Zanzibar Travel Guide
Zanzibar in April and May
Quick answer
April and May are the long rains, and we close for part of them.
Zanzibar in April and May is the long rains. April is the wettest month of the year, with 409 mm on 18 days, and May follows with 298 mm on 14 days, while the air stays at 30.6°C and the sea at 29.1°C. Boutique Hotel Matlai closes for part of the period: in 2027 it is closed from 15 April to 22 May. If your dates are flexible, March or June is the safer choice.
| Rain, April | 409 mm on 18 days: the wettest month |
| Rain, May | 298 mm on 14 days |
| Air, April | 30.6°C / 24.5°C |
| Sea | 29.1°C in April, 28.1°C in May |
| Matlai in 2027 | Closed 15 April to 22 May |
| Rate season | Low: 1 Mar to 14 Jun (2027) |
| Last verified | 26 October 2026 |
The numbers
How much does it rain in Zanzibar in April and May?
April is the peak of the long rains: 409 mm in a month, on 17.5 days with 1 mm or more, and 9.6 of those days bring 10 mm or more. April averages 2.1 days with 50 mm or more, which is very heavy rain. May is a little lighter at 298 mm on 13.8 days. A rainy day in the table means 1 mm or more. March and June are in the table so you can see what the long rains are measured against.
| Month | Day / night air °C | Rain (mm) and rainy days | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 32.5 / 24.5 | 177 mm, 11.0 days | 29.4 |
| April | 30.6 / 24.5 | 409 mm, 17.5 days | 29.1 |
| May | 29.7 / 23.8 | 298 mm, 13.8 days | 28.1 |
| June | 29.3 / 22.9 | 52 mm, 5.3 days | 27.2 |
Air and rain: WMO Climate Normals 1991-2020, Zanzibar (station 63870), published by NOAA, averages for 1991 to 2020. Sea: NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km daily sea surface temperature, mean of daily readings 2017 to 2025 for the 5 km cell off Michamvi Pingwe. Typical values, not a forecast.
The air and rain figures come from the weather station at Zanzibar airport, on the west side of the island and about 35 km from our beach in a straight line. It is the nearest official long record, not a reading taken here. Over 30 years the driest April had 32.4 mm and the wettest 811.7 mm, in 2020; the wettest May had 838.3 mm, in 2019. Our own records say the south-east gets less rain than Stone Town and the middle of the island, but we have no measured number, so we print none.
The closure
When is Matlai closed in April and May?
The hotel closes for part of April and May every year, and the dates are announced in advance. In 2027 the last night you can stay is 14 April, and we are closed from 15 April to 22 May. That leaves about two weeks after Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027, enough to cover the school holidays that run into April; the Easter 2027 page explains how to use them. After 22 May the dry Kusi wind is arriving and the rain is falling away.
I would rather say it plainly: if you came to find out whether April is a good month for a beach holiday on this coast, the answer is no, and the numbers say why.
What the rain does
Does the rain wreck a trip, or just a few afternoons?
It depends how you count. A wet day here usually means a heavy burst in the afternoon that clears, and the morning and evening stay free. But April averages 12.4 days with 5 mm or more and 9.6 with 10 mm or more, so in a typical April about one day in three has a proper downpour, and the wettest April on record, in 2020, had 812 mm.
The UK government warns that in the rainy season heavy rain and strong winds can affect travel, that flooding and landslides can occur, and that road surfaces can deteriorate. In practice that means slow transfers, a ferry or a small plane that waits for the weather, and some lodges, restaurants and excursions that pause. Keep a spare day before an international flight. The Tanzania Meteorological Authority publishes the forecast, and you should read it the week you go. If you do come, our post on where to eat in the low season is a good start.
Sea and tide
Is the sea still warm, and does the tide change?
The sea is one of the good news items. Off Michamvi Pingwe it averages 29.1°C in April, from 27.9°C to 30.2°C in the daily readings, and 28.1°C in May. Only March is warmer.
The tide runs as in every month. You swim straight off the beach in the 2 to 4 hours around high tide, and at low tide you swim the channel to the Mchanga sandbank; the tide comes about 50 minutes later each day, and the spring tides at full and new moon go furthest out. The rain only changes how much of the day you can use. Our tides and swimming guide has the details.
Price and value
Is April and May cheaper, and who is it for?
It is low season on our sheet: 15 Mar to 15 Jun in 2026 and 1 Mar to 14 Jun in 2027. An Asili House double room is US$535 a night in 2026 and US$550 in 2027, per room with half board, tax included. The Zanzibar infrastructure tax of US$4 per person per night is extra. The full grid is on rooms and rates. The island is at its quietest.
Who it suits is a short list: travellers who value quiet and a low price over dry weather, repeat guests, writers, and people who can only travel then. Who it does not suit is everyone with one week, a first visit and a need for sun. For them, the answer is the neighbouring months: March and early April give the same warm sea with far less rain, and the best time to visit Zanzibar page puts all twelve months side by side. If the dry weather is the point, look at Zanzibar in July. This page is part of the Zanzibar travel guide.
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization: Climate Normals 1991-2020, Zanzibar (station 63870): The monthly air temperature, rainfall and rainy-day averages for 1991 to 2020 at the Zanzibar airport station, which is on the west side of the island.
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch: daily 5 km sea surface temperature: The daily satellite sea temperature for the cell off Michamvi, averaged by month for 2017 to 2025 (2016 and 2022 not retrieved)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Tanzania safety and security: The rainy seasons (end of March to May, October to mid-December) and what heavy rain does to travel.
- Tanzania Meteorological Authority: The official forecasts for Unguja (Zanzibar) and the seasonal rainfall outlooks.
Checked on 26 October 2026. We link to the bodies that set the rules, not to summaries of them. Rules change: check the page itself before you travel.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
The questions we get about the wettest weeks, answered with the same sourced numbers as the table.
Is April a bad time to visit Zanzibar?
It is the wettest month of the year: 409 mm on 18 days at the Zanzibar weather station, with 10 days of 10 mm or more. The air stays 30.6°C and the sea 29.1°C, so it is warm rain, but it is a poor month for a first beach holiday. March or June is the safer choice.
Is Zanzibar worth visiting in May?
Only if you want quiet. May still averages 298 mm on 14 days, then the dry Kusi wind takes over and the rain falls away towards June (52 mm). May is drier than April.
Is Matlai open in April and May?
Not for all of it. The hotel closes for part of April and May every year, and the dates are announced in advance. In 2027 the last night you can stay is 14 April, and the hotel is closed from 15 April to 22 May. Ask us for the dates of other years.
How much cheaper is April and May?
It is low season: 15 Mar to 15 Jun in 2026 and 1 Mar to 14 Jun in 2027. An Asili House double room is US$535 a night in 2026 and US$550 in 2027, per room with half board, tax included.
How warm is the sea in Zanzibar in April and May?
Warm. The sea off Michamvi Pingwe averages 29.1°C in April, the warmest of the year after March, and 28.1°C in May, in daily satellite readings of 2017 to 2025.
Does heavy rain disrupt travel in Zanzibar?
It can. The UK government warns that heavy rain and strong winds can affect travel in the rainy season, and that flooding and landslides can follow. Roads, ferries and flights can be slowed. Keep a spare day before an international flight, and check the Tanzania Meteorological Authority forecast in the week you go.
Which is better, March or May?
March, for the weather: 177 mm on 11 days against 298 mm on 14. March is also warmer, with 32.5°C days and a 29.4°C sea, and the island is quieter from early March. May is the cheaper, emptier month.
Your stay at Matlai
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Booking with the hotel itself? Ask us what we can offer for your dates.
Why guests book Matlai
- A team of butlers on call, 07:00 to 22:00. One message and it is arranged.
- Half board with a chef’s menu that changes daily: three courses, plus two à la carte kitchens at every table, Zatiny (Indian Ocean fusion) and Duyên (Vietnamese).
- Dine where you like: in the restaurant, in the garden or on your own balcony. A private table by the beach or a candlelight dinner can be arranged at an extra charge.
- Six rooms in two villas, a pool for each villa, shared by its rooms, and every room facing the sunrise over the ocean.
- Bustani, the garden spa; the sandbank in front of the hotel at low tide; a quiet beach lined with small, family-owned hotels.
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