Zanzibar Travel Guide
Zanzibar in June
Quick answer
June is where the dry season begins.
Zanzibar in June is the start of the dry season. Days reach 29.3°C, nights fall to 22.9°C, the sea is 27.2°C and rain averages 52 mm over 5 days, a fraction of May's 298 mm. The south-east wind, the Kusi, sets in. At Boutique Hotel Matlai June straddles two seasons in 2027: low season to 14 Jun, high season from 15 Jun.
| Air, day and night | 29.3°C / 22.9°C |
| Sea | 27.2°C on average |
| Rain | 52 mm on 5 days; 0 to 196 mm in 30 years |
| Wind | Kusi (south-east) sets in |
| Rate season | Low to 14 Jun, high from 15 Jun (2027) |
| Good to know | The long rains of April and May are behind you |
| Last verified | 31 October 2026 |
The numbers
What is the weather in Zanzibar in June?
June is the month the rain falls away. The table shows May and July beside it: 298 mm in May, 52 mm in June and 31 mm in July. Daytime air is 29.3°C and the nights are 22.9°C. A rainy day here means 1 mm or more; June has 5.3 of them, and 1.8 days with 10 mm or more.
| Month | Day / night air °C | Rain (mm) and rainy days | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 29.7 / 23.8 | 298 mm, 13.8 days | 28.1 |
| June | 29.3 / 22.9 | 52 mm, 5.3 days | 27.2 |
| July | 29.0 / 22.1 | 31 mm, 4.3 days | 26.2 |
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, so we call it an island record.
Wind and sea
What does the Kusi do in June?
The Kusi, the south-east monsoon, blows from about May to October. It brings dry air, low humidity and the best underwater visibility of the year. June is its early stretch: the swell that can move a boat trip on the open east coast peaks later, in July and August. Mornings are the calmest part of the day on the water. Reef-sheltered lagoons barely notice the wind.
The sea off Michamvi Pingwe is 27.2°C in June, from 26.0°C to 28.4°C in the daily readings, and 1.0°C warmer than July. 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. Our tides and swimming guide explains the cycle. Reef fishing is better from June to September, according to the charter company our guests fish with.
Price and crowds
What does June cost at Matlai?
June is split on our 2027 rate sheet. Low season runs to 14 Jun and high season starts on 15 Jun. An Asili House double room is US$550 a night in low season and US$670 in high season, 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.
If your dates can sit in the first half of the month, you get the dry weather at the lower rate. A hotel with six rooms can lose a whole date band to one booking, so ask early. For the peak that follows, see Zanzibar in July.
Who it suits
Who should choose June, and who should not?
Choose June if you want dry days, fresher air and clear water, and you would rather arrive before the July peak. It suits snorkellers, divers, walkers and couples; kitesurfers will find the wind building on the Kusi (see kitesurfing in Zanzibar). Choose another month if you want a still, warm pool and the hottest days: February suits that better. The best time to visit Zanzibar page sets all twelve months side by side.
Pack light clothes and one warm layer for evenings and boat mornings, with sun cream and a hat. This page is part of the Zanzibar travel guide.
Planning around the weather? Match the month to the coast in our guide to the best beaches in Zanzibar, which explains what the tide does on each.
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.
- Auswärtiges Amt: Tansania, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise: Germany's travel advice, including its outlook of above-average rain in parts of Tanzania from October to December 2026 (version of 26 October 2026)
- Tanzania Meteorological Authority: The official forecasts for Unguja (Zanzibar) and the seasonal rainfall outlooks.
Checked on 31 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
What guests ask before booking June, answered with the same sourced numbers as the table.
Is June a good time to visit Zanzibar?
Yes, for dry, less humid weather and a clear sea. June averages 52 mm of rain on 5 days, days of 29.3°C and a 27.2°C sea. The long rains are over, but a wet June is possible: the wettest in 30 years had 196 mm.
Does it rain in Zanzibar in June?
A little. At the Zanzibar weather station June averages 52 mm on 5 days with 1 mm or more, against 298 mm in May. The driest June in 30 years had 0 mm, and the wettest 196 mm.
Is June cold in Zanzibar?
Not cold, but fresher than the rest of the year. Days average 29.3°C against 33.2°C in February, and nights 22.9°C. The south-east wind, the Kusi, makes evenings and boat mornings feel cooler, so bring a light layer.
How warm is the sea in June?
About 27.2°C on average off Michamvi Pingwe, between 26.0 and 28.4°C in the daily readings of 2017 to 2025. It is cooler than in the first months of the year and still comfortable for swimming.
Is the sea rough in June?
Livelier than in the Kaskazi months, but June is before the Kusi peak of July and August. Swells can run on the open east coast, so a boat trip sometimes moves to another day, and mornings are the calmest time on the water. The tide still decides the swimming.
Is June low season or high season at Matlai?
Both, in 2027. Low season runs to 14 Jun and high season starts on 15 Jun. An Asili House double room is US$550 a night in low season and US$670 in high season, per room with half board, tax included. The Zanzibar infrastructure tax of US$4 per person per night is extra.
Is June good for snorkelling and diving?
Yes. The Kusi months have the best underwater visibility of the year, and June is the first of them once the long rains have cleared.
Your stay at Matlai
Choose your dates and the booking page opens with them, showing live availability.
Bookings with children go by enquiry: the booking page books adults only, so send us your dates on WhatsApp and we reply with the options. Children under 14 stay with a whole villa. WhatsApp →
These dates are by enquiry only — please email info[at]hotelmatlai.com or WhatsApp +255772628833 and we will confirm availability and rates.
Indicative public rates — the engine shows live availability for your dates.
Welcome drink, kayaks, bicycles and snorkelling gear, free of charge.
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.
TripAdvisor 4.9/5 · 381+ reviews · Google 4.8/5