A perfect day in Paje

I love the deep cultural experience packed in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Having spent four days in Stone Town me and my partner decided to explore Zanzibar East Coast and center our experience in Paje. We quickly fell in love with Paje. Personally I did not feel the way I felt in Paje in other beach towns up North Unguja. Paje is kitesurfer's paradise with some of the most beautiful turquoise and mild waves waters one can kite surf. Kite surfers are usually chill people which perfectly match the vibe of this beach town.

Start your day with a beach walk or jog at my favorite beach in Zanzibar by far in Paje Beach. The length and the width of Paje Beach is a sight to be experienced. The morning sunrise is a beauty and energizes you for the day ahead. The deep sea is

a mile and half or two from the shore which makes for an awesome experience between low tide and high. The ocean color deserves a break to be admired. You are now ready for breakfast after a beautiful morning at Paje Beach.

Return on your hotel or beach bungalow. The new kid on the block is Chokoro House Inn located just a block and a half from Paje Beach which is a quick five (5) minute walk. Chokoro House offers a breakfast inspired by the local dishes and ingredients from small farms in Paje area. The fruits in Zanzibar are rich and offers a memorable palate enhancing your holiday experience. Chokoro House tries to accompany your breakfast with in season fruits.

You are now ready to take on Paje. Next stop should be Mwani Zanzibar located just a short walk from Chokoro House. The low tide, high tide phenomenon accompanied by shallow water of Southeast shore of Zanzibar makes for a perfect ground to grow Seaweed (or Mwani in Swahili). Mwani Zanzibar Tours will get you interested in this amazing sea plant that has so many ways humans can benefit from. After the Mwani tour rent a bike or vespa to explore the beach beyond Paje Beach. Perhaps go north to Bwejuu and Dongwe Beach or South towards Jambiani.

It should now be lunch time and Paje offers many options. There are many beach restaurants and bars. Some of the standouts one can choose from include but not limited to Mr. Lecker Lecker, Fisherman's, B4, Oceans, Sativa Cafe (Vegan), and Bounty French restaurant. That said, the favorite of ours is Mr. Kahawa which offers a great menu with a great options of seafoods, smoothies and yes, coffee ( Kahawa in Swahili). To top it all the view of the ocean from the lower deck of Mr, Kahawa is the refreshing sight to go along with your lunch.

After a nap you are now ready for kitesurfing and no doubt the star of Paje experience for pros and amateurs alike. Paje is the Kite headquarters in Zanzibar with nice winds, low tides with shallow waters and most importantly absence of sea urchins which make for an amazing experience. There are countless Kite centers in Paje for all budgets with prices ranging from $25 to $50. Kite Exotic snd Kite Center are the best choices. It sure does not hurt that Kite Exotic is priced fairly close to the lower end of the range depending on the season.

After working on your lunch and freshening up, you are ready for a great night. You should stop at one of the local street food stands and experience Zanzibar street snacks. No Zanzibar experience is complete if one does not try Zanzibar Urojo among other favorites. The best stand is by the main roundabout in front of Abbasi Mini Store. They have quite a selection and definitely you will find something to try. Thursday nights there is only one destination and that is Demani Lodge. What a great experience the owner Issa has created. The night starts with drinks, a family style dinner with ingredients from his garden behind the lodge, a live band, followed by a fire show by the pool before the DJ takes you deep into the night.

Now that, is a perfect day in Paje!

by Mgeni Mpolo @ Chokoro House