Zanzibar Travel Guide
Zanzibar in September
Quick answer
September keeps the dry season and loses part of the crowd.
Zanzibar in September is dry, clear and a little less busy than the two months before it. Days reach 30.4°C, nights fall to 21.0°C, the sea is 26.1°C and only 37 mm of rain falls on about 5 days. The south-east trade wind, the Kusi, is easing and the short rains have not started. At Boutique Hotel Matlai September is high season: 16 Jun to 15 Oct in 2026.
| Air, day and night | 30.4°C / 21.0°C |
| Sea | 26.1°C on average |
| Rain | 37 mm on 5 days; 1 to 147 mm in 30 years |
| Wind | Kusi (south-east), easing |
| Rate season | High: 16 Jun to 15 Oct (2026) |
| Crowds | Thinner than July and August |
| Last verified | 26 October 2026 |
The numbers
What is the weather in Zanzibar in September?
September is the last of the reliably dry months, so the table shows August and October beside it: the rain figure triples from one end to the other. Air averages 30.4°C by day, 1.0°C warmer than August, and 21.0°C at night. The sea holds 26.1°C, with a coolest reading of 25.4°C in the record. A rainy day in the table means 1 mm or more; September has about 5 of them, and fewer than one day with 10 mm.
| Month | Day / night air °C | Rain (mm) and rainy days | Sea °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | 29.4 / 21.1 | 38 mm, 6.0 days | 25.8 |
| September | 30.4 / 21.0 | 37 mm, 5.1 days | 26.1 |
| October | 31.2 / 22.0 | 116 mm, 6.9 days | 26.8 |
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.
Where the figures come from matters. They are the Zanzibar airport station's, on the west of the island and roughly 35 km from our beach, so they describe the island, not our own sand. The station has kept the record for 30 years, and in that time a September has delivered anything from 0.7 mm to 147 mm. A wet one happens, but rarely.
The wind and the sea
What do the wind and the tide do in September?
The Kusi, the south-east trade wind, is still with us, keeping the air dry and the evenings fresh. By September the swell it raises on the exposed side of the reef is usually gentler than in the middle of the peak, but a wind keeps no calendar and we do not promise a date. Early morning is the calmest time to be on a boat. Reef fishing stays good until the end of September, and the big offshore fish arrive from October.
At 26.1°C the sea has edged up from August's 25.8°C, and the villa pools are near 25°C, fresh rather than warm. The tide follows the moon, not the month: you swim off the sand around high water, for 2 to 4 hours, and at low water you swim the channel to the Mchanga sandbank. High water comes about 50 minutes later every day, and full and new moon bring the biggest tides. Seaweed is uncommon until December. Our tides and swimming guide explains the cycle; every room has the tide table.
Price and crowds
What does September cost, and how busy is it?
High season on our rate sheet covers September: 16 Jun to 15 Oct in 2026, 15 Jun to 31 Oct in 2027. That puts an Asili House double at US$620 a night in 2026 and US$670 in 2027, per room, half board and tax included, plus the US$4 per person per night infrastructure tax. The low-season price of the same room in 2026 is US$535. See rooms and rates for the grid.
September does not get cheaper; what you gain is room. There are fewer people on the beach than in July and August and the dates are easier to get, though six rooms can still go to one party for a whole date band, so ask early. If a lower rate matters too, low season starts on 16 Oct in 2026; Zanzibar in October weighs that cheaper rate against the rain risk.
What to do
What is September good for, and what is it less good for?
September is good for the long beach day, snorkelling and diving in clear water, and a safari that ends on the coast: it sits in the dry season, and the Great Migration calendar shows where the herds are. Kitesurfing at Paje is still in its season on the Kusi (see kitesurfing in Zanzibar).
It is less good if you want a warm sea or a warm pool; the Kaskazi months, with the sea near 28.8°C in February, are warmer. It is also not the quietest month of the year, since high-season prices apply. The best time to visit Zanzibar page puts every month side by side, and Zanzibar in August covers the month before. For a hotel choice, see the best hotels in Zanzibar, and for a choice of coast, where to stay in Zanzibar. 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
What guests ask before booking September, answered with the sourced numbers in the table.
Is September a good time to visit Zanzibar?
Yes, for most travellers it is the best month: dry (37 mm of rain on 5 days), 30.4°C days, clear water and a beach that is quieter than in July and August. It is still high season, so book early, and the sea at 26.1°C is on the cool side.
Is September better than August in Zanzibar?
For most people, yes. The weather is as dry (37 mm against 38 mm), the sea is 0.3°C warmer and the island is less crowded. August is the better choice only when your dates are already fixed.
Does it rain in Zanzibar in September?
Very little. The weather station records 37 mm on about 5 days with 1 mm or more, and fewer than one day with 10 mm. In 30 years the wettest September had 147 mm and the driest 0.7 mm. The short rains do not start until October.
How warm is the sea in Zanzibar in September?
About 26.1°C on average off Michamvi Pingwe, between 25.4 and 26.8°C in the daily satellite readings of 2017 to 2025. That is still the cool half of the year, comfortable for swimming, and the villa pools are around 25°C, refreshing rather than warm.
Is September high season at Matlai?
Yes. High season runs from 16 Jun to 15 Oct in 2026 and from 15 Jun to 31 Oct in 2027. An Asili House double room is US$620 a night in 2026 and US$670 in 2027, per room with half board, tax included. The Zanzibar infrastructure tax of US$4 per person per night is extra.
Is September windy in Zanzibar?
There is still a south-east breeze, the Kusi, which keeps evenings fresh and the air dry. By September the swell on the open east coast is usually gentler than at the July and August peak, but the wind keeps no calendar, and mornings are calmest on the water. Check the tide table, because it decides the swimming.
Is September good for a safari plus Zanzibar?
Yes. It sits in the dry season, which is the classic game-viewing window, and the coast is at its most reliable. The Great Migration calendar shows where the herds are; Zanzibar then fits around the safari dates.
Your stay at Matlai
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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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