Beach Leisure

After days of dust, early starts and long game drives, the Indian Ocean is the reward. Both Tanzania and Kenya offer world-class coastlines within a short flight of the safari circuits, making the classic "bush and beach" combination one of the most satisfying ways to end a trip.

In Tanzania, Zanzibar is the headline. Powder-white sand, turquoise shallows, dhows drifting on the horizon and the historic maze of Stone Town make it a destination in its own right. The northern beaches around Nungwi and Kendwa offer swimmable water at all tides and lively sunset bars, while the east coast at Paje, Jambiani and Matemwe is quieter, with dramatic tidal flats and kitesurfing. Offshore, Mnemba Atoll delivers superb snorkelling and diving. Further south, Mafia Island is the place for whale sharks and untouched reefs, and Pemba for serious divers seeking solitude.

In Kenya, the coast around Diani Beach is consistently rated among Africa's finest, a long ribbon of white sand backed by palms with excellent resorts and water sports. Watamu and Malindi offer marine national parks, turtle nesting beaches and superb snorkelling, while Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a world apart, all coral-stone architecture, dhow sailing and donkey-lined lanes with no cars at all.

Activities range from doing absolutely nothing to snorkelling, diving, kitesurfing, deep-sea fishing, dolphin trips, dhow sunset cruises and spice tours. Best conditions run from June to October and December to March, while the long rains from April to May bring rougher seas and many properties close or discount heavily.