2.9 days | 2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 10 am | 8 am | 4 am | 1 pm | 1 pm | 11 am | 8 am | 7 am | 8 am | 12 pm | 12 pm | 10 am |
| Sunshine per day | 11.5 h | 11.4 h | 10.5 h | 9.1 h | 9.7 h | 10.7 h | 10.8 h | 10.9 h | 11.4 h | 11.5 h | 11.4 h | 11.7 h |
| Relative humidity | 77% | 76% | 79% | 85% | 83% | 79% | 78% | 78% | 77% | 78% | 80% | 79% |
Sea temperature
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature 2022–2025 | 29.4 °C | 29.5 °C | 29.8 °C | 29 °C | 28.4 °C | 27.6 °C | 26.5 °C | 26.1 °C | 26.6 °C | 27.3 °C | 28.5 °C | 29.6 °C |
| Sea temperature (daily max) 2022–2025 | 29.6 °C | 29.7 °C | 30 °C | 29.2 °C | 28.5 °C | 27.7 °C | 26.6 °C | 26.2 °C | 26.8 °C | 27.5 °C | 28.7 °C | 29.9 °C |
- Very cold 10 °C or less
- Cold 10 to 15 °C
- Cool 15 to 20 °C
- Comfortable 20 to 25 °C
- Warm 25 to 28 °C
- Very warm over 28 °C
The words describe how the water feels to swim in. They are ours, not an official standard.
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 11.6 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 14.8 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 11.5 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.