Why Community, Culture And Sustainability Are The Real Luxury In Zanzibar

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The bright, grey-toned villa offered a large bed and seating area, a spacious bathroom with walk-in shower and soaking tub, blissfully cold air conditioning and floor-to-ceiling front windows showcasing the spectacular Indian Ocean. The well-shaded terrace and private plunge pool were attractive room perks, but what I (perhaps oddly) found most compelling was the full-sized drinking-water cooler, a thoughtful and efficient touch.

 

Aside from convenience, the water coolers are one of many sustainability efforts at Zawadi, which is part of the four-property Zanzibar Collection. From the stainless steel water bottles and a near-absence of plastics, to utilising humidity-absorbing indigenous plants for shade and privacy throughout the property, treating sewage on-site and maintaining a vast organic fruit and vegetable garden, Zawadi seems to have struck the delicate balance between resources and resourcefulness. Guests are encouraged to visit the garden and small farm — an activity I thoroughly enjoyed when three friendly donkeys trotted over and started following us around, eager for a bite of apple or carrot.

 

Zawadi’s perch atop a small cliff provides stellar — incredible, really — views and steady breezes, with beach access via a short downhill path. Its elevated location offers the best of both worlds. Being closer to the water isn’t always better, as I learned when I realised that I prefer the versatility of a beach villa to an overwater bungalow in the Maldives just a few months prior. Not that I was musing over the Maldives for long as I sipped a South African sauvignon blanc and nibbled on the crispy calamari and avocado salad that kicked off our three-course lunch at this true all-inclusive. When it comes to island holidays in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar will have my vote until further notice.

This was my third visit to the island. It’s a popular add-on to a Tanzanian safari or for recuperation following a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, but Zanzibar continues to come into its own as a standalone destination for wellness and relaxation. It’s worth spending time in the UNESCO-designated historic centre of Zanzibar City known as Stone Town — and when you do, I can happily recommend booking in at the lovely Emerson Spice Hotel with ornate rooms and scenic rooftop — but I’ll admit that this trip was all about the beaches.

Johan (the aforementioned husband) and I were celebrating milestone birthdays and a wedding anniversary. Zawadi was our second stop — we’d begun our festivities at LUX* Marijani, a property I’d first visited shortly after it opened in mid-2023. I was keen to see how the resort was getting on after a year of settling in. 

LUX* is a large enough group that you might call it a chain of hotels, but doing so doesn’t feel quite right. Each location is carefully chosen and the properties are designed in-situ to uniquely reflect the local architecture, cuisine, art and decor. LUX* Marijani leans heavily into Zanzibar’s Arabic influences with gleaming white facades and hand-carved wooden doors. Tall palms rise in every direction, the landscaping is pristine (thanks in part to the recycled greywater that keeps it hydrated), and the view from the beach is picture-perfect. I was especially pleased to see that said beach still featured the large seaweed drying racks used by local residents — mostly women — who harvest seaweed during low tide and transform it into soaps and natural remedies. 

This isn’t a courtesy extended by every resort. Zanzibar’s beaches are a workplace for many locals — stroll along one and you’ll almost certainly be approached by someone hoping to sell a tour or souvenir. These men and women are understandably trying to make the most of an opportunity to connect with travellers and earn a bit of cash, but many properties enforce a clear delineation between public beaches and private property, nudging locals out rather than working alongside communities. That LUX* Marijani provides these seaweed racks — and has a staff comprising more than 80 per cent local hires — is a green flag, as the kids say.

We spent a pleasing few days enjoying poolside drinks, piles of fresh seafood and my personal favourite, a richly spiced curry with octopus so tender that Johan and I both kept murmuring “how is this octopus so tender?” between bites. A special shoutout goes to Chef Dinesh, who remembered my first visit and kindly made the dish upon request.

PIN IT

Our week on the island finished at Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa, a family-owned property with the prestigious Relais & Chateaux designation. The resort is expansive yet intensely secluded with lush, dense greenery surrounding each villa and lining every walkway. In addition to providing natural shade, the White Sand gardens encourage biodiversity and host several species of birds, lizards, insects, fruits, herbs and even a few monkeys. 

“There are over 40,000 plants in our gardens, and most are endemic to the island,” Natalia Niznik told me during a quick chat. She’s a co-owner of Zanzibar White Sand and her father is the one who brought the resort vision to life a decade ago. “We wanted to embrace nature; it should stay the way it is.” 

Indeed, sustainability plays a major role in daily operations. Currently 30-40 per cent of the resort’s electricity comes from solar power, and seven of the 18 villas are fully solar-powered. In addition, nearly all of the furniture and decor throughout the property was crafted by local artisans in White Sand’s own woodworking shop. There’s also a wind turbine and an on-site desalination plant. 

Wind, however, was something we did not feel much of at White Sand. The resort is at sea level and the main lounge and restaurant — where guests are greeted and dinners are served — sits considerably far back from the beach, behind all of the villas and foliage. I spent the duration of our evening meals quietly sweating, albeit between delicious bites of local lobster in spiced butter. Fortunately, Niznik assured me that ceiling fans in this very building were scheduled for installation in the coming days and I’m confident those fans will have made all the difference. 

Resort hotels are nothing if not an ongoing project, particularly when operators are committed to sustainable practices. Zanzibar is a special place but it’s not without its threats of overtourism and overconsumption. Smaller-occupancy properties with firm commitments to communities and fragile island ecosystems can go far in making a long-term positive impact — and that’s the real luxury.